Anyone use fluted barrels?

806 guns said:

I feel like carbon fiber barrels have taken over the light weight builds. Under 10 lbs.

I'm working on a 6.5 PRC hunting build with a Benchmark #5 contour straight fluted at 22"

What contours do you use?

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Love fluted benchmark barrels. Have them on 2 of my rifles. I have non fluted benchmark on another 2 rifles as well. They are extremely accurate and far less finicky about the bullets they shoot well than the 2 completely custom built rifles I own with carbon wrapped barrels.
You can't go wrong with them

I have a 7 prc right now that has a spiral fluted #5 contour 26" and a McMillan edge stock that's just over 6lbs. You don't need carbon fiber to get in the light weight class rifles. Save your self some money and a headache and go steel.

Personally, I will buy a rifle if fluted from the factory, but I do not flute my barrels even if I am copying a factory fluted barrel. Have seen bad juju from barrel fluting, so I don't take the risk even if done correctly.

Cheers.

I have a Bartlein Spiral fluted #3 26in with mini bastard break 1:8 7mm and the spiraled bolt.

In S GA I can get several range shots off 4-5 down here before heating up.
Looks sexy and is a tad lighter than my other 7mm MRI
However in the hunting world where i hunt, GA in Oct and VA in Nov it is only one cold shot at game…. Usually

Rick Richard said:

True, but they pair up nicely when using a suppressor in my opinion.

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This would be the only reason I would buy a CF barrel.
Edit: I like fluting, I have straight, spiral and diamond.

Be careful with fluted barrels... Fluting can change the bore diameter... If they are not done from the manufacturer and lapped after fluting you can get a larger bore in the fluting area.....Fluting an already lapped bore is a gamble.....
I,ve worked with carbon fiber alot.... CF has different tendencies.... cracking if flexed...
there are many different grades as per strength...

huntinfool18 said:

I have a 7 prc right now that has a spiral fluted #5 contour 26" and a McMillan edge stock that's just over 6lbs. You don't need carbon fiber to get in the light weight class rifles. Save your self some money and a headache and go steel.

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Are you using a brake on your rifle ?

806 guns said:

Are you using a brake on your rifle ?

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Da... everything has a brake

A gamble? I've had who knows how many fluted barrels, most of them heavy flutes to reduce as much weight as possible and they are always more consistent then any carbon barrel I've ever had.

Yes I have a 4 port ti pro brake on my rifle

I always find these threads interesting. Opinions are formed and justified by personal experience and preferences. Some have no problem lugging a heavy rifle around while hunting or at least this is what they proclaim. Some don't care what the rifle looks like. Some want an interesting looking rifle that pleases their eye. Pick a lane and demand performance. There are good light weight barrels in both CF and fluted, but there are also a few bad ones that leave the factory.

Mark37082 said:

I always find these threads interesting. Opinions are formed and justified by personal experience and preferences. Some have no problem lugging a heavy rifle around while hunting or at least this is what they proclaim. Some don't care what the rifle looks like. Some want an interesting looking rifle that pleases their eye. Pick a lane and demand performance. There are good light weight barrels in both CF and fluted, but there are also a few bad ones that leave the factory.

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This statement is 100% correct.
God forbid we all have the same rifle.
O. Then we would be in the military.
Have Fun Deciding what you Like.

A while back I started out to do a CAD comparison of weight vs. bending strength thread of fluted vs. non-fluted, but one member here co-opted it for his own agenda. I'm willing to try again if there is interest. Just have to stop or ignore him if he tries again. For some reason I'm left with the impression that he doesn't want that info in general circulation.

Without knowing the details of the interior of a CF wrapped barrel it would hard to accurately model one. And the FEA package that I'm using doesn't support assemblies. Some simple predictions could be made, but I'd not suggest that they'd be accurate or actually representative of anything.

Rick Richard said:

Keep in mind by the time you purchase a custom steel barrel and have it fluted then you are close to the cost of a CF barrel.

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+1 on this.
I was going to chime in and say the same thing. I just had a 300WSM chambered for my wife and initially wanted to go with a heavier steel profile but fluted to save the weight. By the time I added in the extra cost of fluting that barrel, I was either at the same price point as a carbon barrel or very near it. I went with the carbon and love it. And don't forget about the added cost of cerakote for the steel, if painting is an option you're thinking about.

mightyman said:

I have a Bartlein Spiral fluted #3 26in with mini bastard break 1:8 7mm and the spiraled bolt.

In S GA I can get several range shots off 4-5 down here before heating up.
Looks sexy and is a tad lighter than my other 7mm MRI
However in the hunting world where i hunt, GA in Oct and VA in Nov it is only one cold shot at game…. Usually

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Very nice looking rifle.