Cut rifling vs button?

[Nevada Mike]

I recall Ted Blackburn telling me that cut rifling was superior to button rifling and showing me sectioned pieces of rifle barrels to make his point... the cut rifling was smooth and chatter free. This was about 35 years ago in his shop in Sunnyvale, CA.

 

[Inline6]

I recall Ted Blackburn telling me that cut rifling was superior to button rifling and showing me sectioned pieces of rifle barrels to make his point... the cut rifling was smooth and chatter free. This was about 35 years ago in his shop in Sunnyvale, CA.

A lot has changed in 35 years no offense.

 

[Nevada Mike]

A lot has changed in 35 years no offense.

Perhaps. But for the better, or for the cheaper?

 

[mark-hunter]

I think that in top class competition is a bit of advantage on cut rifling vs button rifling - speaking on American side of Atlantic, for centre fire chamberings.
On web site precision rifle blog, where PRS sport is presented in detail, there is a clear breakdown of what barrel types are used by top shooters.
They use: Bartlein 43% (cut rifling), Hawk hill 26% (cut rifling), benchmark 7% (button rifling), Kreiger 2% (cut rifling), Lilja 1% (button rifling), proof research 6% (cut rifling), Truef lite (button rifling).

On European side, where ISSF sports are dominant, then button rifling is dominant (for rim fire), like Anschutz. Lothar Walther.

But again, for small production, this could just be tradition of the brand - where initial investment of manufacturer could have an influence in their barrel production, and the smaller production will always go for cut rifling. It does not mean that is better in start.

But personally for me, the difference in accuracy between the three (cut rifling, button rifling, hammer forged rifling) is getting blurred.

When factory rifle, with factory ammo, with hammer forged barrel makes 1/3 moa, and on long range distances > 600 meters most important factor is compensation of the wind, then intrinsic accuracy of the barrel looses the edge, over highend BC bullets where they get their dominance.

 

[Nhoro]

I think all 3 methods produce accurate results. I think that the most important thing is the attention to details and QC. All steel will have grain structure and as you drill and then cut/button/hammer it, it will have a tendency to warp and move. That is where the accuracy and consistency get screwed up. Custom barrel makers will use more consistent steel and will apply better QC. They will discard the bad barrels. Big makers will cut costs and straighten barrels. Those barrels will then walk a shot string across the target. So as pointed out by others, cut rifling is easier for small operations and they are the high QC operations hence cut rifling has a good rep.

 

[Inline6]

I think that in top class competition is a bit of advantage on cut rifling vs button rifling - speaking on American side of Atlantic, for centre fire chamberings.
On web site precision rifle blog, where PRS sport is presented in detail, there is a clear breakdown of what barrel types are used by top shooters.
They use: Bartlein 43% (cut rifling), Hawk hill 26% (cut rifling), benchmark 7% (button rifling), Kreiger 2% (cut rifling), Lilja 1% (button rifling), proof research 6% (cut rifling), Truef lite (button rifling).

On European side, where ISSF sports are dominant, then button rifling is dominant (for rim fire), like Anschutz. Lothar Walther.

But again, for small production, this could just be tradition of the brand - where initial investment of manufacturer could have an influence in their barrel production, and the smaller production will always go for cut rifling. It does not mean that is better in start.

But personally for me, the difference in accuracy between the three (cut rifling, button rifling, hammer forged rifling) is getting blurred.

When factory rifle, with factory ammo, with hammer forged barrel makes 1/3 moa, and on long range distances > 600 meters most important factor is compensation of the wind, then intrinsic accuracy of the barrel looses the edge, over highend BC bullets where they get their dominance.

It's been a while since I have shot competitively...take what you read with a little scepticism. A good amount of top shooters get free barrels by these manufacturers. Lilia and True flight I can't speak on I have no personal experience with them. All the other I do and have received free barrels from a few of them as they sponsored the team I was on at the time.

Both button and cut I have shot groups in the teens (5 shot groups). All I have SDs below 5fps, all have had an easy time finding a load and all have been a PITA. All have died sooner than expected and all have lived longer too.

Powder, pressure, shot strings, coatings, cleaning system and frequency are some of the things that play a part in a barrels life cycle.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Hammer forging, old and new:

 

[Totoro]

I have shot both button and cut rifling from various makers.

IMO, what it boils down to is the final polishing/lapping and land/groove consistency.

Across the boards in shooting competitions/load proofing/military contracts there isn't a clear winner between cut vs button.