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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons (Read 9338 times)
texasmac
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Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Feb 8th, 2025 at 12:50pm
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I had a misconception of the broach rifling process which was corrected in another thread.  So I thought the following information may be interesting to ASSRA forum readers.  

Wayne
===================

1. Cut Rifling
Cut rifling is the oldest method of rifling a gun barrel. The cut-rifling method removes metal from the surface of the bore to create the grooves using a single-bladed, hook-type cutter of groove width that is pulled through the cold barrel. It is sometimes called "hook rifling" after the fishhook-shaped cutter used. Cutter depth is adjustable, so that it removes only a small amount of metal each pass. Each groove must be cut individually with multiple passes of the cutter. The cutter is indexed to each groove in turn and positively rotated by the rifling machine using a sine bar.

Advantages of cut rifling:
The shape and number of grooves and groove depth can be easily changed as necessary.
Rifling twist rate may be easily changed as required. 
Rifling twist is consistent from one end to the other.
Little or no additional stress is imposed on the barrel.
Cut-rifled barrels may be contoured after rifling.
Close tolerance can be held.

Disadvantages of cut rifling:
The process is slow and not well adapted to mass production.
Cut barrels normally cost more due to the slower manufacturing process.
Some metal alloys cannot be cut.
A mistake or machine malfunction at the end of the process can prove wasteful.
Cut-rifled barrels must be lapped.

Many target shooters prefer cut-rifled barrels for their uniformity and close tolerance. The cut-rifling method is normally used on prototype or test barrels where only a small number will be made for experimental purposes.

To be continued.
« Last Edit: Feb 8th, 2025 at 10:05pm by texasmac »  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #1 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 12:51pm
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2. Button Rifling
Button rifling is a modern method that creates the grooves in the cold surface of a rifle bore by displacing metal using a bullet-shaped, super-hard button of tungsten carbide. The rifling button has the reverse pattern of the groove profile ground into its surface. As the rifling button is pushed or pulled through the barrel, the groove pattern is ironed into the bore surface by displacement. There are several variations in button-rifling procedure. Some barrel makers prefer to pull the button through the bore, while others prefer to push it through. In most cases, the button remains free to rotate during this process, dependent on the angle of the grooves in its surface to cause the desired degree of rifling twist. As variations in rifling twist may occur during this procedure, some barrel makers affix the rifling button to a rod and positively rotate it with a sine bar.

Advantages of button rifling:
The procedure is fast and very economical, as only a single pass of the button is required to rifle a barrel.
Button rifling is well suited to mass-production methods with high output. 
Button rifling leaves a smooth, bright finish inside the barrel that need not be lapped.
Button-rifled barrels are very accurate.
Bore and groove dimensions are very consistent.

Disadvantages of button rifling:
Button rifling creates stress in a barrel; high-quality button-rifled barrels must be stress-relieved after rifling.
Buttons are expensive and difficult to make.
Different groove configurations and different rifling twists require a new button.
The button-rifling system is not flexible.

Button-rifled barrels can be extremely accurate; more bench-rest records are held by shooters using guns with button-rifled barrels than by any other type. Button-rifled barrels are very common on modern centerfire and rimfire guns.

To be continued
« Last Edit: Feb 8th, 2025 at 9:53pm by texasmac »  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #2 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 12:52pm
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3. Broach Rifling
Broach rifling is a modern, production-oriented variant of cut rifling that addresses some shortcomings of the cut-rifling process. While cut rifling uses a single-bladed cutter, a broach is a metal bar with sets of progressive cutting blades in its outer surface corresponding to the number of grooves. The cutting blades are fixed in spiraled succession, each blade cutting to slightly greater depth than the one in front of it. As the broach is pushed or pulled through the cold barrel, all the grooves are cut on a single pass. In some cases, a series of ever-larger broaches is run through the barrel until the desired groove depth is reached.

Advantages of broach rifling:
Fast and well-suited to mass-production methods. 
Little or no stress is imposed on the barrel.
Rifling twist is consistent from one end to the other.
Broach-rifled barrels may be contoured after rifling.
Adequate tolerances can be held.

Disadvantages of broach rifling:
Broaches are expensive and hard to make.
Different groove configurations and different rifling twists require a new broach. 
Broach-rifled barrels must be lapped. 
The broach-rifling system is not flexible.
Match-grade barrels are not compatible with this system.

Because broach rifling was well-suited to high-volume production, it was the rifling system of choice in making military rifles during the first half of the 20th century. In the second half of the 20th century, button rifling replaced broach rifling for the manufacture of rifle barrels, with few exceptions. Today, broach rifling is commonly used to rifle some handgun barrels.

To be continued.
« Last Edit: Feb 8th, 2025 at 9:54pm by texasmac »  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #3 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 12:53pm
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4. Hammer-Forged Rifling
Hammer forging is an ultra-modern method of rifling a gun barrel that is well suited to high-volume production by large manufacturers such as government arsenals and commercial corporations that can afford the sophisticated machinery. This method begins with a metal barrel blank about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter with a hole in its center honed to a fine finish. A tungsten carbide mandrel with the pattern of the rifling lands and grooves machined into its surface in reverse relief is then inserted into the hole of the blank. A forging machine with a series of radially opposed hammers is then used to compress the blank inward against the mandrel. As the hammers compress the outer surface, the blank is reduced in diameter and lengthened, simultaneously creating the bore and rifling. If needed, hammer forging can form the chamber and throat as well as a fully profiled outer surface. The spiral tracks of the hammers can often be seen on the outer surface of hammer-forged barrels. Some manufacturers turn the barrels to remove this surface, while others leave it in place.

