I'm no expert with rifling mechanics but if sealing is the goal the landless design used but some such as HK would seem to be even better... No land groove connection at all as the hexoganal bore itself is twisted to impart spin. Reminds me of the ads touting the greatness pf the various super short rounds that are just as fast as the xxx. Not better just shorter. Those calibers are mostly dieing now. The gentlemen you named (and some others) produce very high quality barrels. Whatever design they make will be the best it can be and that's likely very good indeed. Is that design better than another of the same quality? I would bet the difference is not provable. The business they are in however is very competative though and if something becomes the 'latest' in the game they weill most likely make it too..
What is the latest I guess is that companys like Bartlein,Krieger,Broughton,Rock and others is they offer a choice in riflings to someone who plans on buiy a barrel.
Lots of shooters that purchase after make barrels like me don't always buy a 5r rifling barrels not that they cost anymore Kreiger is the only one that want $30 more for his 5r barrels. The other 30-06 that I got new in 2008 has a Lilja 3groove button rifling. This year besides the 30-06 with the Ratchet rifling from Shilen I had a 257Wby build using a plain old Shilen barrel and 270 with a Lilja barrel.
Comparing my Lilja barrel 30-06 to the Bartlein 5r barrel in accuracy they both shoot pretty nice they were cut from the same chamber reamer and same reamer was used on the Shilen barrel 30-06.
When I first started shooting BR Hart/Shilen were the top barrels used in the top 40 at the super shoot only seen 3 Shilen barrel and I'm sure alot of the cut barrels uses weren't 5r riflings. Back then the cut barrrel were mainly used for highpower shooting only cut barrel used were from Mark Chanlynn.
Who knows who is making the 5r barrels for the t/c venture? Afew custom guys making 5r barrels here is specs on one
Barrel:
4150 Mil-B-1159F Vanadium alloy (machine gun rated)
70 Rockwell case hardened heat treated "5R" polygonal barrels are 2 times harder than Mil-Spec & hammer forged barrels
Corrosion resistant and 10 times thicker and hardness than Mil-Spec chromed lining
“5R” Polygonal right handed 1x10 twist cut button rifled barrels from Rock Creek Barrels, Inc.
BC-A5 Muzzle device
Chamber: 7.62X51 mm NATO (.308 Cal.)
Rock Creek barrels is owned by Mike Rock and he makes what's called OEM barrels same as Kreiger who makes barrels for Wby rifles. Like I said Mike set up Rem for their 5r barrels and they use that for the m-24 sniper rifle. Navy SEALS Knight’s SR25 Sniper Rifle they used Obermeyers 30 cal 5r barrel and I think that enough proof as to how good the 5r barrels are when it come to arming US snipers. Obermeyer been gear for the last few years suppling 5r barrel to the military.
gunnut69, don't mind me saying this but the 5r barrels been around long time and there not for everyone but they have a purpose. The good thing about our system is if you don't like it don't buy it.