Curious---Cut vs. Button Rifling

mwezell

mwezell

Mike Ezell
What's the logic behind the theory that cut barrels outlast button rifled barrels? In my experience, other factors are far more important...even in the same caliber. My longest lasting barrel to date was a buttoned barrel .What a ya think? Thanks!

Mike
 
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I've heard the same, but 10 yrs ago it was the other way. I see no reason that either would last longer. It's just like the guys with the Studebaker PU. They have 300,000 miles on it and so it will last longer than the Hudson PU.
Butch
 
There are reputable companies claiming better barrel life from cut barrels. In my experience, that claim would be hard to prove at best. I was hoping to get a clear answer as to why they feel one would outlast the other. Thanks for the replies.


Mike
 
Go for the dough! Mrs. Howell! (Ask Sen. John Kerry)

BTW, Cut rifles induce much less stress into the steel, the rifling twist will be spot on, lapping is required so if done properly the bore should be very easy to clean and not foul.

There are less than dozen folks doing cut rifling worldwide. Takes a long time and the cost is usually such.

Matches and records are set with both cut and button barrels...........It's more important who made the barrel and under what conditions than the method.

All this said, in 25 years of messing with this stuff I've never had a bad cut rifle barrel. But I've had maybe 10-15% poor shooting button rifled barrels. (And a few real clunkers from some very well known button barrel makers) And I use way more cut rifled barrels (Kreiger) than anything else.
As far as longevity. I have an AR-15 with a cut rifled barrel (Kreiger) and it has over 15K rounds through it , all moly, and is still shooting 1" groups at 200 yds. One of the competitors here at my range has a cut rifled barrel that has been set back so many times that the next set-back gets it under the 16" rifle rule! And it has over 8000 rounds of 6BR (all moly) and it is still super competitive. Other than the throat burning out, the lands in these two rifles look like new.
 
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