Any Experts in Barrel Harmonics?

S

sigshepardo

New member
About two years ago an old gunsmith was telling me about a harmonic stabilizer he made for a 223 bolt gun. His system was two O rings about an inch apart and a steel tube over them. This tube and inner rings sat over the barrel on the forward end. The end result was basically adjustable accuracy to a degree. He said you had to play with the positioning to get the best results. This peticular 223 rifle was documented and consistently getting about .75 to about 1 inch groups at 200 yards.

This was very interesting to me so I decided to play with the idea. I took my very thin barreled Henry survival rifle and wrapped a sheet of rubber about 4 inches long around the base of the barrel. Then wrapped the whole package up in paracord. The following group is from 25 yards shooting CCI Mini Mags.

http://imgur.com/fLCAg06

The tight group is with the stabilizer and the larger group is without. Good science is repeatable right? So I endeavored to try this on other rifles.

Next was a 16 inch 5.56 AR. Took the handguards off, wrapped a sheet of rubber 1 inch long around the barrel just behind the gas block. Then basically sewed it together with lockwire. Then we took it out to shoot a group. I didn't take pictures that day but the group was, meh, at best. Take the handguard off and slide the rubber back a bit, and then instant group shrinkage.

So my question here, is there anyone else who has any experience with this stuff? Its either terribly fascinating or I've been simultaneously duped.

Here's my custom AR7 for anyone interested

http://imgur.com/9ds6Wqx
 
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5

5whiskey

New member
This device you describe has been around my entire adult life. I remember seeing advertisements for similar devices in gun mags as a teenager. I don't see such similar advertisements anymore, have never tried one, and cannot attest from direct first hand knowledge that they work.

I will say that I do not believe a barrel harmonics device will be very effective on a rifle designed that the shooter uses the barrel as shooting support such as an AR. I would wager a true scientific measurement would find that shooter hand position on the handguards could make as much or more difference.

As for working on pencil rifle barrels that are floated? Maybe? Like I said I never tried it, but I also could see where it could possibly help. FWIW a half-minute AR with the right ammo is certainly not a unicorn, and I dare say somewhat common with better rifles, without any barrel harmonic device.
 
R

RC20

New member
Browning makes a rifle with a tuner on it.

If you shoot factory then you can play with it and it can help.

Re-loaders just tune their loads and accomplish the same thing in the velocity nodes.
 
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