ABS carbon barrel questions for experienced users

[buckbrush]

I recenlty had my ABS barreled 338 RUM delivered. I got the blank from a private party and had my gunsmith install it on a worked over 700 action.

It shoots really well and I was wondering if any of you have first hand experience with one of these.

I called ABS (now Proof Research) and they told me that these things are better than a standard stainless barrel and removing heat and that barrel longevity should be increased.

I am just wondering how hard I can lean on this gun and make the barrel last. I'm into the barrel about $800 so I don't want to abuse it.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Michael Eichele]

I recenlty had my ABS barreled 338 RUM delivered. I got the blank from a private party and had my gunsmith install it on a worked over 700 action.

It shoots really well and I was wondering if any of you have first hand experience with one of these.

I called ABS (now Proof Research) and they told me that these things are better than a standard stainless barrel and removing heat and that barrel longevity should be increased.

I am just wondering how hard I can lean on this gun and make the barrel last. I'm into the barrel about $800 so I don't want to abuse it.

Thanks for any advice.

I had a 300RUM ABS and my experience was not good. The bore was cooked in very short order. Now before you freak out, note that the fact that the 300 RUm is quite overbore and that I did 'hot-rod' it, it just did not hold up. Mike at ABS had it bored out to 338 EDGE and it has held up fine. However, I only use modest loads and I ALWAYS allow for at least 1 full minute between shots. After a few shots I wait 2 minutes. I have fired back to back rounds a couple of times in hunting situations. After many many bore scoping sessions, the barrel looks brand new. I dont know if I really need to wait a minute or two between shots but it is working so far and I am not going to change my methods now.

Keep it cool and DO NOT use high pressure loads and you should be fine.

 

[sp6x6]

I put 175 rnds. down the pipe of my 338 norma, which was more than I wanted , setting it up. Now I am mainly hunting with it and some long range rock shots. Because of the cost of barrel I am trying to save for hunting, this is my pack gun. The new shop is only a few miles from my house so I guess I will here how things are going.

 

[buckbrush]

This is a hunting rifle as well but I like to shoot it and want to practice a lot. I've babied it thus far and my load is very mild...87 gr of H-1000 with the 300 SMK going right at 2700 fps. I guess I'll continue to do the same.

Thanks.

 

[new shooter]

I put 175 rnds. down the pipe of my 338 norma, which was more than I wanted , setting it up. Now I am mainly hunting with it and some long range rock shots. Because of the cost of barrel I am trying to save for hunting, this is my pack gun. The new shop is only a few miles from my house so I guess I will here how things are going.

Did ABS moved to kilispell ? I have put over 500 rounds through my 338 ax with the 300gr smk going at 3020 ft out of a ABS Barrel. Shot my 3 point rage horn bull at 1155 opening week one shot DRT in the swan. My suninlaw was on the spotting scope and grandson where there they could not be leave it. So i would not worry about your barrel going bad for a long time with a ABC carbon barrel. Joe PS my wife said i allways say 500 rounds so i went and counted i started with 1500 300gr smk now i have 700 hunderd so i shot 800 rounds not 500. but it still shots 1/2 moa .

 

[Fiftydriver]

I have fitted many ABS barrels including New Shooters rifle(great shooting by the way!!) I can not say that you will be able to push the ABS barrel any harder then a conventional barrel with longer barrel life. That is not really how it works.

What the ABS barrels will do for you is reduce barrel temps between firing strings but they do very little if anything for bore temps in a group of shots. What I mean by this is that if you shoot five shots through an all steel barrel in say 90 seconds and put 5 rounds through an ABS barrel in 90 seconds, the bore temps will be nearly identical after the fifth shot on both barrels. Now the ABS barrels may cool off faster then the all steel barrel but bore temps will be nearly the same at the end of the shooting.

What this means is that you will be doing the same amount of wear as you would be with either barrel.

My recommendation, limit shooting to three shot groups, never get your barrel heated up to the point that you can not bare hand hold the barrel with no discomfort at all because of barrel heat, clean the bore every 40-50 rounds.

If you do that, your barrel will last you a long time weither its an ABS barrel or all steel barrel.

If you think the ABS barrel will allow you to put more rounds down range per group without any extra throat damage, you are mistaken.

 

[new shooter]

Kirby when do you think this barrel will start going south. Joe

 

[Fiftydriver]

Its hard to say, I have several 338 AX rifles with well over 1000 rounds down the tube. If cared for properly and hot over heated, it would not suprise me to see 1500 or even more with good accuracy.

In all honesty, I have yet to have a customer "shoot out" a 338 AX barrel but I would suspect they will start wearing out barrels in the next 3-4 seasons with the older rifles. Again, just depends on how you shoot your rifle. Many of them will easily last a lifetime of serious long range hunting usage on the original barrel. That is the beauty of the 338 AX, very high performance and great barrel life.

I would estimate that the ABS barrel may add 10% to the life over a conventional barrel. In my opinion, main benefits are not in extended barrel life but more in weight saving performance.