Fluted barrel weight savings worth the money?

[adb77]

I'm in the process of building a rifle that will be carried in backpack hunts in wilderness areas. Cost is an issue and trying to get the most "bang for my buck". It will be a 24" barreled 300wm probably Remington varmint contour. Manners eh-1 stock hopefully.

 

[Boltfluter]

I think your contour is to big to begin with. I would look at something like a #5 Douglas contour. Would probably save as much weight as fluting with no additional charge. Just my .002 cents.

Paul

 

[adb77]

I think your contour is to big to begin with. I would look at something like a #5 Douglas contour. Would probably save as much weight as fluting with no additional charge. Just my .002 cents.

Paul

Is there any concern running a can and threading 5/8x24 on this contour?

 

[Boltfluter]

This contour is about .750 at the muzzle. I would shoot for this diameter in the contour you choose. 5/8 x 24 is .625 diameter so you should be good. I would not go less than .750 at your finish length. Will save at least .5 lbs if not a little more.

Paul

 

[WeiserBucks]

Light weight back country hunting and cost savings don't belong in the same sentence . Quality lightweight hunting gear isn't cheap , I have nothing but the best and I'm broke because of it ! If you decide to flute it , I'd go with Paul, "Bolt Fluter", he did my bolt and bbl , the work was excellent and got my rifle to the weight I set out to achieve.

 

[Rerun7]

I agree on the contour, if you haven't already bought the barrel then look at something lighter to begin with. If it's not going to be used on longer strings of fire then no need in putting something really heavy on it.

 

[Fursniper]

If you really are concerned about weight savings, go carbon fiber wrap. CF stock too if you can swing all the extra $$. Your legs & lungs will thank you, lol!

 

[adb77]

I'd like to go with the CF barrel just outta my price range. The wait time on a manners eh1 is to long. I eventually want to get one though.

 

[Sonic Crack]

Go with a smaller contour

 

[Stag556]

To flat out answer your question, no, it's not worth it.


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[ForeverZ01]

If you want a 3.5 pound barrel get one, don't get a 4 pound barrel then spend 150$+ to get it to be lighter. If budget is no concern they look cool so go for it.

 

[adb77]

Well I went with Remington varmint nonfluted finished at 24" I will in reality hunt with rifle maybe 3 weeks outta the year but shoot it year round. I've been carrying a Savage 338 fcp with vortex razor gen1. So it still should come out quite a bit lighter. I just hafta spend more time in the gym.

 

[Trevor]

Something to think about. no fluting unless you have other barrel requirements that favour fluting.

Think shorter but also keep in mind your barrel's twist.

see Todd Hodnett's link

Trevor

 

[spaniel]

Well I went with Remington varmint nonfluted finished at 24" I will in reality hunt with rifle maybe 3 weeks outta the year but shoot it year round. I've been carrying a Savage 338 fcp with vortex razor gen1. So it still should come out quite a bit lighter. I just hafta spend more time in the gym.

No kidding. I've hunted wilderness areas as well...10+ miles in from the truck, Rockies front range....with a factory Sendero, 12.5lbs all up. But I was fitter than most, marathons in the 2:30s. Now building a 338 Edge probably 14lbs. But I've gained 20lbs and half an hour on my marathon so I've got some work to do this year or it will be a miserable hunt.

I would not select a varmint contour barrel for a backpacking rifle. Just no reason for it. I've got Savage heavy sporter contour barrels which shoot .3-.5MOA. Even my 338 Edge is Sendero contour at 28".

 

[scudzuki]

IMHO no.

 

[Sendit6.5]

That heavier contour you might be able to get a reasonable amount of weight reduction with some deep fluting. Pac-Nor has a calculator that may help you decide if the weight reduction is worth the price, to you. http://pac-nor.com/cgi-bin/bweight.cgi

What something is "worth" is a pretty individual thing. Don't know what your blank cost but when you add the cost of fluting you *may* only be $250-$300 under the cost of a CF wrapped barrel which would cut weight substantially. That's really not that much more to spend and will be quickly forgotten on a true mountain hunt. Just some food for thought.


