Riflng types for cast bullet shooting

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Last Post 21 October 2010

Standard Member

squibload posted this 19 October 2010

Gentlemen: I have a nice sporterized 03/A3 with mlitary barrel that is so so. I want to rebarrel and dedicate the rifle to cast bullet shooting. I will use the Rifle as a center fire practice rifle. I practice a lot offhand and want the economy and low wear of cast. I hear all kinds of things re: rifling type. For this application which would be best - button, hammer forged or cut rifled? I have been leaning toward cut rifled based on tradition and perhaps groove depth. Does it really matter? Where would I purchase a cut rifled barrel if that is the way to go? Would appreciate any knowledgeable opinions. Thanks: Orcas

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CB posted this 19 October 2010

Remingtons are hammer forged and shoot good. Savages look like they were cut with a garden trowel and shoot good. I don't have any cut rifled barrels but do have 3,4,6, and 8 groove buttoned barrels that shoot good.

I think bullet fit is going to make a lot more difference than how the barrel was rifled. There's the opinion in some places that deep rifling is a must have for cast bullets but if that's so you can't prove it by me.

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CBA Member

RicinYakima posted this 19 October 2010

I agree with Pat. There is so little side wall pressure in a lubed cast bullet, compared to jacketed bullets, that surface finish is not much of a question. Bullet fit to the bore is much more important. My opinion (!) is that deeper rifling just means you have to use a harder bullet to get the same results as 3 or 4 thousandths standard rifling.

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CBA Member

tturner53 posted this 19 October 2010

Don't know enough to have an opinion but I have read many times the two groove barrels shoot cast bullets better than the others. Maybe you could find an old 2 groove in good shape. Might even turn out to be a match gun, with cast that is.

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CBA Member

mike morrison posted this 19 October 2010

in the mid 70's i purchased a 03. bbl looked like a sewer pipe. i purchased a 03A3 bbl at a gun show new in the wrapper. changed bbls and shot cast bullets in it. at that time i knew nothing about cast bullets as compared to today thanks to this forum and the great people here. with this setup and a reciever sight it shot verry well for me. if you can find a two groove 03A3 bbl in good shape you may find joy. i have regetted trading it many times. we all know how that goes. it had an ejection port on the left side for a peterson device. i have only read about them, never saw one. but have never seen another. it had been sporterized when i got it. so no collector. lot a rambeling here hope some of it helps. m

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CBA Member

JetMech posted this 20 October 2010

If the bore is consistant as far as diameter (you can tell running a tight patch down it), muzzle erosion is the only problem that can't be overcome with proper bullet fit to the throat. I'd recrown the barrel and work on bullet fit before spending the cash on a new barrel. If you do decide to rebarrel, I prefer hammer forged or cut over button rifled. Supposedly, button rifling can leave some internal stresses that will cause POI change with barrel temp.

New Krieger Criterion barrels that comes from the CMP are a good choice.

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Standard Member

docbob posted this 20 October 2010

I agree with Pat and Rick.

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CB posted this 20 October 2010

Dollar Bill wrote: "Supposedly, button rifling can leave some internal stresses that will cause POI change with barrel temp."

Shilen, Hart, Lilja, ect. ect. ect. are all button rifled and shoot extremely well or at least well enough to win their fair share of BR matches. If a button rifled barrel isn't stress relieved it might walk but all good barrels are stress relieved

"New Krieger Criterion barrels that comes from the CMP are a good choice."

The Criterion barrels are under the Krieger roof but are button rifled and for sale to distributors only if I remember right.

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CBA Member

JetMech posted this 20 October 2010

Thanks for setting me straight, Pat. I looked and Criterion barrels are button rifled! I guess all the barrel manufacturers use button rifling now. Kreiger even states that they don't make those barrels and to contact Criterion if you want one. I know CMP sells them for about $160 if I remember correctly.

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CB posted this 20 October 2010

Bill I wasn't trying to set you straight I was just pointing out some facts about barrels. There's some barrel makers that use cut rifling and they shoot great. Krieger for one along with Border and others. All I was trying to say is all the different ways a barrel is rifled will work. The truth of the matter is if a guy like Tony Boyer started winning matches with a barrel rifled with a dental tool the next thing you know everyone would be saying the only good barrel is one rifled with a dental tool and the rest had one problem or another. In other words all of them can produce a good barrel