- Location
- Victoria, B.C.
Hey can anyone explain this in fairly plain English what the difference is between the heavy and medium pattern barrels?
Thanks.
Thanks.
What's the diff. between a heavy pattern and a medium patterna barrel?
- Thread starter anonovic.aleksandar
- Start date
- Location
- Victoria, B.C.
Yes but what I meant to ask was is which one is preferable for which shooting scenario?
The heavy barrels are long range purpose barrels. Twist rates favor big bullets like the 168gr and the heavy profile minimalizes barrel whip. Best suited for long range off a rest.
The medium pattern was first used by the US Marine corp, navy and coast guard. Reducing weight of the barrel for duty use with the medium profile and still minimizing whip. Twist rates favor more issue standard bullet weights in the 147 gr range.
The medium pattern was first used by the US Marine corp, navy and coast guard. Reducing weight of the barrel for duty use with the medium profile and still minimizing whip. Twist rates favor more issue standard bullet weights in the 147 gr range.
Oldsmobiler
CGN Regular
- Location
- Coquitlam, BC
Depends if you eat your wheaties...most guys complain that the heavy is too heavy of a setup for anything practical whereas the med contour is the balance between the standard and the heavy.
The nice thing about the heavy is that it is the absolute stiffest setup you can get and is ideal for the prone shooter in a stock like a JAE. If you are looking for more of an all around shooter the med contour is just as good and isn't a pig. You really see the weight difference when shooting off hand
The nice thing about the heavy is that it is the absolute stiffest setup you can get and is ideal for the prone shooter in a stock like a JAE. If you are looking for more of an all around shooter the med contour is just as good and isn't a pig. You really see the weight difference when shooting off hand
Oldsmobiler
CGN Regular
- Location
- Coquitlam, BC
Here is some good info I came across from a very reputable source:
heh heh, just read that the other day myself. Not many more reputable sources than that dude...
See the very interesting quote from Gus Fisher below.
http://m14forum.com/modern-m14/107635-heavy-barrel-vs-barreltensioner.html
"We found a significant overall increase in accuracy when we went from standard weight NM barrel to a Medium Heavy NM barrel. I can certify that as fact because we ran so many rifles over the super expensive machine rest we had at Quantico. I'm talking a two to four inch lower sized group with the Medium heavies at 300 yards in ten round groups. Now, I can not tell you the exact reason why, though most likely it had to do with the better way the Med. Heavy barrel handled vibrations.
So I would suggest the Medium Heavy is inherently more accurate than the standard weight barrel no matter what stock you put it in.
Edited to add: Oops, forgot to say about the most accuracy increase we got from going from a Med Heavy to a Full Heavy barrel at 300 yards was a group size reduction of no more than 1 1/4" and often no more than 3/4". Most people can't hold the difference even at that range, though for much longer range of 600 or more yards, the best way to go is the full heavy barrel."
http://m14forum.com/modern-m14/107635-heavy-barrel-vs-barreltensioner.html
"We found a significant overall increase in accuracy when we went from standard weight NM barrel to a Medium Heavy NM barrel. I can certify that as fact because we ran so many rifles over the super expensive machine rest we had at Quantico. I'm talking a two to four inch lower sized group with the Medium heavies at 300 yards in ten round groups. Now, I can not tell you the exact reason why, though most likely it had to do with the better way the Med. Heavy barrel handled vibrations.
So I would suggest the Medium Heavy is inherently more accurate than the standard weight barrel no matter what stock you put it in.
Edited to add: Oops, forgot to say about the most accuracy increase we got from going from a Med Heavy to a Full Heavy barrel at 300 yards was a group size reduction of no more than 1 1/4" and often no more than 3/4". Most people can't hold the difference even at that range, though for much longer range of 600 or more yards, the best way to go is the full heavy barrel."
