Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles How do barrel bands installed on a rifles barrel affect accuracy

... I have a Browning BLR '81 takedown in 308 Win and I'm thinking of installing a barrel band on the barrel to accommodate a sling swivel ... unlike a lot of leverguns the BLR is mag fed and has no ammo tube under the barrel to attach a barrel band to ... if any of you have used barrel bands on the barrel to install slings on your rifles could you please tell me what your experience has been in regards to the effect of the barrel band on accuracy? ... I'm sure a piece of metal clamped to the rifle barrel must affect barrel harmonics.

It does affect harmonics but it doesn't mean it's negative. The BLR already has a front swivel stud, why the need for bbl band?

... my BLR didn't come with any swivel studs ... I had to install the stud in the butt myself ... I was thinking of installing a shotgun sling with the constricting loop on the barrel end as an alternative but I wanted some opinions based on experience with barrel bands installed on the barrel of a rifle before I decided

I think a barrel band attached to a sling will have zero effect on accuracy providing the shooter is not putting tension on the sling. However, once tension is put on the sling, it would affect barrel harmonics, and accuracy.

I have several classic style rifles I have made which include barrel band front swivel mounts. If the strap is allowed to hang and no tension is used (like a military sling) the accuracy is totally unaffected.
My classic 270, my 375H&H and three of my four 9.3MM all have barrel bands and so does my 25-06 and one of my 30-06s. All shoot under MOA and the 270 as well as the 375H&H shoot 5 rounds into under 1/2 MOA.

Bands are not a problem if you use them for carry straps instead of shooting slings.

I/'ve a number of rifles with barrel bands. I use them for hunting, not target shooting. My major concern is first shot cold barrel.

From a rest, with heel and fore-end supported, not using a sling.



Merkel K1, 222 Rem.






Merkel K1, 9.3 x 74R



Works for me!

ya!

GWB

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100465289

Stud set for BLR. Cheap enough.

The Browning version is higher, so I’d buy the Grovtec, but this shows you that the Grovtec IS the factory, Browning OEM solution:

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/prod/b3475312

You might consider something like this. Pretty stylish. You can use your rear stud by adding a sling swivel and no need to worry about a barrel band being soldered on and the associated re-blueing.

... cheaped out and went with the Uncle Mike's barrel band that only skirts about 2/3 of the barrels circumference ... no need for soldering or heating ... the stud seems solid and I epoxied it in place for good measure ... solid as a rock ... I don't like using heat around barrels, receivers and other pressure bearing parts of a gun ... it's an operation where you gotta know what you're doing or you destroy the temper (strength) of the metal ... a friend of mine has a BLR with a straight stock and came with no swivel studs ... he used a shotgun sling which has a constricting loop at the barrel end and no need for hardware ... it doesn't fall off or obstruct his sight picture

Sounds like a great solution

This. Depending on the application, you may or may not see a negative effect. Applying inconsistent pressure to the barrel will negatively affect accuracy and precision, though.

... time will tell ... if the band falls off when I'm climbing into a tree stand and I wind up with a busted scope or rifle I will hear my dads (RIP) recriminating voice saying "son, cheap often starts cheap and ends up being more expensive" ... in other words do the job right the first time ... fingers crossed

You might consider running a test afterwards. Hang your rifle by the sling over a soft surface and add some weight and see how it does.

… sounds like a plan … the epoxy I used was JB Weld … our local gunsmith said that properly applied it’s pretty close to soldering in strength

I have a Ruger African in 9.3x62 (1st Gen) with a barrel band and it’s a tack driver!

... I was out at the range this afternoon with the BLR '81 with the newly installed barrel band and was cutting 3/4" 3-shot groups @ 100 yds off sand bags using the Federal "blue box" Power Shok 180 grain factory ammo (308B) ... the band is still secure after the firing

I had a silver soldered front sight take a ride after pulling the trigger on my one Husqvarna 8x57. I JB welded it back on. No problems after that

Do you ever use the sling when shooting?
If so, test for how that might affect zero.

… I use a sling for carrying PERIOD … where I hunt I need my hands to do other stuff … judging by the groups I am getting the swivel band is ballistically invisible … that JB Weld epoxy is as solid as a weld