Fluted vs. Not

[Smokepole50]

When I spoke with Krieger about fluting a barrel they said if THEY did it then it would be warrantied but if someone else did it then the warranty would be void. I think it has to do with stress induced into the barrel during the fluting process. I believe the fluting needs to be done prior to the final annealing and the final polishing of the bore, during the contouring phase to insure consistant bore size from end to end.

[fanofflyn]

I agree with Smokepole. But you can also take out the fluting stresses by cryo treatment of the barrel. I've not found that necessary for the accuracy that I can shoot. The main reason I have fluted barrels is because they look cool.

[Von Gruff]

From talking to my GS I understood that it is the depth of the individual passes that can have a detremental effect on the barrel stresses. If there is one shallow pass on the first flute then the barrel is indexed for the oposite flute with a coresponding shallow flute started re-indexed again like doing up the lugnuts on a wheel with shallow cuts being done each time then the stresses are not induced into the barrel and the nor is the bore effected in a negative way. it is when the flutes are cut to final depth in one position then starting on the next one that the stresses can be imparted to the barrel and accuracy is likely to go to pot.

[ericv]

I have no idea how fluting affects the barrel but I just ordered this one for my new .223 build, hopefully for a prairie rat hunt. It sure does look cool.

https://picasaweb.google.com/gevannos/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCKyLz83Ix7CQiQE#5767028328464794466

[Opus Dei]

When I spoke with Krieger about fluting a barrel they said if THEY did it then it would be warrantied but if someone else did it then the warranty would be void. I think it has to do with stress induced into the barrel during the fluting process. I believe the fluting needs to be done prior to the final annealing and the final polishing of the bore, during the contouring phase to insure consistant bore size from end to end.

More a result of how the barrel is rifled. I'm guessing Shilen doesn't recommend fluting since their barrels are button-rifled. It certainly can be done, if you relieve the incidental stress, first.

Kriegers are cut-rifled, and ought to take fluting without any special considerations. My thought is that they want the entire barrel production under in-house QC, rather than some Bubba f'n a blank up and trashing their name.

[fanofflyn]

I would think that button rifling induces stresses, so who are they to criticize fluting for induing stresses? Just the vodka talking I suspect.