looking at getting a new barrel

[whitefox545]

Hi! All,  Looking at getting a new barrel blank from Lother Walther and don't know if I should get a Poly or a round blank,  I plan to glue it into a carbon fiber tube for added rigidity and to help with harmonics, it will be a .177 cal.   I have read some good things about the poly barrels but don't know anyone that has used one personally.  I would like to hear from those that have used them and what your findings were as far as accuracy and tuning /pellet picky or not.     Thank's in advance!!  J.L.
 

[Franklink]

I own three LW barrels, all in .177, and all choked. 

The first was picked up from the Arizona dealership when FX switched over to their in-house smoothtwist barrels.  My understanding is that FX used LW barrels prior to developing the smoothtwist.  I'm about 99% sure that it is a traditionally rifled barrel (non-poly). I did some rudimentary (but quite functional) machining to get it to fit a Crosman 2400kt that runs on HPA.  This barrel is 18 inches long and slightly larger than the 7/16inch standard Crosman barrels.  It is incredibly accurate, and while it does have its favorites, does surprisingly well with any pellet I feed it.  All shots touching at 55 yards without wind with one of its preferred pellets.

The second is on a Brocock Concept Elite.  There is some debate about what barrels Brocock uses but I found an old, pre-Daystate acquisition Brocock website stating LW barrels were used. I have no idea if it is a traditionally rifled or poly barrel but the sharpness of the engraved rifling on the pellets makes me suspect a traditionally rifled barrel. It is tough to measure because of the shroud but I think it is around 16 inches long.  I have no idea about the diameter of this barrel. Also, very accurate.  It seems to like Crosman Premier Heavies from the box, of all things.  I shot 85% at a Field Target match with it using a lot # of the CPH pellets that weren't its favorite but performed okay.  This gun only puts out about 16 foot pounds.  With the CPH pellets it is puts almost all shots within a nickle at 55 yards.  That might shrink down with a higher quality pellet.

The third is my most recently acquired (and most expensive) airgun: a Mac1 Hunter.  It is a 24 inch, 15.7mm polygonal barrel and the most accurate gun (air or powder) that I own. It started as a 16mm blank and the maker reduced the diameter slightly, I presume because I told him I'd like him to save weight wherever he could. Benchrested with no wind, all shots will go into the same hole at 55 yards.  It likes the JSB 10.34 at 19.9 fpe. 

From my n=3 sample size, I have yet to be let down by a LW barrel.  Some generalizations from what I have learned and heard (from those much more knowledgeable than myself about airguns):  polygonal barrels like to be pushed harder than traditional rifled barrels (higher fps required for poly barrels to be accurate) and polygonal barrels are theoretically less influenced by the wind.   The smaller wind drift is supposed to be because the rifling marks aren't so sharply engraved onto the pellet with poly barrels so there is less for the wind to get hold of and push.

Hopefully something in my comments might be of use to you.

[whitefox545]

Frank,  Thanks for your post, After reading your findings I think I may just get one of each type as they arn't all that expensive and do some experimenting as it's going to be a long winter!!  Thanks Again  J.L.