Fluting a factory barrel

[Geewhiz]

Should I hesitate to send off my factory Remington 700 sporter barrel to get fluted? I have been reading on the inter webs that unless fluting is done during the manufacturing process, it could cause unnecessary stresses and cause your barrel to lose accuracy and potentially fail.

Is this true?

I was planning to send it to Kampfeld, so a reputable smith.

I was getting ready to send it out and then started seeing some things that made me hesitate. Obviously I don't want to sacrifice accuracy for aesthetics.

Thoughts?

Going to give them a ring over lunch but wanted to hear the general consensus.

 

[Apollo117]

Take this with a grain of salt, because all my rifles with fluted barrels were fluted at the factory.

I don't see the benefit in fluting a factory barrel for two reasons. The first is the weight savings are negligible unless you're starting with a bull barrel. The second is the money spent on fluting the barrel could be reallocated to an aftermarket barrel that's better than the factory barrel.

E.g. the price range for fluting a barrel is $125 to $175. Compared to the cost of a fluted and threaded pre-fit barrel from Criterion or Shilen, which is about $500.

It's not an apples to apples comparison. Especially when budget is considered. Though, in my mind, $175 is a third of the way there to a quality barrel configured the way I want.

 

[Geewhiz]

I'm going to be honest, mainly I want to get the barrel fluted because I think it looks cool. I have no need to get an aftermarket barrel at this point, but just wanted to purty it up a bit. Just want to make sure i'm not going to sacrifice performance by fluting.

 

[Apollo117]

I'm going to be honest, mainly I want to get the barrel fluted because I think it looks cool. I have no need to get an aftermarket barrel at this point, but just wanted to purty it up a bit. Just want to make sure i'm not going to sacrifice performance by fluting.

That's fair. There's nothing wrong with liking the way your rifle looks.

Let me ask you this, if there was a 10% chance that fluting the barrel negatively affects accuracy, then would you still get it fluted?

The point I'm trying to make is, if you get a reply saying that fluting is not likely to affect accuracy and you get it fluted. Then you notice accuracy isn't the same after fluting. Are you OK with that outcome?

Just trying to get you thinking. I've read similar topics about fluting and I'm on the fence about it. The above questions are why I've never had a barrel fluted yet. I wouldn't be happy with any accuracy loss.

 

[Wapiti1]

A couple of comments. First, the vast majority of barrels are fluted after they are completed and put into stock. i.e. after final stress relief heat treatment. There might be a manufacturer that does an additional stress relief after fluting, but that wouldn't be the norm. How many fluted barrels shoot poorly?

Kampfeld should know what works and what doesn't. It will probably depend on the year of your rifle. Remington has changed how their barrels were made a couple of times.

But it may change the load it likes. Fluting changes the harmonics. Expecting it to shoot your pet load is asking too much. It might, but understand that you may need to work up a new load. Most of the complaints I see are from people that didn't understand this and now it doesn't like their pet load.

Jeremy

 

[Geewhiz]

And I'm in the same boat as you. Love the look of a stainless spiral fluted barrel but may hold off for now, at least until I get a chance to run it by the guys at Kampfeld to get their thoughts.

 

[mmac]

It is a lot of money for a Remington barrel. I would spend the little extra and just get a better overall barrel that has the look as well.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I did my RM 7 300wm sporter barrel. I was getting it threaded for a can so went with the while it was there approach. Shoots just as good as it did before, still a .5 moa gun. If your gonna send it off get it threaded too...

 

[Geewhiz]

I did my RM 7 300wm sporter barrel. I was getting it threaded for a can so went with the while it was there approach. Shoots just as good as it did before, still a .5 moa gun. If your gonna send it off get it threaded too...

Well that's exactly the thing. I just put my name in line for a can as well. So the barrel is currently at my smith getting threaded, but he would be sending it out to another smith to do the fluting, which brings me to my current dilemma.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

If you don't need it for a while and that's what you want spin a wheel...you will want the bolt fluted too and a brake to run till your can gets out of jail.

 

[Geewhiz]

Spoke with Karl Kampfeld today and he told me that he has fluted thousands of factory barrels and custom unfluted barrels for his customers and only one barrel ever came back complaining of accuracy issues. He said he would not hesitate to flute even a smaller profile factory sporter barrel.