Barrel blanks may be hammer forged cold or hot. Hot hammer forging reduces the amount of effort that the hammers must exert on the blank, and can result in better grain structure and improved strength. However, hot hammer forging is more expensive and requires more sophisticated machinery. The cold hammer-forging process produces barrels of excellent quality. Hammer-forged barrels are very common on high-volume centerfire hunting rifles and pistols where their consistency and strength outweigh their accuracy capabilities. They are not common on match-grade or varmint barrels, as their accuracy is perceived to be inferior to cut- or button-rifling methods.

Advantages of Hammer Forging:
Hammer forging consistently produces high-quality barrels. 
It can form chamber, throat and outer profile if necessary.
It does not remove metal; there's no waste or chips.
It produces barrels with excellent grain structure and high strength.
Hammer forging produces superb bore finish, no lapping needed.

Disadvantages of Hammer Forging:
Machinery and mandrels are expensive.
It's inflexible; changes in rifling require a new mandrel.
Quality is very good, but not match grade.
Hammer tracks are left on outer surface.
Process introduces stress in the barrel; must be stress-relieved.

To be continued.
« Last Edit: Feb 8th, 2025 at 2:00pm by texasmac »  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #4 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 12:54pm
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5. Cation Rifling
Cation rifling is a recently developed method of rifling a gun barrel by removing metal using acid—the cation system. In this system, the barrel blank is first drilled and reamed in a normal manner. Next, a rod with a series of groove-width wipes is pushed through the bore while being positively rotated at the desired twist rate. Each wipe deposits a groove-width trail of very strong acid that immediately begins eating into the surface of the bore. The strength and type of acid and the dwell time it is allowed to remain on the bore can be varied to obtain the desired groove depth and to suit the metallurgy. When the acid has eaten into the surface the desired amount, a neutralizing liquid is flushed through the bore to stop the acid's action. In practice, very close tolerances can be held. This system works very well on metal alloys that cannot be easily cut, buttoned or hammer forged.

Advantages of Cation Rifling:
Uses no cutters, no buttons and no mandrels.
Flexible system that can easily vary size and number of grooves and twist rate.
Produces excellent bore finish.
Does not impose stress on the barrel.
Will rifle hard or exotic metal alloys that cannot be rifled by other methods.

Disadvantages of Cation Rifling:
Equipment is expensive.
Requires storage and handling of strong acids and neutralizers.
System not yet well known.  As its advantages become better known, the cation system may become more popular, especially as it may very well be the only way new metal alloys can be rifled.

The end.  Smiley
« Last Edit: Feb 8th, 2025 at 10:21pm by texasmac »  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #5 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 1:42pm
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Great thread, thank you texasmac.
  
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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #6 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 1:59pm
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Ditto  had never heard of the Cation method. At close to eighty one, I still learn something new each day. Not all good, not all bad, but learned, none the less!
  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #7 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 2:08pm
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Very good-answered lots of questions floating around in my mind!
  
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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #8 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 2:18pm
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Thanks for posting that.
  
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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #9 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 4:23pm
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you are a great source for information  thanks  art
  
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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #10 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 4:44pm
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There is also scrape cut rifling which is very smooth & very, very slow & I believe that Smith & Wesson are EDM cutting some of their barrels.
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #11 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 5:58pm
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"Cut rifling must be lapped."
This isn't true, as many of the best old barrel makers were adamant that they never lapped their barrels. By taking extremely small cuts each pass their rifling was perfect when finished and no need to lap their barrels.
Harry Pope was said to have gotten very angry at someone who simply asked if he lapped his barrels.
  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #12 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 7:42pm
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Pope’s barrels were cut with a gain twist.  If you think about it, you’ll see that gain twist barrels CANNOT be lapped.

CHRIS
  
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texasmac
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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #13 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 9:06pm
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And I failed to include an even more modern process referred to as ECM rifling, which uses electrolysis.  Electrolytic machining (ECM) is a subtractive method operating on the principle of anodic metal dissolution via an external DC power source.

One of the critical features of ECM is there’s no contact between the tool (-) and the workpiece (+). The shape of the tool cathode determines the shape of the material removal. ECM is an imaging method. Rather than a cutter, broach or button, a rifling cathode is used.  Similar to the shape of a rifling button, the cathode has the reverse pattern of the groove profile with insulating material where no work is needed (lands), leaving the conductive material visible in areas where the material removal process occurs & forms the grooves. See photo below. The groove accuracy depends on the cathode design and the machining precision. This electrochemical process ensures creation of precise, polished grooves without any physical contact, applying zero stress to the barrel.

This EC rifling process is a departure from traditional processes as it delivers barrel rifling quality and productivity surpassing conventional capabilities. EC rifling is reported to be optimal for superior gun finishing, heightened productivity, and impeccable quality.

Wayne
« Last Edit: Feb 8th, 2025 at 10:23pm by texasmac »  

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Re: Methods of Barrel Rifling: Pros vs. Cons
Reply #14 - Feb 8th, 2025 at 10:46pm
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TexasMac  - This is a lot of really good information. Thank you for putting it all together! 
Question????
You and Beltfed in the other thread confirmed that Badger did not single point rifle the BPCR barrels but used a broach to rifle them and then lap. 

You wrote:
Disadvantages of broach rifling:
Broaches are expensive and hard to make.
Different groove configurations and different rifling twists require a new broach. 
Broach-rifled barrels must be lapped. 
The broach-rifling system is not flexible.
Match-grade barrels are not compatible with this system. 

In this thread, you mention the above and the last point is what is in question. "Match-grade barrels are not compatible with this system."

Many of us have come to think Badger barrels on the BPCR rifle are among the top brands for accuracy. 
Can you explain a little more on this point please?

-Michael Rix

  
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