Number of grooves

JEC

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Does anybody have information regarding studies done on the effect the number of rifling grooves has on bullet accuracy/performance. What is your experience?
 
It was done by the U.S. Ordnance Dept. when Remington developed the 1903A3. It was found that using 2 grooves instead of 4 made no difference in accuracy. Mind you, that was with military M2 ball.
My 1903A4 has 2 grooves, as I recall. It shoots extremely well with my handloaded match bullets.
There's a relatively short discussion about it in Hatcher's Notebook.
 
Nothing definitive. More to do with that particular barrel then its configuration.

Experimenting with number of groves, shape of lands, depth of lands has been going on for over 150yrs.

Even today, BR shooters use all manner of configuration and get similar results.

As long as the barrel is made properly, the rest is fashion.
Jerry
 
Benchrest match quality custom barrels are available in different number of grooves... with the number having no effect on accuracy.
 
The only comment I have is that is is far easier to accurately measure the bore of a barrel with even numbered grooves that it is with 3,5 or 7 grooves where you always have a land in front of a groove at its widest point.

Other than that, like everything else in shooting the Mystical groove thing (Joe Satriani fans will get that) is the stuff of opinions and lore, not evidentury data.
 
A vee block is used to measure odd number grooved barrels.
The old Springfield two grooved barrels shot very well but fouled badly due to the large land surface. For a time Parker hale used some two groove barrels in which they cut two more grooves making a four groove. The two new grooves were usually a different width than the originals. They still shot fine. Regards, Bill
 
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