I'll leave testing to the experts. Fuck it.

Need a larger sample size if you really want to get technical, like say 5 or preferably 10 5-shot groups from each rifle for each type of ammo. And you unfortunately didn't shoot exactly the same ammo for all the barrel types.

This is an interesting idea and I'm curious how it turns out, but I suspect the results may be hard to determine. And try some Federal GM if possible

Feel free to send me money or ammo. This is simply a informal experiment using what limited match style ammo I have on hand, but yes you are correct.

I did shoot the same ammo out of the barrels being tested, the Krieger gun is not part of the test and my buddy threw me 5rds of BH 68gr so I shot it.

To get real data, one would need several examples of the same gun and fire those guns under the same conditions with the same ammo. I aint got time fo dat.

Haha, gotcha

Without more expensive ammo shot down range for more groups, about all one can conclude is that you have two rifles with basically interchangable milspec accuracy, and that the single point cut rifling of that Kreiger barrel is far superior to either button rifling or cold hammer forging.

If you repeated the test long enough for any real statistical differences to emerge they will probably be limited to the production of those two unique barrels and to other variables, such as manufacturing tolerances in the mandrels or broaches used or factory runs on that particular day, and not any inherent difference in accuracy of the rifling method.  Get two more rifles with the same barrels, repeat the test and the result could be different.

Finally, one more humble observation:  it is well-known that despite the best efforts of manufacturers to have uniform production standards and quality controls, there is still something we don't understand about why most barrels seem to uniquely prefer certain ammo.  Even otherwise identical barrels from the same company and same production run may have individual preferences for ammo.  One identical barrel might shoot its tightest groups with one weight and brand of ammo, and the other one shoot tightest groups with a totally different ammo.

Shoot enough different brands and bullet weights through each rifle and you may find that one or both might shoot 1 MOA with some kind of ammo, although it may not be the same for both.

Great test.









 

Good test. Where in TX are you?

Nice test. Shows buttoned barrel performance equivalent to chf.  

The funny thing about chf barrels is that they are cheaper and faster to make but in the us suppliers of forged blanks are limited so they involve a double mark up (mfg 1 to mfg 2). That results in unjustified higher cost.

Suggestions to get more consistent results:
Match trigger 3.5 lbs or lighter with overtravel stop if possible.  
square targets with corner point of hold

 

Thanks for taking the time to share your efforts.  I did something similar a couple years back and experienced similar results. Then when switching to handloads it cut the groups down to just below or above MOA depending on the rifle. Thanks again for posting it.

Thanks for posting, you didn't mention twist but assumed 1:7.   For me Chrome Moley have been more consistent than chrome lined.  I have only shot 1 chrome lined HF barrel 1:7 twist and it did not like lighter bullets which isn't surprising..

I don't know that it's worth a data point but I have two FN CHF PSA 20" 1in7 HB barrels, both bought at the same time Spring 2012.   They both shoot the same groups with the same loads.  Submoa with tailored loads and they both like the same loads; they seem to be twins in vibration/whip cycles so I lucked out there from what I understand.  Swapping an optic between them, a bobro with a PST 6x24FFP, there's even minimal adjustment, one needs 3 clicks right, 4 clicks up to shoot same POI/POA.  Given I can't afford two good optics that's also another good thing.

The 16" PSA 'standard' barrels I have, not CHF, aren't capable of the same accuracy even after loads of load development.

I have tested them all against each other using Wolf Gold on the same day and the 20" run about 2MOA while the 16"'s run  about 3 MOA using 20 rounds each although discounting a handful of called fliers.   Cadence was primarily based on good picture good 'feel' but at a guess maybe 10 seconds, maybe 15 between shots.

Obviously not apples to apples given 20" versus 16" and the 20" have Specwar brakes on them while the 16"'s have standard birdcages.  But for my particular barrels and my particular technique the CHF seem to be consistently the more accurate regardless of loads.

Weirdly my 20" 1 in 7 barrels _love_ 50grain bullets.  I've shot 1/2" 5 shot groups with them, not every time or even most of the time but semi-repeatable. .75-1.0 is a more common group.  

I think theseare them.

Generally, I have found CHF to be about 1-2 MOA more accurate then button broached, especially once they heat up.

Exactly. Try some accuracy comparisons after both barrels have had a few mag dumps. Try some accuracy comparisons after both barrels have 15k plus down the pipe.

CHF will win every time when both barrels are apples to apples hot or have apples to apples high round counts.

 

Using the same lower would give your testing a little more credit, not much but a little.

I think the real answer is... quality manufacturing is quality manufacturing.

I applaud your desire to gather information about different barrels.........but in reality, that is all you are doing.......gathering information about different barrels. Testing different barrels by different manufacturers, using different lowers, different barrel lengths, different this/different that.......doesn't really prove anything, except different barrels shoot differently.
   You would have to shoot all those different barrels from a universal receiver/ machine mounted, in a controlled environment, to come to any kind of meaningful conclusion...........but hey........shooting is fun. Bang away.