Compare cut and button rifled barrels used with cast bullets

[Naphtali]

Please compare otherwise identical barrels using smokeless powder loads in the 36-40K CUP pressure range reasonable for modern "traditional" lever actions. When using hard cast gas check bullets in large bore lever actions chambered for 450 Alaskan, 475 Turnbull, 50 Alaskan, 50 Express, and so on, is there a significant difference in potential accuracy -- or ease of achieving acceptable accuracy -- between button rifled and cut rifled barrels?

[Bass Ackward]

Cut rifling is a method used for centuries for lead. It is a flexible process that allows a wide latitude of options for rifling height and grove / land junction shape. Tool marks in the barrel run parallel with the bore.

Button rifling is a fast method of barrel making for jacketed bullets that was devised for cutting the costs of making barrel. The button on hand, establishes the dimensions so it is inflexible. Tool marks run perpendicular to bullet travel in the bore which is disasterous for lead. (jacketed too for that matter.)

Both methods can produce accurate or inaccurate barrels. Personally I prefer cut rifling cause I can get taller rifling and have a little curve cut into the base of the rifling /groove junction that makes it easier to clean the lead out of. It will have less break in time cause you don't have to shoot out the tool marks to get it to work well. Cut rifling also induces no stress into the steel where buttons will, plus buttons can require the bore to be straightened.

here's an old link with great information for you.

http://www.6mmbr.com/barrels.html

[kir_kenix]

Tho I like the idea of cut rifling, I doubt you will see any difference in a big bore lever gun. There are some really accurate button and cut barrels out there, just as I'm sure there are some really poor ones. I would say that the quality of the barrelmaker is more important then the method they choose to use.

Your big bore lever gun is not a bench-rest-style rifle, so I really doubt you would be able to tell much of a difference in accuracy between 2 quality specimens. However, as Bass Ackward pointed out, you might find it easier to clean a properly radiused cut barrel.

[runfiveslittlegirl]

four 45 cal boolits touching each other is close to a two inch group.
sounds big?
if they were 22 cals touching it is under 1/2".
same relative group size [all touching]
what does this have to do with this thread?
it doesn't matter which bbl you use to do it with, they both have negatives and positives.
but if i had my choice for strictly cast boolit use the taller lands would be my preference.