Gunsmithing Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels???

[JWEM]

Hi, I'm hoping someone has some experience with Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels (Aluminium sleeved).

I'm looking to get one in 7mm-08 on my Rem 700 action, probably at 24inch. I've got loads of questions but information seems to be sparse, here is probably the most important ones:

1. In the type of shooting that I do there are some fast, high round count stages at 1000yards (24 rounds in 5 min). With my factory Remington varmint barrel, accuracy in these stages is around 1MOA to 1.25MOA. Can the aluminium sleeved barrels hold this type of accuracy or better under this harsh rate of fire, i.e. do the aluminium barrels suffer greater accuracy loss than a traditional all steel barrel when they get hot?

2. What profile dimensions would you recommend to handle this high rate of fire?

3. What would the approximate weight of said contour/profile be?

4. Are there any other known issues with these barrels, such as difficulty working up loads due to strange barrel harmonics?

Any help with the above questions would be much appreciated.

Cheers

John

 

[LRI]

Re: Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels???

Look to NRA Highpower course guns for guidance.

2 ten round strings back to back in a time limit of 60 seconds (70 seconds for the 300 yard event).

Haven't been to a match in years but id bet a dollar you won't find a single one of these barrels on the firing line.

I've used a ton of Walther barrels in the past and hated every one of them.

C.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels???

You're asking your questions in the wrong place.

All the info you seek can be obtained directly from the source. Use the link and the contact info located near the bottom of the text. L-W knows their product better than anyone else, and I've never known them to be untruthful in my own dealings with them as a direct customer.

My advice is to use the phone number during working hours. I had some extended EMail dialogue with Woody Woodall during the development of this product., and I'm impressed with both the professionalism of the company and Woody, and with the way they provide facts, and not advice. You get to make all the decisions, and you get precisely what you ask for as long as it fall within the limits of what their site offers.

The 1000yd F Class COF requires 20rd plus sighters to be fired in 30 minutes (two stages as such).

Now this might sound like an eternity, but he realities of winds and 1000yd shooting can limit one's actual shooting opportunity to a fraction of this.

Using an LW50 28" .260 barrel, I found the barrel heating to be significant (enough to be too hot to touch and enough to open up accuracy to 2MOA or maybe a little more). I believe the Ultra Light barrel would have reduced/eliminated that dispersion increase, and that the rapid fire COF described above would only amplify that fact. I've been told personally that the barrel sheds heat fast enough to have a ZERO I/R signature.

My understanding of the barrel's configuration would be that it tends to run fatter than an all steel barrel, and that the weight saving is dramatic, such that it would pay to get as much length as you can afford, like I did with my 28" 260 barrel.

At any rate, I seriously doubt that profile would be one of the design characteristics that would be open to user specification. It is what it is because that's what it takes to make it work. You'd want to build the gun to accomodate the barrel, and not vice-versa.

The demands of the COF could be considered impossible to accomodate. IMHO, no other barrel approaches that ideal better than the L-W Ultra Lightweight.

I cannot speak to load development quirks or characteristics, since I have no actual experience with one in that area. I believe the intention (and result) of the barrel's design philosophy as to achieve both enhanced cooling and the fruition of the main intent to produce the effect of a factory sleeved/tensioned barrel. I will not repeat proprietary info related to accuracy during development, but I <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">will</span></span> say I simply gotta get me one of them as soon as I can afford one.

I have no vested interest in their operation. Cost has prevented me from, buying one of them as of yet, but it is on my 'to do' list. My chambering selection would be .280 Rem., and I believe this barrel's unique heat management characteristics would be critical to that application.

At somewhere around twice (maybe more) the price of a conventional barrel, I can easily understand why so few would be seen on competition lines (one might do well to consider the times we are passing through). My understanding is that they might be more prevalent on Prairie Dog hunts, and possibly, LR tactical applications. It seems to me to fit the "when it absolutely, positively, has to be, etc..." category.

Greg

 

[gme]

Re: Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels???

The overwhelming majority of NRA Highpower and Longrange shooters run Palma contour barrels, a good comprimise between weight and stability during long strings of fire, the only reason for going to a lightweight composite barrel (aluminum od CF) is weight not accuracy.

 

[JWEM]

Re: Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels???

Thanks for the replies.

Greg, I emailed Lothar Walther before I posted on here but just want to see what the end users thought about the barrels. Haven't had a reply from them yet but I'm sure they will get round to it when they've got a minute.

The specific reason I'm interested in the ultra light barrel is because within the same shooting discipline the rifle is fired from the standing, kneeling and sitting position at 100, 200 and 300yards. Also there is 100 yard run downs to the next firing point all on the same clock.

I could go for a short normal all steel barrel but where I shoot here in the UK, I'm very close to sea level and worried about the loss of long range performance. Also there is only half a pound difference in weight between 26" (what I currently have)and 22".

I'm trying to get a rough idea on weight to see if an Ultra light barrel will give me significant weight loss and if the barrel is suitable for my intended application. Profile isn't really too important as long as I can get a muzzle brake on it. Just interested to see what others have used and what kind of results it gave them.

As far as accuracy goes, I would always like more but to be honest 1 MOA would be acceptable at long range. I was just a bit worried that as they use such a thin steel part that after a couple of shots the groups would really blow up.

Cheers

John

 

[ejg]

Re: Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels???

Asking a similar question to Gerd Walther a few days ago was answered with "no go".
I'm just getting the bits together for an ultra light tactical and was thinking of the LW aluminium, changed my mind now and will go back to plan A making myself a carbon wrap barrel.
Pete Lincoln from Roedale built himself a light tactical in 260rem with a fat LW Alu barrel that seemed to have shot ok, ask him.
edi

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Lothar Walther ultra-lightweight barrels???

The only real advantage that appeals to me would be the barrel heat management issue.

As for weight/balance, the lighter weight would allow me a longer barrel, which would in turn allow me to run a given velocity with less pressure and less throat wear.

Greg