Accuracy question on half octagon/round barrels

[Tasmanian Rebel]

This question is to Kirk or anyone out there who may know. I have 2 Shiloh's which are full octagonal barrels and are superbly accurate-fully capable of sub MOA(if/when I do MY part). I'm thinking of getting a Hartford model as my next gun with a lot of extras and am thinking about the half octagon option as I think it is a cool looking barrel. I'm somewhat afraid to get away with however what is apparently working with my full octagonal barrels. My question is are these half barrels as accurate(in theory or in practice) as the full oct. barrels? I've heard things such as the edges on the full octagon barrels act as "flutes" to stiffen the barrel somewhat which aids in accuracy and I've heard the round barrels may have some "release" problems when shooting off the sticks. This may be just a bunch of baloney in reality but I just don't know. Can anybody out there help/sooth my fears about this option?

[Troll]

Looking at it as a Engineering Vibration analysis model, your radial distance for harmonic damping is equal through-out the cross-section for round barrels. That being said, if flutes allowed greater accuracy (which it doesn't) all the bench rest shooters would use flutes (which they don't) or octoganal barrels.

Actually, the biggest factor to barrel harmonics is the quality of steel. If there are dead-spots (steel density changes) in the barrel it will cause barrel whip in the plane of the dead spot. Even with good quality steel dead-spots can be caused by machining stresses placed on barrels and this is why most quality competition rifle barrels are stress relived by processes such as chriogenic treating a barrel.

But to answer your question simply round barrels are inherently more accurate than fluted or octogon barrels from a harmonic stand-point. Sharps even converted to only round barrels for competition during the Borchart (?spelling) era and even stated this to be the reason.

[deerhuntsheatmeup]

Invite me to come shoot with you soon and I will let you shoot mine and I will shoot yours and you can judge for yourself.....Tease.......Barfield

[arnie]

I would worry more about the barrel internal diameter getting bigger where the round part starts .It does happen ,i have one that is that way .Arnie

[Bearbait2]

Arnie,
Any idea as to why that happened when the rifle was manufactured? It is interesting that it occurs at that exact point. Thank you.
Shoot Straight

[arnie]

Bearbait2 I have no idea other than relieving the stress on the barrel makes it open up .When you take metal off the out side of a tube it tends to grow .I have shrunk holes in steel tubes by heating them also .Arnie

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Tas,

My Silhouette rifle has the 1/2 round barrel it was originaly a 34 incher but I had Kirk cut it back to 32 about 2 years ago. It shoots great, has won a NRA regional Class championship and a few placings at Raton on occasions. It is a drop dead looking rifle with its stock work, Thanks TO CHANCE at Shiloh.

THEY SHOOT VERY GOOD!

Kenny Wasserburger

[Tasmanian Rebel]

Thanks guys! You have eased my mind on this and it will be a 'half barrel on my next Shiloh. I guess any barrel has it's own quirks but it looks like these barrels are generally as accurate as the other styles. Thanks again. Hope to see you at Quigley Kenny. Hope to see you next weekend David.