Barrel Fluting

The direction that this thread has taken is exactly why I don't post much on this forum.


I operate one of the most modern barrel shops around and I have gained a lot of valuable information that I will share.
I perform all stress relief in-house and I sub-contract my Cryo work.


  • All barrel steel has some amount of residual stress in it from the steel mill. It is a product of the rolling process at the mill.
  • The steel mills perform two stress relief cycles on the steel but they are doing it in a production enviroment so it may not be as good as possible.
  • This is why cut barrels are usually contoured prior to reaming/rifling and this is also why most high end button barrel makers do a pre-machine stress relief cycle with heat.
  • Knowing what I have learned...I wouldn't make a cut barrel without performing a premachine stress relief cycle.


  • Cryo alone will not stress relief a barrel.
  • Stress relief must be done at 50F below the temper temperature of the steel... this is usually 1020-1050F
  • Cryo does enhance the qualities of the steel. I want to eventually Cryo all of my barrels.
  • Think of it this way.... a NOS system will greatly enhance the performance of your hot rod but you can't run it on NOS alone.


  • Fluted barrels shoot just as good as non fluted barrels.
  • Most manufacturers prefer to do the fluting in house so it can be controlled for liability reasons.


    • Look at this rifle... It just won the UBR KY State Championship Unlimted class... That's an ABC 6mm fluted barrel.
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oliver88 said:
The direction that this thread has taken is exactly why I don't post much on this forum.


I operate one of the most modern barrel shops around and I have gained a lot of valuable information that I will share.
I perform all stress relief in-house and I sub-contract my Cryo work.


  • All barrel steel has some amount of residual stress in it from the steel mill. It is a product of the rolling process at the mill.
  • The steel mills perform two stress relief cycles on the steel but they are doing it in a production enviroment so it may not be as good as possible.
  • This is why cut barrels are usually contoured prior to reaming/rifling and this is also why most button barrel makers do a pre-machine stress relief cycle with heat.
  • Knowing what I have learned...I wouldn't make a cut barrel without performing a premachine stress relief cycle.


  • Cryo alone will not stress relief a barrel.
  • Stress relief must be done at 50F below the temper temperature of the steel this is usually 1020-1050F
  • Cryo does enhance the qualities of the steel. I want to eventually Cryo all of my barrels.
  • Think of it this way.... a NOS system will greatly enhance the performance of your hot rod but you can't run it on NOS alone.


  • Fluted barrels shoot just as good as non fluted barrels.
  • Most manufacturers prefer to do the fluting in house so it can be controlled for liability reasons.


    • Look at this rifle... It just won the UBR KY State Championship Unlimted class... That's an ABC 6mm fluted barrel.
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see there ya go AGAIN Ant'ny messing up a perfectly good scuffle with the facts.... ya' just piss folks off doing that!!

Thank You
 
Original post

alinwa said:
see there ya go AGAIN Ant'ny messing up a perfectly good scuffle with the facts.... ya' just piss folks off doing that!!

Thank You
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And just think, this all got rolling with the poor OP asking for a recommendation for cutting fluid...
 
Got way off track and the OP's original question hasn't been answered and unfortunately I can't be of any help to him.
 
ABC
Thanks for sharing your info.
It's nice to get facts straight from the source.
Please keep up.the good work.

Hal
 
reference post #1
I use a Kool Mist system with formula 77 additive. Works well on most jobs on a mill. Not much mess unless you're fluting barrels all day.
 
When Kelbly's fluted barrels (we no longer due) we used Kool Mist as well. Barrel came off machine cold and we felt never effected accuracy due to no heat to increase bore diameter.

Jim
 
firearmsunlimit said:
On June 8th, 2013, Michael Stinnett shot a new world record, surpassing a group that held the record for 40 years. 5 shots were fired at a distance of 100 yards. This record was shot at the North Texas Shooters Association NBRSA match in Denton, TX. That 5 shots were fired was verified by use of a moving backer, and the .0077 IN group size was an average of the measurements from multiple judges. THE RIFLE THAT HE USED TO SHOOT THIS GROUP WAS NOT FLUTED - PERIOD.
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Just because someone holds a record, that neither proves or disproves that fluting a barrel is worse than a non-fluted barrel.

When the vast majority of barrels being used in competition are non-fluted, it pretty much puts the odds in favor of non-fluted barrels finishing on top more often. Are they not shooting fluted barrels because they don't shoot, or because the added cost and/or hassle of installing them is not worth it?
 
To add to what Oliver88 said, the one thing that many metallurgist agree on is proper cryo treating does aid in the complete martensitic transformation in alloy steels. This is particularly important in applications where ductility at specific hardness levels is required.
 
rubicon prec. said:
just because someone holds a record, that neither proves or disproves that fluting a barrel is worse than a non-fluted barrel.

When the vast majority of barrels being used in competition are non-fluted, it pretty much puts the odds in favor of non-fluted barrels finishing on top more often. Are they not shooting fluted barrels because they don't shoot, or because the added cost and/or hassle of installing them is not worth it?
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the extra time is nt wort it just shorten the barrel.
 
Butch Lambert said:
Young feller, has any of those fellers shot a .099-200 yard target in registered competition? No they haven't. Why would you guess that is? I know that you are very knowledgeable, but refer to me a scientific paper that says Cryo is a stress relief. Also, what barrel makers are doing this now. Tell me who does cryo on barrels and what is their method.
Thanks
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Fluting results in LESS overall stiffness.
It is intended to increase surface area for better heat dissipation.
 
I’m a little late to this thread. IMO the majority of people who are shooting benchrest with fluted barrels are doing it for the reason that Earl is because of the weight savings on a gun that’s too heavy with the scope they want to use. I have an old horizontal mill that all I’ve ever used it for is fluting barrels. Will I flute barrels for my personal rifles, not if I can help it. It’s easier not to have to flute the barrel. In answer to Earls question, I’ve been using Rustlix 255 in my mill because I had 5 gallons of it. It’s not made anymore, they’ve changed to whatever the next latest and greatest is. I doubt if it makes much difference what the coolant is as long as you use some coolant.
 
Mike Bryant said:
I’m a little late to this thread. IMO the majority of people who are shooting benchrest with fluted barrels are doing it for the reason that Earl is because of the weight savings on a gun that’s too heavy with the scope they want to use. I have an old horizontal mill that all I’ve ever used it for is fluting barrels. Will I flute barrels for my personal rifles, not if I can help it. It’s easier not to have to flute the barrel. In answer to Earls question, I’ve been using Rustlix 255 in my mill because I had 5 gallons of it. It’s not made anymore, they’ve changed to whatever the next latest and greatest is. I doubt if it makes much difference what the coolant is as long as you use some coolant.
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I shoot live varmints with a Panda action rifle.

Search with some decent field glasses, park a rangefinder near them, look up bullet drop.
I shoot from a portable bench rest stand. BR support in front, sand bag on the rear.

Over the years I have gotten pretty good at judging wind by watching crops in the field.

Reaching out to 440 yards on a groundhog is very satisfying.

And the farmers call me when they want some critters removed.
I try and let them watch though my spotting scope.
Some of them get down right excited.
 
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