To flute or not to flute

[CoopT]

All

Has anyone ordered their rifles with a fluted barrel and if so do you think it adds anything apart from looks and making your wallet lighter?

Getting a 505 and the dealer mentionned this option. Said it was mainly a design feature but that it could make the barrel more rigid and thus more precise - but Sauer/Blaser barrels shooting quite accurately already, i'm not sure this is essential.

Maybe getting a 19mm barrel instead of the standard 17mm contour might be better although this being a mountain build weight is a concern.

Cost of fluting is €500.

Best
CoopT

 

[Heym SR20]

A Fluted 19mm barrel will be the same sort of weight as a 17mm barrel but will be a bit stiffer than a 17mm barrel, and with a larger surface area will cool a little quicker.

It won’t have the stiffness of an unfluted 19mm barrel, but will be a bit lighter.

 

[Len the dog]

As with any piece of steel there are stresses built up in the metal, unless that metal is stress relieved beforehand then taking material off it can allow it to warp, same with a piece of seasoned timber that's been ripped down from larger stock. Whether that amount of warp will affect accuracy I wouldn't know, but it will warp to some extent.

 

[Twodogs]

Certainly a barrel with a larger surface area will cool quicker, but being fluted it will have less material, than the non-fluted equivalent, and therefore heat up more quickly. Not an issue either way if only stalking.

 

[Heym SR20]

As with any piece of steel there are stresses built up in the metal, unless that metal is stress relieved beforehand then taking material off it can allow it to warp, same with a piece of seasoned timber that's been ripped down from larger stock. Whether that amount of warp will affect accuracy I wouldn't know, but it will warp to some extent.

You are correct, however in defence, fluting should be concentic around the barrel. The real challenge will come if the fluting is done after market, rather than being done as part of the original barrel making process.

Most factory barrels these days are hammer forged around a mandrel - cheapest and most efficient way to make large numbers of good enough barrels.

They won’t have the same precision as a custom barrel from a custom barrel maker. But then a custom barrel probably costs more than most budget rifles which leave the factory at a price point of $200 to $500 given that they retail in many markets for not much more.

A fluted barrel on a Blaser, Sauer etc all come out of the same factory and they will shoot just as well as any other barrel.

 

[Feugh]

There’s a very good podcast regarding this very subject from Vortex Nation:


The conclusion is: you will save some weight but you’re better off getting a carbon wrapped barrel.

 

[big ears]

It’s all cosmetics. If it’s a stalking rifle then heat build up is not an issue, the weight issue is also not an issue as a 17mm barrel is still the lightest.
It’s a sales pitch. That said if you like the look of it and get pleasure from it and can afford it then crack on. But don’t justify it with BS it’s because you like it and want it not because it’s better.

 

[75]

As above - surface area increase and weight reduction are so minimal as to not be a consideration in real world scenarios. If you like the look go for it (I have a fluted rifle) but don't kid yourself it is anything other than aesthetic.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

One of my rifles if fluted because it came like that and I quite like it but wouldn’t pay extra to have it

 

[Tobyc064]

All

Has anyone ordered their rifles with a fluted barrel and if so do you think it adds anything apart from looks and making your wallet lighter?

Getting a 505 and the dealer mentionned this option. Said it was mainly a design feature but that it could make the barrel more rigid and thus more precise - but Sauer/Blaser barrels shooting quite accurately already, i'm not sure this is essential.

Maybe getting a 19mm barrel instead of the standard 17mm contour might be better although this being a mountain build weight is a concern.

Cost of fluting is €500.

Best
CoopT

Fluted barrel vs non fluted barrel at the same weight would mean that the fluted barrel is stronger because it was a thicker barrel. It cools down quicker but if you are not fussed about the looks then you should probably just get the cheaper option. There is a video on the vortex podcast YouTube