Fx wildcat

[zebra]

"Scott_MCT"Like mine too I've cleaned mine 2 times after about 100 JSB 18.1. Just did it as a means to see if it was dirty and it was not bad at all. My Airwolf and Cricket BP foul more. So can someone give me the real answer as to why FX does this smooth twist thing. I'm not sold on it, and I'm not sure why they do it. Don't get me wrong, it's very accurate but I've seen the FX video when making the barrels but they never really said why they go rifle just the end.

thanks

They do explain it a little in the video but they don't specifically call out that it is the explanation. My interpretation of what is said is that allowing the pellet to accelerate to full speed in the smooth bore section minimises friction and improves the ballistics coefficient. Presumably, the extra smooth rifling at the end is then enough to make the pellet spin sufficiently to remain stable in flight, as long as it is hit with enough speed. Perhaps less rifling is needed to achieve sufficient spin when the pellet has been allowed to accelerate to full speed In the smooth bore section. 

Either way, the design obviously works as FX guns are similarly accurate to guns with high quality traditional barrels made by LW and CZ. It is a matter of opinion if the design adds anything above and beyond other high quality barrels or if it is just another process that works. FX guns are up there on accuracy but they are not necessarily more accurate than Edgun, Kalibrgun and Vulcans etc. 

I would like to see the manufacturing process of a smooth twist barrel. I am curious to know what machinery is used to cut rifling that is smoother than other barrel makers. 

 

[PlanB]

Maybe its a combination of accuracy and shot count.

 

[AZBOBCAT]

The idea is to put as little friction on the pellet, some makers have just a single groove barrel on some high end target barrels. Pellets being soft the less friction the less lead build up and accuracy should be better longer. One problem I have with the ST barrels everyone I have had would only shoot the JSB pellets with any accuracy. And they all favored lower velocities.. I have seen crickets shooting high 900 into the 1000 range with good accuracy. I literally have a tin of every 22 pellet made and none have worked well in the ST barrels. I'm not saying all of them are horrible but most at least double in size of the JSB groups.

 

[Scott_MCT]

Zebra,

I've seen an FX factory video that shows the rifling process but I can't seem to find the link anymore. Can't speak for the time it takes to make the barrel itself but the rifling is applied in seconds. About the last 2" or so of the barrel is machined down to a thickness which I haven't measured but looks like about 1/16th of an inch. This portion of the barrel is inserted into a machine which crimps the barrel in a rifled twist from the outside. It basically creates the rifling on the inside of the barrel from the outside, and no cutting or machining is involved with creating the rifling twist. In my opinion this has two distinct advantages. One is cost to manufacturer, and two it seems to allow pellets to travel at a higher FPS without stability loss. On my .22 Wildcat I can shoot a 14.3 JSB at 930 FPS and it is just as accurate as an 18.1 at 880 FPS. This is not the case with my .22 BP Cricket and .22 AirWolf with the same velocity. Both my Cricket and AirWolf need to be in the 880 range to pile pellets, get above that, and flyers occur. Overall though, at the 880 mark, my Cricket and AirWolf are slightly more accurate but it might be me. My POI shift has gone away on the Wildcat, so I'm assuming the regulator just needed some break in.

 

[zebra]

"Scott_MCT"Zebra,

I've seen an FX factory video that shows the rifling process but I can't seem to find the link anymore. Can't speak for the time it takes to make the barrel itself but the rifling is applied in seconds. About the last 2" or so of the barrel is machined down to a thickness which I haven't measured but looks like about 1/16th of an inch. This portion of the barrel is inserted into a machine which crimps the barrel in a rifled twist from the outside. It basically creates the rifling on the inside of the barrel from the outside, and no cutting or machining is involved with creating the rifling twist. In my opinion this has two distinct advantages. One is cost to manufacturer, and two it seems to allow pellets to travel at a higher FPS without stability loss. On my .22 Wildcat I can shoot a 14.3 JSB at 930 FPS and it is just as accurate as an 18.1 at 880 FPS. This is not the case with my .22 BP Cricket and .22 AirWolf with the same velocity. Both my Cricket and AirWolf need to be in the 880 range to pile pellets, get above that, and flyers occur. Overall though, at the 880 mark, my Cricket and AirWolf are slightly more accurate but it might be me. My POI shift has gone away on the Wildcat, so I'm assuming the regulator just needed some break in.

I'm not sure I fully understand the ST rifling process you described but, from what you saw, do you think that limitations in the machinery could be part of the explanation as to why only a small portion of the barrel is rifled? Or did it look like it would have been possible to rifle further if the design warranted it? It sounds like it would be harder to rifle all the way without entering the barrel. 

ST barrel blanks seem to be approx twice the price of LW blanks but I have no idea if LW barrels are cheaper than other high quality barrel makers. I could see a potential advantage in consistency though. Variances in the depth of the grooves etc is one of the areas that separates high quality barrels from inferior ones. Less rifling potentially leaves less room for inconsistencies in the rifling. 

I wonder if ST also has the potential to cause greater air efficiency. I.e. Less friction allows faster pellet speeds with less air but that is way beyond my understanding. 

Does anyone one know what twist rate FX uses in their barrels?