In editing: Started this & Daughter got horribly sick. I apologize.
Willie, whose producing such barrels? I’ve seen crazy spiral flutes, snake sidewinder types, lateral valleys like Sines & Nodes in a non ending circular repetitive formation. If you’re referring to barrels that are truly twisted from the outside, not unlike the STX, I’ve never seen any on a firearm. I thought ST was ingenious but I recently read that it’s been utilized for around 200 years starting with muzzle loaders. Please, anyone feel free to correct me politely if wrong. Or call me a straight up moron. Either way I’ll know better.
Good idea though to bring this up here. Reminds me of Remington’s triangular barrel. Progress?
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/02/22/engineers-perspective-on-the-remington-700-vtr-triangular-barrel/ Last I heard, many years ago, that there were problems with it, though I don’t know what, why, or if resolved in anyway including to cease production; but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this anywhere else. In fact the classical octagonal barrels come to mind.
The point I made of technology crossing over in another post on GTA is semi relevant though I can’t navigate any forum very well, so no link unless I find it. I’m blaming inconsistent pellet head size there and chokes as a sorry fix. So, can we all combine our thoughts instead of a peeing contest?
Rimfire barrel tech & general firearm knowledge could bring great results for airguns and the high power/slugs we’re seeing.
I try to learn something new every day. I was recently VERY surprised to hear that chamber pressure is lowest on a 38Sp, .45ACP, then a .22LR. Please let me know nicely if I’m wrong in either aspect but does this not correlate with it takes a lot of air to push a smaller diameter.177 slug or pellet weighing the same as say a 21 grain Kodiak or slug?
As some pursue more power from airguns, harmonics becomes a much bigger issue that the 10 meter guys never had to worry about.
As we saw JSB 25.43 Kings arrive, many more people wanted more than 44.69fpe even if told 880fps is what this pellet likes. Well, that pellet, from most barrels. We’re now in lesser known territories.
Some of the biggest problems I see occurring besides harmonics & generally not optimized for use barrels, are chokes, horribly deep rifling for a non fitted commercial slug or pellet to do well with so much blow by. Weak for power barrel to receiver mating. Weak receiver build quality, as in very few milled mono block receivers. Sidelever smoothness seems more important to some than a bolt action that can be tensioned correctly, set depth of pellet or slug optimally (if dedicated ammo. If switching ammo an adjustable probe extension on bolt that sets like a micrometer would be awesome) I’ve noticed how so many of the new folks must have a sidelever, a multi shot magazine or drop in circular clip type. Many people want high power from a short barrel. Yes of course it can be done but consider the problems I listed above & more. Asking for big power from a 20” or shorter less than, “built like a tank” AG’s, that have far from perfect ammo/rifling tolerances will give you inconsistent POI. If you’re a woods hunter wanting a 700fpe or even way more at 100 yards or closer 3 shot wonder gun, fine. I’m not.
When I talked with Brian at EDgun West I explained what I was hoping for, as I was definitely sad to hear LW did not make a special run of 28” .25’s. They’re still the 23.83” barrels that end up turned to 23.75” & called 24” on web sites everywhere. Quite a few people had been confused as to what a Long, Super Long, and a Supermagnum in .25 is. Brian owned that confusion and I applaud him in doing so.
The confusion happened because ED intended to make a limited edition of the best .30 air gun you can buy, & he did exactly that, period, I applaud him. Of 407 made, enough folks wanted .25’s so it was done. These folks knew what they had payed for so no real need to print up new spec sheets for one change. The barrel. All .30’s are listed as 28” LW barrels. I myself know the longest one I can get in .177-.25 is 23.83” and believe me, I wanted 28-32” for over 10 years. When I heard about this gun, even though I’m a lefty and didn’t think I’d like any bull pup, I had to try and get what I thought was a special run of LW. Longer, better rifling, etc. Dang thing put 20 JSB 33.95’s in .6” c-t-c @ 50 yards. That wasn’t even the best it could do.
That gun did use a tensioning system so it wouldn’t have made sense to spend money & ruin a limited edition to add a longer barrel in .257, sadly.
EDguns are in the top 5 of all “mass” produced AG’s in build quality, accuracy, and probably #1 in demand & loyal customer base. I’m using this example because my desired AG, as Brian stated wouldn’t be hard to manufacture at all. His basic remarks to my desired gun were, it would be very easy to please people if all of them were after what you want. Meaning, I don’t want what most people in AG’s want. I’m 50% BR/bipod Varmint shooter that prefers a step down in-line reg, not internal & 50% a simple tuned springer man.
Ask me what my dream AG would be. I’d probably ramble off like Ralphy, “I want a Chip Smith type Sumo block w/ EDgun single shot bolt action, shroud & mono baffle, with super dependable solar charged solenoid valve fully/easily adjustable with carbon fiber sleeved & shrouded 34”x 0.750” SS Benchmark 4 L&G 1:12 for long heavy high BC .257’s!”
So Willie, got any pictures of these twisted barrels? I personally wish AG’s would become mainstream and dependable accuracy seen in any out of the box AG same as if you bought a bolt action Savage & use quality Federal ammo or reload. Guys say we’re in The Golden Age of AG’s. IDK. When a RAW, EDgun, Daystate or FX is around $800-$1200 new then I’d say we’re there.
