Author Topic: Fluted barrels (Read 769 times)

Airsporter · « **on:** August 23, 2005, 10:42:00 PM »

Saw a .223 Ultra with a fluted barrel in Wally World. Sure looked pretty! Is this the usual offering?

Fred M · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2005, 05:23:08 AM »

From what I have seen on the H&R fluted barrels, is more or less decorative. The flutes are so shallow as to have much value in weight reduction or cooling effect. But it gives the rifle an air of superiority, or sex appeal as you just said.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2005, 06:20:07 AM »

From Fred's description of the fluted barrels, I was expecting disappointent, but when I had one in hand, I was pleasantly surprised, they look pretty good to me!!! No offense Fred, eh, one man's junk is another man's treasure!!! :grin:

Fred M · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2005, 08:37:25 AM »

Quick.
I never said they look bad or are junk. Only that the flutes serve very little practical purpose. I said they have sex appeal which is a good sales gimmick. You admitted that by what you said.

I did never say a bad thing a bout the H&R fluted barrels. I may add that the standard 24" 223 bull barrel may even shoot better? But that would be very difficult to proof. A reduction in x-sectional barrel area is not better in my opinion.

mitchell · « **Reply #4 on:** August 24, 2005, 09:03:38 AM »

well they look pretty darn sexy to me . i'm having a hard time not getting one.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** August 24, 2005, 09:46:00 AM »

Fred, that's just an old saying meaning what one man values may not be what another man values. I didn't mean that you thought the fluted barrels are junk. Different strokes.... :wink:

Fred M · « **Reply #6 on:** August 24, 2005, 02:32:16 PM »

Quick.

Obviously that was not the way I read it. Being a foreigner, this message is shrouded in nebulous colloquialism other wise you would not have to explain. :-D :grin:

:roll:

The American lingo is strange to say the least. Up here we speak Canadian if you know what I mean, which is infiltrated by a certain aquatic animal. It quacks

The barrel looks nice, but what of the stock or butt? :twisted: Your treasure, my junk. Yes? Maybe? Are we having fun yet?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 24, 2005, 03:05:31 PM »

I kinda thought maybe that was the issue. :wink: The stock is another matter, I still haven't warmed up to it yet, but I did float the barrel within the forend ahead of the screw, would like to get it to to shoot good from the bipod, the adapter is really a nice feature, a half turn on the thumb screw and the entire adapter and bipod slide right off.

poncaguy · « **Reply #8 on:** August 24, 2005, 03:12:52 PM »

I have two, 223 and 204, they are my favorite Handi's (?)Very, very accurate, and different!

Fred M · « **Reply #9 on:** August 24, 2005, 05:01:58 PM »

poncaguy.

There is a very good reason why the 204 and the 223 shoot better than most of the others. That is the back thrust, close to 40% less, than an 06 type case head. There are other issues like a good bore and a tight latch.

It si really too bad that H&R does not make these rifles with a 24" 416 stainless steel barrel. You would have to pay a few extra bucks, but accuracy would even be better.

jack19512 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 25, 2005, 12:59:15 AM »

poncaguy

Not meaning to hijack the original posters thread, but was going to ask this question and saw your post. I have a 223 ultra and I am curious what you or anyone else thinks the 204 Ruger will do that the 223 will not, or maybe I should have said what does the 204 Ruger do that much better than the 223.

I noticed that my local Walmart has a 204 Ruger handi in their case for $198.00 and it is starting to get my attention. :grin:

poncaguy · « **Reply #11 on:** August 25, 2005, 01:31:24 AM »

jacki9512

204 faster and shoots flatter, 223 is very good too and lots of ammo and brass for it. I have a bull barrel 22-250 also, probably the best of the three. If you have any of the 3, ur fine. I own 7 more Handi's too........I just heve this disease.......my name is Larry, and I'm a Handiholic. :roll:

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2005, 05:30:39 AM »

One of the cool things about the .204 is bullet impacts can be seen through the scope when shooting varmints with the .204, the recoil and muzzle jump is very subtle. Pelt damage is minimal on coyotes too.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 25, 2005, 07:33:10 AM »

If and when the 204 is available as a stainless fluted barrel...will most likely be when I order one...That would be way cool

Mac

cheatermk3 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 25, 2005, 11:29:42 AM »

Another thing the 204 does better than the 223 is drain your wallet when buying ammo.

