jerkface11
Member
I recently got a 17hmr with a bull barrel. It's proving to be a bit heavy for a squirrel gun so i'd like to get the barrel fluted. Unfortunately my local gunsmith isn't equiped to flute barrels. Can you guys make a recomendation?
Barrel fluting
- Thread starter jerkface11
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Clipper
Member
Any reasonably well-equipped machine shop or tool & die should be able to fix you up, as it only takes a mill and snap-chuck or indexing head to do it...
lesjones
Member
How much weight savings are we talking about?
Honestly, my estimate is that fluting a barrel saves less than half a pound.
Honestly, my estimate is that fluting a barrel saves less than half a pound.
Serendipity
member
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Having your local machine shop flute your barrel would be about like letting your buddy handle your dental work with his Dremel. 
Best not to do any fluting, after the barrel's manufactured.
Best not to do any fluting, after the barrel's manufactured.jerkface11
Member
Well i'm glad you guys answered my question.
jerkface11
Member
Unfortunately my local gunsmith isn't equiped to flute barrels. Can you guys make a recomendation?
As you can see I DID NOT ask for your opinions on barrel fluting. I asked for recomendations for firms that DO barrel fluting. If you can't be helpful why post? Don't bother answering the question now though. The knowledgeable people over at gunboards have been more than helpful.
As you can see I DID NOT ask for your opinions on barrel fluting. I asked for recomendations for firms that DO barrel fluting. If you can't be helpful why post? Don't bother answering the question now though. The knowledgeable people over at gunboards have been more than helpful.
Serendipity
member
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Enjoy your fluted barrel.
rbernie
Contributing Member
Oh, I see now. You asked for a recommendation, and you got it (to not flute an already rifled barrel). You INTENDED to ask for a reference for machine shop to do your fluting, and you didn't get that because that's not actually the question that you explicitly asked.
So not getting the free advice you wanted from total strangers who evidently meant well when they DID reply to you now entitles you to be rude and insult them. Gotcha.
Good luck with all that.
<sigh>
jerkface11
Member
Just out of curiosity how many barrels have you guys had fluted by reputable firms that had their accuracy ruined? .
Serendipity
member
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Just out of curiosity, why would any of us think, for one minute, that you'd know who the knowledgeable people are?
jerkface11
Member
Well you're right about that. I obviously didn't know where the knowledgeable people were or I wouldt have known better than to have asked my question HERE.
rbernie
Contributing Member
I shouldn't, but here goes nothing:
These four manufacturers are as reputable as they come. When they give advice or advertise services, it's best to listen.
On the other hand, there *are* a lot of machine shops that are more than happy to take $150-$250 from your wallet and flute your stock barrel. I doubt that they'll be much help when your groups start to open up or the POI starts walking when the barrel gets hot. Maybe you can get them to sell you a 'stress relieving' cryo treatment and spend another $100 on that. By the time you're done dorking with the stock barrel, you'll have spent the equivilent of a decent downpayment for a Shilen or Kreiger barrel.
In other words, I wouldn't do any of this - it's cheaper to sell the rifle and get one you want or have it professionally rebarreled with a fluted barrel - but that's not the advice that you asked for.
- http://www.hartbarrels.com/F_A_Q.shtml - They'll flute one of their barrels, but not after it's been finalized/lapped.
- http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/rapidCat/WebPageImages/1246/3392/Fluting72006revb.gif - They'll flute one of their barrels, but not after it's been finalized/lapped.
- http://www.shilen.com/faq.html#question8 - they won't flute at all
These four manufacturers are as reputable as they come. When they give advice or advertise services, it's best to listen.
On the other hand, there *are* a lot of machine shops that are more than happy to take $150-$250 from your wallet and flute your stock barrel. I doubt that they'll be much help when your groups start to open up or the POI starts walking when the barrel gets hot. Maybe you can get them to sell you a 'stress relieving' cryo treatment and spend another $100 on that. By the time you're done dorking with the stock barrel, you'll have spent the equivilent of a decent downpayment for a Shilen or Kreiger barrel.
