What makes for a barrel burner?

[straightshooter]

I know about ballistics, reloading, calibers etc. but I am not up on barrel life. I understand the basic concept, put a lot of powder behind a bullet and it will burn out a barrel faster. What combinations make for a barrel burner though? I know that the 308 runs higher pressure than the 30-06, but has a better barrel life. So does pressure play a role? Is it just amount of powder, wait no because the 6.5-284 burns barrels quicker than a 300wsm.

Secondly, is there any good long range hunting calibers that don't burn barrels? Something that can take an elk at range.

What caliber would you choose if it had to be cost effective to practice with, not burn out a barrel lets say before 3000 rounds, and could drop an elk at 1000 yards?

 

[jlamb]

What you are trying to avoid is an "overbore" cartridge. This is where the water capacity compared to the caliber is quite high. In other words a 25-06 would be an overbore as compared to a 30-06.

As per dropping an elk at 1,000 yards, I personally don't shoot at game that far. I've seen elk get hit and keep going. I'm just not there yet. The longest shot I will allow myself to take is 500 yards.

There are pleanty of cartridges that can do what you want. Look into 338 Edge, 338 Lapua, 300 RUM, 338 RUM to just name a few.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Additionally most people think a tube is worn out with throat erosion when in actuality it is just polluted and needs to be cleaned properly. The bore scope makes this issue very clear.

 

[MTBULLET]

BIG case+small dia. bullet+LOTS of powder= bbl burn.


but I agree with the "dirty bbl" comment also.

 

[Varminator 911]

I think the most cost effective true 1,000 yard elk rounds are the 338 RUM followed very closely by the Edge. The Edge gives up a little on barrel life and burns a little more powder but you get a hair more power. Probably neither will make 3,000 rounds on a barrel but properly shot and cared for will be close enough. The brass is as cheap as it gets for that much smackdown at long range.

To me the 300 or 338 WMs don't quite make 1,000 yds. The 338 WM might get to 1,000 yds cost effectively if the 250 grain Berger ever shows up. The WMs are a little cheaper to shoot than a 338 RUM.

 

[Derek M.]

3000 rounds is really a big number. That is really a lot of shooting and reloading in one rifle. Most hunters won't shoot that many rounds in one rifle in a lifetime. Bench shooters, and builders, and some hunters do but most of the time your bbl life isn't an issue. I keep my barrels very clean and do not let them get hot at the range. I don't even let them get "warm."

A 300 RUM will easily drop an elk at 1000 yards. So will a 7RemMag, but the latter is considered overbore by many. Consider a 300 RUM and the 200 accubond or a 210 Berger or a 190 Berger.

 

[Varminator 911]

Don't understand why one would choose a 7mm RM over a 300 WM or a 300 RUM over the Edge when we are talking cost and 1,000 yd elk. Will a 7mm or 308 caliber take elk at that range, sure. But are they really up to a 338, no. I'm not trying to argue. Just saying that there is a difference in opinion on whether the lesser calibers are effective. There is much less difference in opinion on whether a 338 is an effective killer at that range.

For cost and killing ability at 1,000 yds the 338 RUM and Edge are hard to beat in my opinion.

 

[neutral]

My buddie's 25-06 is the most rediculous stock rifle i've ever seen and he's got to be very near if not over the 3000 mark by now. that thing is retarded accurate. we do alot of bench shooting and gophers and every year we do a tournement where we shoot 50 rds in 5 minutes. she gets right hot. Any way its sometimes just the luck of the draw i guess.

 

[Derek M.]

Don't understand why one would choose a 7mm RM over a 300 WM or a 300 RUM over the Edge when we are talking cost and 1,000 yd elk.

My guess is because the parallel argument is using a 22 cal bullet or a 243 on deer v. a 270 at whatever yardage one wishes to compare to the elk scenario.

Bottom line is dead is dead, and if you can do it with a 7mag and a 180 Berger, why bother with anything bigger? How much better is dead from one v. dead from the other? There are plenty of guys who use 6.5mm bullets, 7mm bullets, 30 cal bullets on elk and do a fine job with it. There are videos available everywhere to see it happen, so really what it boils down to is "does size really matter?"

Here's the old BOTW video in their first Beyond Belief where a bull elk is taken with a 168 Berger VLD from a 7mag at 743 yards:
YouTube - long range

I'm sure you've seen it. Personally, I have a 300 RUM and two 7mm Rem Mags. I'd use any on elk but to date, my elk have been killed with archery as it is my preference.

Is there really any valid reason to argue with someone else's success? This is just like the old debate as to whether or not a 270 can kill an elk. To this day there are still hunters who say it is a weenie caliber not suited for it and they'll say it face to face with hunters who've killed a lot of elk with the 270. Quite a puzzling phenomenon.

 

[Varminator 911]

A 300 grain 338 arrives with a lot more TKO value than any 160-210 grain bullet. Plus the 300 grain bullets have a higher BC so hits are easier.

Bottom line for me is that for slightly more cost you get significantly more effectiveness. I think that's what the OP wanted to know.

 

[Derek M.]

A 300 grain 338 arrives with a lot more TKO value than any 160-210 grain bullet.

But does that mean it kills any better, puts the animal down faster?

Plus the 300 grain bullets have a higher BC so hits are easier.

What is the BC of the 300 grain bullet(s) you are speaking of?

 

[Varminator 911]

I was thinking of the 300 SMK and 300 Berger. The only smaller caliber bullet widely available that comes close to either for BC is the Berger 7mm 180. Since that can be launched faster from a 7mm RM, than the 300 from the two RUM based 338s, you are probably right there with the 300s on wind drift. Your RM will have a little less drop, not a big deal.

I'll still take one of the RUM based 338s for a low cost, long range elk rifle. And the 338s will have longer barrel life....that 7mm RM is a barrel burner...kinda...gun)

 

[retiredcpo]

so how long should the average guy shooting average loads with a say 7mm rm or 300 wm expect a barrel to last
Had a smith tell me these two calibers are shot out after 1000 rounds
I can buy that i think he ws just trying to get a barrel job done
Retiredcpo

 

[Derek M.]

so how long should the average guy shooting average loads with a say 7mm rm or 300 wm expect a barrel to last. Had a smith tell me these two calibers are shot out after 1000 rounds. I can buy that i think he ws just trying to get a barrel job done
Retiredcpo

Sure it's possible to shoot these out in 1000 rounds, but that's not been my experience. I'd say more like 5000 if you treat your rifle correctly.

Besides, if you shoot out a barrel look at the bright side, you get to put a new bbl on! That's always fun. I keep a few extra bbls in my safe for a reason.