Comments on: How Long Will Your Barrel Last? Dan Lilja Offers Some Guidelines

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 16:51:34 +0000

300.000-500.000 active shooters in Scandinavia uses the Sauer 200 STR rifle, with hammer forged barrels.

They are very accurate!!

Not BR shooting, but with slings, prone, kneeling, standing.

By: Guy

Guy — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 12:58:34 +0000

Thing with hammer forged are they are rarely up to the task of competitive shooting. Generally it`s cut or button rifled. Looking through my old barrel records I can definitely say the cut rifled barrels have outlasted the button barrels every time. I believe this opinion is widely shared.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 11:55:44 +0000

Seems European cro-molly hammer forged barrels lasts longer, then US stainlees steel ones.

I do belive the Sauer 200 STR barrels are hammer forged, and they last quite a while!

By: DarkWater

DarkWater — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 17:55:25 +0000

Sako and Tikka barrels are hammer forged, they seem to last longer than button and cut rifled barrels.

By: Frank Green

Frank Green — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 12:56:20 +0000

I disagree and I’ve had it confirmed with ammunition test barrels we’ve made for bullet makers, ammo makers etc…

Button rifling for starters will work harden the bore. This works against you in barrel life. Cut rifling doesn’t work harden the bore.

Like it’s been pointed out though the first thing I ask is what is the caliber, what are you using the gun for and what are your accuracy requirements. You answer those questions and then we go from there.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

By: Ian

Ian — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 18:57:42 +0000

Barrel life is in no way influenced by whether it is cut it buttoned.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 10:23:59 +0000

A well made button rifled barrel will last every bit as long as a cut rifled barrel.

By: Håkan Spuhr

Håkan Spuhr — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 07:20:52 +0000

A factor that is rarely discussed is the hardness of the barrel. But to me it seems that harder barrels last longer, way longer.

I am not discussing benchrest accuracy now as that is not my game, but varmint and practical accuracy.

It seems for example that factory Sako .338lm TRG barrels (4140 as far as I know) last for above 4000 rounds while a 416 barrel seems to last for half amount of rounds.

By: Guy

Guy — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 17:26:01 +0000

Good artical. Ive found a cut rifled barrel will last longer then a button rifled barrel but have done no official test. Yet another factor.