6 or 8 groove barrel

[moto357]

looking into a .458 barrel to put on my bolt action for a smokeless muzzleloader build.  curious if anyone knows what difference other than the obvious is there between 6 groove and 8 groove barrels?  any input on this would be greatly appreciated!

[trotterlg]

You can also probalby find 4,5 and 3's, they all do the same thing.  Larry

[moto357]

so if they do the same thing why would any specific barrel maker offer the different options?  just trying to figure out if there is any actual reason for this...

[trotterlg]

If one were better than all the others then they would only make one type, the best one.  Probably most important is what type of bullet you will shoot in it.  Cast seems to like very wide lands, for throat life, it seems that small cals do better with the three land barrels, but all this is up to interpertation, I would lay most of it off to the marketing department.  Probably the only thing that seems to be true is that the microgroove rifleing doesn't like cast bullets, this seems to go with the thought that cast bullets like really wide lands.  Guess you pays your money and takes your chances.  Larry

[gunnut69]

I agree with Larry on this one.. If there were appreciable differences in the number of grooves in a barrel I would bet it would already be known and widely. The gobernment even found that for their purposes, 2 groove was just fine.. and a lot of cast bullet shooters heartily agree. Many small bore shooters claim finer rifling (6-8 or even microgroove) leads to greater accuracy because of reduced bullet distortion.. I've never seen any study,test or statistics that offered any proof... Any well made barrel with a twist rate commensurate with the case and bullet weight to be used will shoot admireably. Finsih and consistancy are the most important factors..

[moto357]

thanks guys.  you pretty much verified my own thoughts on the matter, but sometimes my own thinking isn't the brightest.. 

[Kmrere42]

Hi,

Thought I'd throw some thoughts in.


Smith made their revolvers for a long time with 5 groove rifling.  Excellent accuracy.  Here Is my thinking.  With an even number of grooves the bullet will be pinched to some extent.  The material that is displaced from the rifling must go somewhere.  If the groove dia is tight then the bullet will lengthen.

My favorite rifling pattern is the 5 groove with a 50/50 land/groove pattern.  Plenty of support for cast bullets and there is room on the opposite side of the bullet for the material to move into.  Less overall distortion and self centering.



Just some thoughts.



Paul

[nicholst55]

A lot of benchrest shooters are of the opinion that an odd number of grooves lend themselves to better accuracy.

[frogee]

I have a G Series White rifle with the 12 groove (microgroove) barrel. It shoots cast bullets like no other rifle I have.

[moto357]

cuz its a white 

[Kmrere42]

It shoots cast bullets like no other rifle I have

Ok.....Hmmm,   This could be really good, or really bad....   ROLF...




BTW,  I thought microgroove rifling started in the 18 -> 24 groove style. Cast bullets shot very poorly through them.


Paul

[frogee]

It shoots cast bullets like no other rifle I have

Ok.....Hmmm,   This could be really good, or really bad....   ROLF...




BTW,  I thought microgroove rifling started in the 18 -> 24 groove style. Cast bullets shot very poorly through them.


Paul

I don't profess to be an expert like you are,  but I have heard of the 12 groove rifling in a ML barrel referred to as "microgroove"  rifling by someone who knows more about it than both of us combined. 
BTW, I meant it shot really good, I thought you might be able to figure that one out. rofl