BCM BFH (cold hammer forged) Lightweight vs. Standard Enhanced Light Weight Barrel?

[falconman515]

Anyone recommend the Lightweight BFH (Cold Hammer Forged) Over the Standard "Enhanced" Lightweight (non CHF) Barrel???

The difference here of course is the barrel is not the "Enhanced" LW like the standard but the BFH barrel is still a LW barrel but Cold Hammer Forged! Whats better???

The price difference is $75 for the BFH over the standard

Is it worth the 75 dollar price difference for the BFH model (and lose the enhanced type barrel) or is the standard ELW non CHF model still Good 2 Go?

I am a once every other month range shooter ... nothing e=intensive at all and maybe will shoot 1K through my rifle or less per year. most bench target shooting and some tactical shooting on occasion.

I am pushing my budget a touch out of range by going with the BFH over the standard ... but again I don't want to regret is later on ... thoughts???

Thanks so much ... just trying to narrow things down at this point .. fairly new to this so all your help and feedback is welcome. :)

[zandander]

I think the main point of a hammer forged barrel is its life. I have roughly the same shooting schedule as you and I knew that I would probably not run 15k rounds through my gun anytime soon so I went with the elw option.
I also believe that with a chf barrel there is SLIGHTLY more accuracy potential over a state Dard chrome lined, but I may be mistaken.
Ultimately it's up to you, but I chose the elw based on my needs.

[Zane1844]

Considering Filthy 14 was a standard barrel, and had a very intense firing schedule, also considering that the ELW barrels are great, I'd go with that.

I shoot more than you, and feel comfortable with a standard barrel. I am probably up to 3K on my ELW-F.

[falconman515]

Ya at this time I am leaning towards the ELW for the advantage of the "enhanced" LW barrel over the standard one.

Just didn't know how really important the BFH would be for me and if I would be pissed if I didn't get it down the road is all.

[falconman515]

I think I am going to pass on the BFH version and go with the ELW!!!

OKAY ... One more thing.....

So now I am reading about the "Fluted" version!

Its still the ELW version but shaved flutes on the barrel to cut down about 1/2oz.

Is this really worth the extra $30 for the Fluted ELW over the standard ELW (non-fluted)???

Thanks so much for any info you can provide on this. :)

[turnburglar]

You would never be able to tell half of an ounce over ~7 pounds. Just get the cheapest one. I'm not a fan of flutes either.

[M&P15T]

I investigated cold hammer forging before I bought my BCM. Someone even sent me a technical paper on CHFing to read. It is just a cheaper, faster way of making barrels, and doesn't lengthen barrel life in any measurable way, in comparison to a hard chromed quality barrel. However, it is now used as a sales feature to make more money.

[HKGuns]

I investigated cold hammer forging before I bought my BCM. Someone even sent me a technical paper on CHFing to read. It is just a cheaper, faster way of making barrels, and doesn't lengthen barrel life in any measurable way, in comparison to a hard chromed quality barrel. However, it is now used as a sales feature to make more money.

Oh really? Please explain further how it is cheaper and just a marketing gimmick.

[VIP3R 237]

If you are looking to shoot with a suppressors BCM recommends you go with the standard vs the fluted. I have an elw barrel and it's been amazing at how well it shoots.

[Korgs130]

I have the 14.5 ELW-F with KMR and it's wicked light.

[Alberto]

Considering Filthy 14 was a standard barrel, and had a very intense firing schedule, also considering that the ELW barrels are great, I'd go with that.

I shoot more than you, and feel comfortable with a standard barrel. I am probably up to 3K on my ELW-F.

Filthy 14 was a big part of me deciding on the standard barrel as well. I'll never shoot as much as what that thing has been put thru.

I chose fluted for aesthetics and for how cheap it was, not for the weight savings. My ELW-F IIRC weighed 1oz more than claimed by BCM anyways.

[markm]

I think I am going to pass on the BFH version and go with the ELW!!!

That's what I would do.



OKAY ... One more thing.....

So now I am reading about the "Fluted" version!

Its still the ELW version but shaved flutes on the barrel to cut down about 1/2oz.

Is this really worth the extra $30 for the Fluted ELW over the standard ELW (non-fluted)???

Thanks so much for any info you can provide on this. :)

Your call. I'm cheap, so I'd pass on the flutes. I've shot them both, and really wouldn't have known my buddy's had the flutes had I not looked under the KMR rail.

If you're after every ounce of weight savings, then the flutes are probably worth it.

[heartbreakridge01]

I investigated cold hammer forging before I bought my BCM. Someone even sent me a technical paper on CHFing to read. It is just a cheaper, faster way of making barrels, and doesn't lengthen barrel life in any measurable way, in comparison to a hard chromed quality barrel. However, it is now used as a sales feature to make more money.


It is a faster way to make barrels, initial set up of a CHF set up is not cheap by any means but after that initial set up cost I am sure it is.

I would say it makes a better stronger barrel faster and cheaper compared to other ways.
Here is a good article from the CIA on the soviets CHF set ups.
http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/89801/DOC_0000496800.pdf

[NWcityguy2]

Oh really? Please explain further how it is cheaper and just a marketing gimmick.

Once a manufacturer owns the extremely expensive machinery, they can produce barrel significantly faster than anyone can using the button rifle method. However BCM doesn't make their own barrels. So is it cheaper for BCM? No one knows. For comparison, PSA will tell you if a barrel was made by FN. The price difference between an upper featuring a FN CHF barrel is around $50 dollars more than an FN button rifled barrel. For BCM it is around $65 between standard and BFH.

CHFing isn't a gimmick, but is it worth more money on a semi-auto rifle? I don't think it is and there is no conclusive evidence to say it is. But the price increase isn't that big either for people who do.

[HKGuns]

Time to produce wasn't the point of my question, but thanks for the document link. I assumed it was an efficient MFG process, since it is used by most all of the large firearms MFG's.

Relevant point from the linked document.


The process, .......eliminates several steps in the traditional manufacturing process, improves the precision and quality of the forgings, reduces subsequent machining time and requires less metal, energy and manpower.

[NWcityguy2]

Yeah if you are comparing used Soviet equipment to new Austrian equipment. It's an interesting historical document, nothing more.

[falconman515]

Great info here guys thanks.

I have decided against thus option and will be buying the ELW version.

I created a new thread about fluting ... That's my last decision, but from what I see there really is no benefit other then the 1-2oz reduction and that doesn't matter to me at all.