6mm 3 groove barrels

S

skeetlee

Active member
Whats the hole idea behind a 3 groove rifle barrel as apposed to a 4 or 5 or even a 6 groove rife barrel. Whats the deal and does this really mean anything in real world conditions? reason i ask is i have run across a lilja 6mm 14 twist barrel and it has 3 grooves. I just haven't ever had a 3 groove barrel so of course i am curious. Lee
 
I have a .22 caliber 3 groove barrel from Lilja on my match rifle, and that gun shoots like a house afire - I would have no qualms buying another. That blank came from a large lot of barrels of the same caliber and rifling, and every gun built shoots. Some blanks were cut for short barrel rifles.

I'll be standing by to hear interesting theories about rifling configurations and land shapes.
 
It doesn't matter. A good barrel is where you find it. You may get a lot of interesting theories, but no proof. I guess it will be like a 3 legged stool. If one were better than all the barrel makers would be building 3 grooves.
Butch
 
Most good barrel makers will probably tell you that the difference between a 3 groove and a 4 groove is . . . . 1 groove.
 
I believe that the cut rifle barrel makers avoid the 3-groove because of the difficulty with cutting a groove that wide with a single point cutter. In a typical 70% groove/30% land situation, the cutter would have to make two passes (side by side) in order to traverse the groove width. This can be done, but it is a lot of trouble. Good shooting....James
 
A few years ago, a noted shooter scored a really hot 3-groove barrel from a noted barrel maker, and everybody got all excited. Turned out, it was just had a great barrel, the grooves had nothing to do with it. Other shooters had so-so results.

I love 4-groove barrels because thay are so darned easy to true up;).......jackie
 
Thanks Butch and Jackie. i figured as much, but i like to read and discuss these types of things. I guess i find it interesting. One thing that did come to my mind while reading your responses is velocity. Would the wider land create more drag on the bullet? Would a typical 3 groove barrel produce less velocity compared to as 6 grove barrel with all else being the same? There again i am sure it is a non issue. I havent bought this lilja barrel and i may not. these darn things are 365 bucks per blank. ouch!! It has been offered to me though, so i thought i would do a little investigation. thanks a bunch! Lee
 
Lilja had/has a 3 groove, narrow land 13 twist button. Best PPC barrel I ever had. I have no idea why I never bought another one. Seemed like I was always in a "hurry" to get a barrel and never had the sense to order one ahead of time!
 
Just some comments

I have a 3-groove Hart that I chambered and shot in 2004.

It was a 15.5 twist so I had to shoot 750 jacket bullets.

It was bigger than most-took a 0.2386 bushing to chamber.

It shot great as long as I shot short jacket bullets due to the 15.5:1 twist.

And it cleaned very easy.

As to its overall utility, it was no difference than a 4, 5, 6, or 8 groove barrels I've had.

I would guess that with the shallow lands and just 3 grooves it might be just the trick for long bullets like we use in 600 yard benchrest but I've never seen a 3-groove 8:1 twist offered. Matter of fact I've never thought of that idea till now.
 
All the 3 groove 6mm's I have shoot well. They are 8tw barrels for long range.

The 7mm's I have get tough on bullets, they will blow up a bullet that a 4 groove in the same twist, caliber & velocity will not. But, damn they shoot good when you get the right bullet.
 
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