Lothar Walther vs. Smooth Twist

[Murphy]

If FX own the rights to this barrel what is the point in banging on about being able to own one.

Unless you buy an FX rifle you wont.

And IMO FX rifles are very overpriced and not that good.

And as for improving accuracy nearly all airguns have one hole accuracy now,

at the ranges most people use them anyway.

So my question is how can you get MORE accuracy than what's already available?!

[Parabuteo]

If FX own the rights to this barrel what is the point in banging on about being able to own one.

Unless you buy an FX rifle you wont.

And IMO FX rifles are very overpriced and not that good.

And as for improving accuracy nearly all airguns have one hole accuracy now,

at the ranges most people use them anyway.

So my question is how can you get MORE accuracy than what's already available?!

I cannot see one company getting the rights to this Murph.

If it works out it could well be quite a widespread thing...on the other hand...But who knows.

The point is that a barrel can be made, more quickly, with less likelyhood of rejection (I base that on less to go wrong as long as the blank is made correctly) that is much more tolerant of different pellet types.

Even if accuracy is comparable, the other factors may weigh in it's favour.

This may men that we have to worry less about batch numbers, pellets going out of production, etc etc.

Ben is also doing experiments with varying degress of twist and numbers of...err...dents, (corresponding with grooves on a conventional barrel). These have turned up some interesting results by all accounts.

Apparently the smooth twist made quite an impression on a well known semi auto rimmie too.

I have one of the rounds fired by it, uncanilly smooth.

I think it may be a whole can of worms that sound as though it was worth opening.

I think half the problem is that Ben is (quite rightly) very secretive and exploring all of the possible applications before licenses get sold etc. As a result, we think things are either not progressing, or react to heresay or conjecture.

I am only working on what he has told me, and what I have heard from others who have tested the barrel and the Airgun press.

[Murphy]

I cannot see one company getting the rights to this Murph.

Not totally 100% sure of this but I remember Ben posting on here that he has sold all rights to FX?!

Apologies to Ben if this is not the case.

He may have just said FX are starting to produce them.

[Parabuteo]

Not totally 100% sure of this but I remember Ben posting on here that he has sold all rights to FX?!

Apologies to Ben if this is not the case.

He may have just said FX are starting to produce them.

Murph, I dont know for sure mate, but I think that is closer TBH and more likely given his close association with FX.

I know he had some of the big gun companies interested, it would be a bit daft to blow your pension plan down the swanee if it all took off eh

Personally, I would like one married to a Hugget shroud for my BTAS100...shant be holding my breath though

[Ian Johnstone]

Ben had 3 original 'machines' made, 2 of which were licensed immediately to FX whilst Ben retained (of course) the patents.

Fredrik (Mr FX) has since spent months optimising the process ('its not the outcome its the way') - 5.5mm (.22") was first out of the blocks in summer/autumn 2010, with 4.5mm (.177") proving somewhat awkward.

Some changes to the number of 'lands' were introduced late 2010 and the 4.5mm barrel were released, as of approx 3 weeks ago the '6.35' or .25" barrels were released in the Royale gun (with the larger 500 buddy bottle & longer sound moderator).

Here's an overview of the SmoothTwist production - please note that this is the owner of the company ACTUALLY MAKING the barrels !
Approx post # 9
http://www.fxoc.info/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1007

Ben meanwhile, has an agreement to take up some of FX's barrel output for his specialist offerings sometime in the future.