But of course if you reload you'll get more shooting for your $$.

Or maybe I'm just jealous because I don't have one.

Naahhh...

Seriously, a 32 grain bullet at 220 swift velocities should really get the job done on varmints. Only reason I don't have one is the vast quantities of components I have on hand for making 223 varmint ammo.

I'll probably rebarrel one of my M700s to 204 ruger someday.

zoyter2 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 25, 2005, 03:55:59 PM »

Hi all. I have been lurking around for a while, and thought I might post a "copy and paste" range report on my new UV that I had made for another forum!

The .204 Ruger has been on my "must have" list for about 6 months now. My only question was which rifle. Only two really interested me, the Savage bolt gun, and the NEF/H&R Ultra. The Savage was a couple of bucks more than I wanted to spend for a range toy, so I got the UV.

The first thing I have to tell you is if you buy an Ultra, be prepared to spend the first hour or so cleaning. I know somewhere down the line I have received a more oily, dirty weapon from a factory, but I can't remember where. After a can of Break Free Powder Blast, and a whole bunch of patches, I was ready to set the rifle up.

The first thing was a Harris 'pod, the L series. This goes from 9" to 13". The UV has an insert that the pod mounts to, then the insert slides into the forearm. Very neat in case you wish to shoot from a bag or other support, as you simply turn a thumbscrew, and slide the pod off.

Next came the scope. I did not receive the Leupold VX-III 3.5-10x40mm I ordered for this rifle by range time, so I used a ancient Burris 2x-7x variable. It seems that Burris made sure that the thing was "chock full of parallax" before sending it out. (Think 20 years ago) The rifle came with a premounted Weaver base, so I used Weaver dual ring mounts.

The trigger was stiff, but very crisp. I guestimate about 6 pounds, far too heavy, but shootable. The first order of business will be to find someone to take the weight down to about 1.5 to 2 lbs. In spite of that, MAN DOES THIS RIFLE SHOOT!!! The first target below was at 100 yards, and a 3 shot group measures .38 C2C.

The one below was exactly 1 inch C2C at 200 yards.

At the muzzle the velocity was a solid 4200 fps average. That little 32 grain bullet is scootin'. The most impressive thing is the trajectory. With my zero at 100, I was only about 1 inch low at 200, and at 300 yards, only about 5 inches low!!! What is not to love about a rifle that shoots that flat.

I think that the UV at $298 out the door price is one to the best accuracy guns out there. I only can imagine what a good parallax- free scope and a trigger job will do.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #16 on:** August 25, 2005, 04:11:06 PM »

Thanks for the report!!!

If you read the sticky " Cleaning and Hand Lapping our Handis", you'll see that cleaning any H&R/NEF firearm is standard SOP, nothing new there, they are indeed dirty. IIRC, the old Burris scopes were parallax free at 150yds instead of 100yds. That's some pretty good shooting for an out of the box H&R and exceptional for a 7x scope at 200yds. :wink:

nomosendero · « **Reply #17 on:** August 25, 2005, 05:09:59 PM »

zoyter2
Good shooting! Was this done from the bi-pod or bags. I ask this because
as most who visit this sight know that the standard handi is sensitive to
forearm placement in the bags & I hope with some of the Choate forearms at least, we may obtain good accuracy with bipods. I think I
read Quick or someone tried this with the Choate with poor results.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #18 on:** August 25, 2005, 05:18:36 PM »

That's affirmative, that's been everyone else's experience that's tried the Choate forend and a bipod that I can recollect.....course my memory doesn't always work 100%. :oops: I floated mine from the barrel screw forward hoping it will shoot from the bipod, haven't been to the range yet, though....maybe next wednesday!! :wink: