Has anyone experienced a SIGNIFICANT difference between standard and polygonal rifling regarding accuracy? I read that poly rifling puts more “squeeze” on a bullet, but less “drag” - or marring, from standard rifling. Have you come across any riflemaker who’s gone to poly? Just curious.
Polygonal rifling provides better gas sealing behind the projectile, which should give more consistent muzzle velocity for each shot.
They say it also comes with better accuracy… but I couldn’t find any prove of that, especially for defensive applications.
My Staccatos came with conventional rifling and they are pretty damn accurate.
PS: don’t know if anyone other than Marlin that uses microgroove or
poly rifling. I think they did it because it was cheeper to make. If your shooting lead bullets Ballard stile rifling with a slower twist rate should be better.
@KURT17 >> PS. ALSO VISIT THIS TOPIC.
When I started to shoot Hornaday 160grn. Flex Tip in my Marlin model 336 30.30. I was a little worried about the Microgroove rifling’s in the barrel but they performed to standard.
I can shoot a sub 1" group at 100yds and a 3"x3 1/4 inch group at 300yds. with the advertised
11 inch drop at 300yds. with a 200yd. zero.
They have literally shrank my groups by 3" and added 100yds to my accuracy.
When they introduced the Flex Tip the new Marlins were said to use a Ballard Cut rifling’s.
I did notice if you short shuck the Flex Tip it will get stuck.
P.S. I was able to check with Marlin on the SN on my 336 and found it was made in 1970. I paid $200.00 for it in 1983 from a widow whos husband had passed, It was in “like new” condition.
Polygonal rifling (/pəˈlɪɡənəl/ pə-LIG-ə-nəl) is a type of gun barrel rifling where the traditional sharp-edged “lands and grooves” are replaced by less pronounced “hills and valleys”, so the barrel bore has a polygonal (usually hexagonal or octagonal) cross-sectional profile.
Glock pistol barrels have polygonal rifling. When someone uses a Glock in a shooting and the bullet gets recovered it is harder for a microscopist to match to another bullet from the same gun due to its smooth rifling.