In other words, I wouldn't do any of this - it's cheaper to sell the rifle and get one you want or have it professionally rebarreled with a fluted barrel - but that's not the advice that you asked for.
mrmeval
Member
Ah foo. I wanted a bull barrel turned into a complex swirl. I still may do it and see how it shoots but it's mainly a gee whiz thing.
jerkface11
Member
WOW you named 4 companies 3 of which will FLUTE A BARREL one of which will do it AFTER lapping. Of course those AREN'T gunsmiths those are BARREL companies so they won't do a barrel that they didn't sell you. Here are 3 examples of what i was looking for.
http://www.briley.com/gunservices/rifleservices.html
http://www.scorehi.com/main.htm#Barrel Work
http://www.savageshooters.net/sharpshooters/Services.html
All 3 flute barrels
Now if you don't mind answer my earlier question HOW MANY RIFLES HAVE YOU HAD RUINED BY A GUNSMITH WHO WAS FLUTING THE BARREL? Or did Lt. Cooper tell you it was bad?
http://www.briley.com/gunservices/rifleservices.html
http://www.scorehi.com/main.htm#Barrel Work
http://www.savageshooters.net/sharpshooters/Services.html
All 3 flute barrels
Now if you don't mind answer my earlier question HOW MANY RIFLES HAVE YOU HAD RUINED BY A GUNSMITH WHO WAS FLUTING THE BARREL? Or did Lt. Cooper tell you it was bad?
rbernie
Contributing Member
An incorrect summary. Of the four OEMs listed, only ONE will flute a finalized barrel and that's Lilja. You don't have a Lilja barrel. The other three either will not flute one of their barrels or will only do so before the bore is finished.
That's a fact. The four references I provided are folks that make a living doing nothing but making and selling some of the finest, most accurate barrels available - barrels that come with guarantees and impeccable reputations. Asking *them* their opinion of fluting a barrel after it's finished and installed on a rifle would seem to be a reasonable approach, since that's the sole business that they're in - selling accuracy. But what is their knowledge, compared to some dude with a mill and an itch to relieve you of several hundred dollars at no risk to himself?
Absolutely true - you run with all that. A simple Google search of the phrase 'barrel fluting' turns up dozens of outfits who'll gladly machine your barrel in any one of a number of ways. As I said:
Reading comprehension is obviously optional.
Yup.
Jerkface - it's amazing that you managed to get your delicate panties in a wad over something that a simple Google would have answered for you. On the other hand, folks here have been earnestly trying to help you look at this orthogonally and all you can do is rain scorn and derision upon them.
I do mind - I mind your tone and your attitude and your behavior. You're the type of person I come to THR to avoid.
I'm done tilting at this windmill.
jerkface11
Member
I asked for recomendations. NOT opinions. I want to know who will flute my barrel and do a good job. I do not care if you like fluting if you think fluting is a good idea or what bodington has to say about fluting. If you cannot answer my question why bother responding? You keep saying fluting will destroy the accuracy of my rifle. As yet you have not said how many rifles you've seen destroyed by fluting. Now if someone wouldn't mind actually being helpful i'd still appreciate some real feedback instead of opinionated drivel.
Car Knocker
Member
No.
mrmeval
Member
All I've seen is a bunch of you all attacking the original poster for asking a question and then goading them into a fight. You don't like fluting a barrel, fine. He asked if there was a place that did barrel fluting, not your opinion on it.
simmonsguns
Member
I have had briley's do 8 of my custom funney looking things that i do.each one was grouped before and after the fluting was finished.
Not one had a POI change what so ever,the cal. range was 22-250 up to a 300 win-mag so there is a good spread of bore sizes.
The average length was 24 inches and i started with hart blanks,so the quality was good barrel steel to start with.
It's all in the stress releaveing whether cryo or oven.and having the tech know what they are doing also.
I can't give prices because of an agreement with briley,but they do great work.
I don't care if this helps or not.
Not one had a POI change what so ever,the cal. range was 22-250 up to a 300 win-mag so there is a good spread of bore sizes.
The average length was 24 inches and i started with hart blanks,so the quality was good barrel steel to start with.
It's all in the stress releaveing whether cryo or oven.and having the tech know what they are doing also.
I can't give prices because of an agreement with briley,but they do great work.
I don't care if this helps or not.
jerkface11
Member
That helps a lot. Thank you. It's good to hear from someone who's actually had a barrel fluted and not just a mall ninja in training. Now i just need to decide if it's cost effective.
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