Harmonic vibration

[A.Merrill]

   As some of you know I'm putting together parts to build my son a Hawken style rifle.  I came across an article that mentioned harmonic vibration, something I hadn't thought about in year's.  So I  thought I would ask you guy's what you thought about this and should I be concerned about it ? I am planning on using a lite weight barrel.  Rice has a tapered barrel that's 1×7/8 in 34 and 36 inch and 62cal. that's under 4lbs. I don't think I will use a .62cal but eather a .54 or .58 in this barrel.   Al

[smylee grouch]

A 7/8 barrel seems light to me. Less than 140/1000 per side at the muzzle before cutting a front sight dovetail.

[A.Merrill]

  The barrel size is what Rice barrel company told me in a email.  1 inch at the breech 7/8 at muzzle, 34 or 36in. long and the largest caliber is .62cal. just under 4lb.   Al

[Tim Ault]

I always have heard that All barrels have harmonic vibration when fired was told you load to find the accuracy node usually there is three a low middle and high  . If this holds true then length and thickness shouldn't matter . Sure a very short and very thick/stiff tube will have less whip but it's still present but who wants a 20" 1"atf 32 caliber .

[martin9]

That's more a modern, long range rifle crowd concern. That's part of the thinking behind "bull barrels" All barrels vibrate but they can still all shoot great. I say just buy the barrel that you want and don't even factor that in.

[flehto]

Awhile back I built a Hawken which had a 1" X 7/8"x  36"  bbl in .54 cal. for a customer and last fall he shot a nice bull elk w/ it.  It's a very accurate rifle besides being a joy to carry on a full day's hunt in the Rockies.

Seeing nearly all BP bbls are quite hefty compared to CF bbls, I don't think that harmonics play much of a part in achieving excellent accuracy w/ BP guns. ...also, pressures are much lower w/ BP compared to CFs which results in a lack of harmonics or very  much reduced  harmonics.

When  shooting  my first BP rifle which was a  TC Hawken, I was surprised how easy it was to sight in this rifle and it stayed that way throughout its use. Started out using it for squirrels  and seeing I wanted  6 pcs of meat from each squirrel, head hits were mandatory.  This rifle later on also shot deer and elk.

Harmonics in BP guns can really be ignored because of the hefty bbls and the  lower    pressure loads......Fred

[A.Merrill]

   Thanks for the replys.    Al

[One Shot]

It is my understanding that wrought iron barrels do not have the harmonic issues as does carbon barrels.

[Prairie dog shooter]

I am shooting a 32 inch Rice barrel in 54 caliber, one inch at the breach tapered to 7/8 inch at the muzzle in my Hawken rifle.  It is a very accurate barrel.