The real benefits of barrel fluting

[Sugarbug]

I always heard that barrel fluting adds more rigidity to barrels. That made no sense to me since you're taking metal away from it... How does that make it more rigid?

Found this article and I think he does a very good job saying what fluting does and doesn't do.

http://www.snipercountry.com/articles/realbenefitsbarrelfluting.asp

I'd quote some parts, but I'm on my iPad and it's a hassle.

 

[LACamper]

It cuts weight, which is a good thing.

If it helped cool the barrel then all MG barrels would be fluted.

Rigidity I'm not sold on one way or the other.

 

[goteron]

Fluting reduces weight primarily. Ancillary benefits include better rigidity than if you turned the barrel down to the same weight.

It does improve cooling, as it increases surface area, but it also speeds up heating as there is less material. The cooling differential is low, and I would not consider it as a primary deciding factor.

 

[Zephyr]

It allows manufacturers to charge an additional $50-$100 for a marginal improvement over a similarly weighted un-fluted barrel!

In seriousness, weight reduction is the practical improvement, but I think there is also a large number of buyers that find it more aesthetically pleasing and are willing to pay extra for something that looks cool.

 

[rocketsteve]

Theoretically, fluting should also help with cooling the barrel. Computer heat sinks work on the idea of heat removal through greater surface area, which explains all the little fins on the sides of heat sinks. On a fluted barrel, the amount of surface area, inside the concave portion of the fluting, should be greater than the surface area, in the same portion, of a convex, non-fluted barrel.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Hex Dimples>Fluting

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

Is there something to be said about having directional rigidity? This is just me trying to understand a concept someone spit some knowledge on me. A fluted barrel is of course less rigid which is a no brainer however the writer is assuming the rigidity is evenly displaced. Is this correct in all actuality there are strong and week points in the barrel and considering that barrel harmonics occur in X,Y, and Z planes wouldn't increasing rigidity in some areas vs. others make the harmonics more predictable? Meaning you would have less flex along the thicker portions.

 

[trigger643]

The supposition there is increased rigidity by fluting is negated by the reduction of supportive material during the fluting process. There was a fairly thorough and scientific evaluation done and posted on accurateshooter.com a few years ago that dispelled this. The flaw in the perception fluting increases rigidity is best explained by the illusion of bracing that results from the lands created in the process.

If you take a 1.25" diameter barrel and cut 0.25" flutes in it, it will not be more rigid than an unfluted 1.25" diameter barrel. However, it will be more rigid than an unfluted 1.00" diameter.... Follow me?

Weight is the only practical advantage.

I just think it's purty ...

 

[sksshooter]

i don't know if there's any truth to any of the ideas behind fluting. i know i like the looks of it better. ive seen all of the same claims, better cooling, more rigid. i did read an article some time back i don't recall who wrote it but it was from a barrel maker. they explained their thoughts behind it. they said that by properly fluting a barrel it relieved tension on the barrel. it made sense in theory weather it was true or not i don't know.

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

Is there something to be said about having directional rigidity? This is just me trying to understand a concept someone spit some knowledge on me. A fluted barrel is of course less rigid which is a no brainer however the writer is assuming the rigidity is evenly displaced. Is this correct in all actuality there are strong and week points in the barrel and considering that barrel harmonics occur in X,Y, and Z planes wouldn't increasing rigidity in some areas vs. others make the harmonics more predictable? Meaning you would have less flex along the thicker portions.

No one answered my question everyone just repeated the same idea originally posted in the article.

 

[trigger643]

No one answered my question everyone just repeated the same idea originally posted in the article.

Yes. There is something to be said about having directional rigidity.

No. Fluting does not make harmonics more predictable.

http://www.rifle-accuracy.com/harmonics.htm

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

Yes. There is something to be said about having directional rigidity.

No. Fluting does not make harmonics more predictable.

http://www.rifle-accuracy.com/harmonics.htm

Thanks

 

[Barney88PDC]

Looks and marginal weight. The rest is a cream the cookie exercise.