 

[drjfey]

Spoke with Karl Kampfeld today and he told me that he has fluted thousands of factory barrels and custom unfluted barrels for his customers and only one barrel ever came back complaining of accuracy issues. He said he would not hesitate to flute even a smaller profile factory sporter barrel.

I was gifted a Savage 110 Switchback (6.5 CM) that came out of the box at 8.25 lbs for use in backcountry hunting. Based off everything I've read I too plan to get it fluted but for weight reduction purposes. Thanks all for weighing in!

 

[duckhunter175]

I would not do it on a factory sporter weight barrel-- I understand the aesthetic angle but with a barrel that thin it is just looks and no real weight loss but really good potential to screw up the barrel.

Many reputable smiths will not do it at all and the ones that will do will not put any sort of accuracy or performance guarantee.

 

[Oregonmuley]

What caliber is your rifle?? The factory Remington sporter contour barrels aren't actually that thin of a barrel especially if its a 6MM or 7MM barrel. And if Karl said he can do it he can and it will shoot the same after as it does now.

I've had Karl do a bunch of work including a full custom build and his work is as good as it gets, and he's a heck of a nice guy to work with. He is the only one I would ever trust to flute any barrel. If you look at some other top end smiths many of them actually send their barrels to Karl to flute.

If you decide to have your barrel fluted you will be fine, be sure to post up pictures for us

 

[Geewhiz]

Many reputable smiths will not do it at all and the ones that will do will not put any sort of accuracy or performance guarantee.

As far as I know Kampfeld is more than reputable. I got my barrel fluted which is a factory sporter barrel on a 270 win and it seams to shoot just fine still. Was hitting steel out to 700 the other day. I suppose if you ran over it with your dump truck it might not fare well though...

 

[B23]

Been to Karl's shop to drop things off as well as sent him stuff in the mail on multiple occasions. Karl is about as good a guy as I've ever dealt with and gets your stuff back to you very quickly. I'm one of those that wouldn't spend any money on a factory barrel. Hell, I don't even like to spend money one threading a factory barrel let alone fluting one but if I wanted one fluted and Karl told me it would be fine I may struggle with it but I'd believe him.

 

[duckhunter175]

As far as I know Kampfeld is more than reputable. I got my barrel fluted which is a factory sporter barrel on a 270 win and it seams to shoot just fine still. Was hitting steel out to 700 the other day. I suppose if you ran over it with your dump truck it might not fare well though...

Only had bolt/action work done by him-- did he give you a guarantee on accuracy of your factory barrel?

 

[Geewhiz]

Only had bolt/action work done by him-- did he give you a guarantee on accuracy of your factory barrel?

Nope no guarantee, but why would he guarantee a barrel that he did not manufacture? What if he fluted a barrel that already shot like crap? It would be silly of him to make guarantees on a barrel that was manufactured by someone else IMO. I will admit I took a little bit of a gamble but I knew full well that it was on me if it didn't turn out. I wasn't going to hold him accountable.

Looking at it from his perspective, he is very knowledgeable in things of that nature and I trust that he did his best to give me the best product he could have, and I believe he has a reputation to back himself up.

 

[Geewhiz]

Dang computer

 

[duckhunter175]

Nope no guarantee, but why would he guarantee a barrel that he did not manufacture? What if he fluted a barrel that already shot like crap? It would be silly of him to make guarantees on a barrel that was manufactured by someone else IMO. I will admit I took a little bit of a gamble but I knew full well that it was on me if it didn't turn out. I wasn't going to hold him accountable.

Looking at it from his perspective, he is very knowledgeable in things of that nature and I trust that he did his best to give me the best product he could have, and I believe he has a reputation to back himself up.

I think the point everyone is making is that fluting a factory sporter barrel costs money, only improves the aesthetic but the potential downside is a much greater risk because you are out the money and the barrel if it goes to crap. It doesn't mean people aren't trustworthy or their work isn't good-- just much greater risk than having a quality aftermarket barrel built/fluted to your specifications and having it backed up.

So for the OP, IMO the risk vs reward isn't worth it-- but if you are gonna do it then you are pointed in the right direction by going with a quality gunsmith.