Arose from a discussion about various companies
Arose from a discussion about various companies
I would like to reply with specifics, but I shouldn't. CHF barrels can vary wildly between the specifications required. I do believe a good CL CHF barrel suits certain end users well. Others may be suited better with other methods of rifling.
FN - Ruger - DD are the companies I am aware of the use CHF in the US. There may be others I am unaware of and I'm sure if there are, others will chime in with their names.
that's what I've heard, and had thought all other companies get theirs pretty much from FN
Yes, and there's more than those.
PSA, Noveske, Centurion and BCM BFH hammer forged barrels come from FN to the individual company's specifications.
Sig is entering the CHF manufacturing too.
To their specs is interesting. Noveske touts double CL THICKNESS. I always liked that concept. How much are they finished when Noveske , BCM gets their barrels? Do they do another 10% of the work, 0%, etc? Do they do anything to change accuracy?
Do you have any experience with the accuracy of a 2x chrome lined barrel? I know chrome lining has a small affect on accuracy, as it somewhat dulls the lands and groves when applied. I'm thinking 2x might double that affect and perhaps be enough for more people to notice? I know you do a lot of LD shooting.
Not really. CHF barrels are pounded around a mandrel and mandrels are expensive. That means if a company wants a different bore, they have to pay to have a different mandrel made. They can increase their profits by simply using the same mandrel a everyone else.
Companies could specify different dimensions for the chamber, but some chambers are formed by the mandrel during the forging process. Others by a chamber reamer. It would be cheaper to specify a standard chamber and use the same tooling.
Contours can be more easily changed. But again, a different contour requires a different set-up which take time. A company is going to have to pay for the labor of writing a different program for different contours.
The same is true with material type. A company isn;t going to save money by specifying 4140 or 4130 steel when FN is getting a discount on the tons of 4150 CMV it purchases. Companies will also have to pay more when FN has to stop a run of 4150 CMV barrels to turn out a few in 4140.
So yes, FN will build barrels to each company's specs but the company will have to pay more for less.
So, where i the biggest difference going to be in CHF barrels? Port size and crown. The rest is going to be pretty much the same across the board no matter what company orders FN CHF barrels