I want to get the barrel fluted or dimpled on my DPMS G2 .308 Recon, considering either 6 flutes, or possibly a hexagon dimple pattern.  I've used ADCO before for threading, are there others out there I should look at for this work?

Opinions on fluting vs. dimped?  My guess is they are close in weight reduction.

I know that having the entire barrel turned down will give me the greatest weight reduction, but I love the look of fluting.

Adco is the one I've seen mentioned the most, but I'm sure there are other good ones out there.

FWIW, I intend to have my Recon barrel lightened as well, and you might consider something along the lines of having the back portion of the barrel cut down to .75" OD, THEN fluted.

I did some rudimentary math using some of the various tools available online for barrel diameter/fluting/weight, and fluting just doesn't remove much weight compared to diameter.

My numbers may be wrong, there is some guesses I needed to make in terms of some of the measurements (chamber, flute depth/width, number of flutes, length of flutes, etc), but they were all figured using the same guesses, so the comparison or percent lost should hold true. First number is weight in lbs, second is weight in oz. I can't recall what I used for the contour diameter, it was probably .6-something, since a .75 diameter would have been the same in the front. A .75 rear and .6-something front section would probably not give up much as short as the distance is between the gas block journal and muzzle.

contour/contour            1.01    16.16
contour rear/flute front 1.17    18.72
contour front/flute rear 1.25     20
std front/contour rear    1.4     22.4
flute/flute                        1.41  22.56
contour front/std rear    1.58   25.28
std front/flute rear         1.64  26.24
flute ft/std rear              1.74    27.84
std/std                           1.97  31.52

In any case, this shows a contour would likely reduce the weight of the barrel nearly in half. Fluting about 25%

If you go with a gas block like SLR's, you will also be able to cut the gas block journal back just over 3/4". My numbers above don't account for that...they used a 6" rear and 4" measurement as the contour/flute area.

Are you looking for weight reduction, looks, or both? *IMO* a .75" rear section, fluted, with a .6-whatever contour front would be ideal. Keep some of the rigidity and mass, but still lose a significant amount of weight, and have some flutes. Or, in your case, contour the rear where fluting will be less apparent, and flute the front if both looks and weight are important.

If my math is anywhere near correct, in my case the fluted rear/contour front would drop the weight of the gun with scope and BUIS to about 7.75lbs, or about 6.75lb bare vs. the 8.5lbs it is now with the Minimalist stock and SLR hand guard.

Thank you for the info and calculations.  I'm starting to consider a full contour or a rear contour/front honeycomb flute.  I do have an SLR gas block on order do I'm glad to hear I can cut back the gas block journal.

I used Marvin Pitts at nefarious arms, to dimple a Noveske and a BCM bbl of mine, shaved a ton of weight about 7 oz off my 16in Noveske and I think it looks really cool.

Took apart my G2 upper to get the barrel ready to ship out.  I was surprised at how much blow by was occuring with the factory DPMS aluminum gas block.  I'm sure the SLR adjustable block will seal better.

Marvin does a great job. Expensive but looks amazing. Here mine that he did a rifle that I sold during the last panic.

That does look great, was it more than $350 for the work I would assume?