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[brianf]

if its a true hunting rifle and not going to be a range or comp rifle, keep the can at home and get a pencil thin barrel or a light palma. as most have said fluting is not all its cracked up to be. since you will only be taking 1-2 shots max your hearing is safe or just wear plugs or muffs when you get into stalking range.
cans and thicker barrels are nice but for clod bore shots it doesnt mean a thing. hit the range a few times and take some notes

 

[TurboSportTSi]

Well I went with Remington varmint nonfluted finished at 24" I will in reality hunt with rifle maybe 3 weeks outta the year but shoot it year round. I've been carrying a Savage 338 fcp with vortex razor gen1. So it still should come out quite a bit lighter. I just hafta spend more time in the gym.

I had a varmint contour barrel spiral fluted by LRI that turned out amazing. I asked for maximum weight reduction and they extended the flutes quite a bit forward and rearward. One of the few shops that will add aggressive flutes to a finished barrel and have not experienced any adverse effects in the accuracy department.

It wasn't as cost effective as adding flutes to a custom barrel by the manufacturer but seeing as how you already have the barrel, that's basically your only option.

For what it's worth, I think for a longer barrel (24+) would benefit from CF construction, but in my case, fluting my 18" barrel was the way to go, bang for the buck.

 

[SuperSneakySniper]

Fluting is just aesthetic for me. I'm sure it has benefits but none that outweight the price, unless you like the look, and there's nothing wrong with that.

But I've never been hiking around with my rifle and then slapped my forehead and yelled: "DAMN! I wish I got the fluted barrel!"

I HAVE been hiking around with my rifle and then slapped my forehead and yelled: "DAMN! This is a heavy ass contour!"

So imho, contour>fluting.

 

[adb77]

Fluting is just aesthetic for me. I'm sure it has benefits but none that outweight the price, unless you like the look, and there's nothing wrong with that.

But I've never been hiking around with my rifle and then slapped my forehead and yelled: "DAMN! I wish I got the fluted barrel!"

I HAVE been hiking around with my rifle and then slapped my forehead and yelled: "DAMN! This is a heavy ass contour!"

So imho, contour>fluting.[/QUOTE
This^^^^. SuperSneakySniper, nailed it.

 

[308220]

I really like my pacnor, sendero contour, 18" fluted 308 stick. My entire rig weighs in at just under 9lbs. Scope. Stock. Flash suppressor. And ammo. Its an amazing pack rifle. And it looks cool too lol

 

[supercorndogs]

I think you are on a pretty good track. I hunted this year with my 308 23in remington varmint EH1 and Titanium can LRHS. I am not sure of the weight, but not bad. I have been looking for something closer to heaven shorter for hunting. As the other guy said, about .700-.750 at the muzzle save a pound or a half. It really makes a huge difference when I switch from my T3 with adjustable LOP, to my EH1 for hunting. I believe the T3 is about 2lbs heavier.

 

[supercorndogs]

I think you are on a pretty good track. I hunted this year with my 308 23in remington varmint EH1 and Titanium can LRHS. I am not sure of the weight, but not bad. I have been looking for something closer to heavy sporter for hunting. As the other guy said, about .700-.750 at the muzzle save a pound or a half. It really makes a huge difference when I switch from my T3 with adjustable LOP, to my EH1 for hunting. I believe the T3 is about 2lbs heavier.

 

[jbuck88]

I think a big part of the contour>fluting, at least for me, was getting stuck with a minimum contour to have enough shoulder of your can to index on. That is how I ended up picking my last barrel. Picked my length then decided what contour would would give me the required diameter at the muzzle. Since it was heavier then I wanted to go, I had it fluted.

So it wasn't for looks, even though I do like the looks, but for trying to make it weigh the same as a lighter contour with the required diameter.

YMMV

 

[packratt]

You could also do like Remington did on the Remington Modes 7 AAC 300 Blackout.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/aac-model-7-300-blackout-16-threaded-picatinny.html

They tapered the barrel then flared it at the muzzle to allow the threading.

 

[sierracharlie338]

In my opinion NO. Take the money and put it somewhere else in the build.

 

[loudandproud]

Why so heavy? Can you run a 9/16-24 Threading and reduce your contour to something like a #3 Bartlien.