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Old 06-18-2011, 08:18 PM
Fabius Fabius is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MPDC View Post
I read an interview with the CEO of S&W that indicated the new bbl. on the Sport and other new AR models is manufactured by Thompson Center whose bbl. manufacturing expertise was one of the motivations in the acquisition of the company by S&W.
Thompson Center makes the barrels with 5R rifling. The 5R rifling is the same rifling used in the Army's M24 sniper rifle. The benefits are described as "...the rifling is five radial lands and grooves (5-R) with a right-hand (RH) twist. Because of the odd number of lands, none of the lands are 180° apart, i.e. in direct opposition. This results in less bullet deformation, which (at least in theory) produces more consistent point of impact. In 5-R rifling, the "side" of the land is cut at a 65° angle, rather than 90° in conventional rifling. This results in less barrel fouling, and more consistent point of impact, compared to conventional rifling when relatively high numbers of rounds are fired between cleaning, as might be expected in military applications."

I saw a press release by S&W shortly after the Sport was released that indicated that because of their acquisition of Thompson Center, the melonite treated, 5R rifled barrel is less expensive for them to make than the traditional chrome lined, 6R rifled barrels.

Not bad. A sniper quality rifle barrel for less cost than a traditional AR barrel.
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