HOT bbl and cool off times
I am shooting a Remington 700 VLS .223 - heavy barrel. If I shoot too much too fast the barrel gets too hot to the touch so I imagine there will be some effects on accuracy. Be nice. I'm new to this.
Hot is too hot?
Does anyone here use a thermal measuring device?
How many rounds do YOU shoot before letting the barrel cool off?
How long do you wait - til it's warm enough to keep your hand on it?
I open the bolt to help in cooling, but sometimes it seems like it's taking forever to cool. Are there any tips for faster cooling? Small fan? Or is it just get a good book and wait it out?
Arizona sun doesn't help with the cooling as the sun itself gets the barrel too hot without firing a round - if left in the sun for 20 minutes. Our range has short roofs that only cover the guns in the afternoon. Mornings is in direct sun.
Thank for the input!
JB
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It depends.
If you cannot touch it its too hot.
I would say a good policy is to shoot 2-3 3 to 5 shot strings, open the bolt and let it cool. When I do this I have another gun, like a pistol to shoot and occupy my time but a 22lr rifle works for me too.
Its not so much about accuracy its about barrel life to me. A hot barrle should shoot almost as good as a warm one IF its a good barrel.
Running a patch down the barrel between cool off times may help in accuracy too.
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Heat is the enemy of a barrel. You should stop shooting for a while when the barrel it too hot to hold onto. With that said NRA bullseye Rifle sees 20 rounds shot in two ten shot strings of 60 seconds each and the rifles do this often lasting several seasons. When a large diameter tube gets hot it helps to put a damp rag over it for a few minutes to cool it off. Some shooters even dunk them in ice water for a couple of minutes when shooting prairie dogs on hot days.
Steel dissipates heat fast but on hot days with fast shooting it can be a problem that can shorten barrel life.
You can also expect to burn a throat out with the old adage of caliber is unimportant but 20-25 pounds of powder is probably a safe bet for the life of a good barrel. Think 25 grains for a .223 and 70 for a 300 Wby Mag.
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I have one of these, and think it works great.
StackPath
magnetospeed.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website.Another thing I do is place the gun upright on the recoil pad, I think it helps cool off faster with the barrel acting like a stove pipe, with the heat rising up it.
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I'm no expert or authority on metallurgy. But, my younger brother is an accomplished machinist and has worked with all types and combinations of metal. He's made many parts for the space shuttles, as well as for rockets and missiles.
I would never rapidly cool down a firearm barrel by dipping it in ice water. By rapidly (as in instantly) cooling down metal, you can actually change the molecular properties of that metal. That, and you could damage any bluing or protective coating applied to the barrel. Let's forgo the rust issue for now.
If you insist on using a cooling device, a fan wouldn't hurt it any. I still don't believe that to be necessary though.
I would not though, use water in any form. Just my $0.02 worth.
forgemonkey would be able to weigh in on this.
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An old maintenance man’s rule of thumb is if you can’t lay your palm on it and count to 5, it’s hotter than 150 deg F.
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I never did like to shoot till the barrel go to hot to touch. I shoot groups of 3-5 until the barrel starts to warm and then just let it sit and cool. I have had rifles that tend to string shots when the barrel heats up. I also do like Sam quite a bit, have another gun to shoot while the one is cooling. Don't know if this is right or wrong, it is just the way I do it. I know it can't hurt keeping the barrel from getting too hot.
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I shot an AK till the forearm caught fire. Full auto fire will get any hot in a heartbeat. However till you see an M60 barrel melt ... well that is enough. Hot to the touch.. keep shooting... folks in war don't worry about heat
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