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Posted: 4/12/2007 5:38:53 AM EDT
| Pardon some of the very basic questions I ask. I am still figuring a bunch of this out as I am pretty new to the AR scene. I did a search and didn't find anything so.... Does a fluted barrel help with accuracy, heat dissapation, weight? I was wondering if the extra $50 on the kit I plan to order is worth it for a fluted barrel. If it will help in any way with weight then it would be worth it to me. The AR is kind of heavy for a varmint gun and if fluting helps with that then it would be good. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks again. |
Barrel fluting is a bit tricky. For a given length and diameter, a fluted barrel will be lighter. For a given length and weight, a fluted barrel will be stiffer. Note that these two statements are a bit mutually exclusive, in that a fluted barrel will only be better than a standard barrel in 2 out of 3 areas. For example, a fluted 16" barrel with a 1" diameter will be lighter than a comprable regular barrel (but not stiffer), and a 7lb fluted barrel will be stiffer than a 7lb non-fluted barrel. Fluted barrels have more surface area, so can dissapate heat better than a regular barrel. Finally, they look cool, which is the real reason most people buy them. 
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| I was told years back by a mechanical engineer, who worked his way through his MS as a tool and die guy-after six years in the USN, working as a machinist, which to my mind makes him qualified: a fluted barrel is stiffer than a barrel of the diameter measured across the depth of two flutes-let's say at six and twelve clock, but not as stiff as the barrel would be if not fluted. His comment was to look at the barrel not as fluted, but rather ribbed, which makes sense-stiffer than the minimum diameter measured, but not as stiff as the maximum diameter. He also said considering a fluted barrel as stronger because corrugated metal is stronger is invalid, since corrugating increases surface area and mass over a given area, which fluting does not. My belief is in agreement with the earlier comment that most fluted barrels are purchased for the gee-whiz factor, which accounts for the majority of AR options-not that this is a bad thing. I love toys. |
And that fluted bull barrel is still a LOT heavier. Typical fluting saves about 5-8 ounces. Heavy fluting might get you 12-14 ounces, but only on a bull barrel. With two barrels of the same length, a bull barrel is from 16 to 32 ounces heavier than a govt profile barrel. Fluting will NOT make up the difference in weight. |
Thanks, I always wondered about that. |
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