Anyone 'help' their barrel cool down on hot days at the range?

[The Oregonian]

I take my bolt out to try to increase air flow...not sure if it makes any difference but every little bit helps when it is 90 outside.

I have used a rag that is very damp and rubbed it on the barrel a few times between shots to help it cool.

Anyone else do anything?

 

[Jerry M]

I hosed one off one time when I wanted to continue to shoot, being careful not to get any water n the barrel.

 

[Laelkhunter]

When working on a load for my .340 Wby and the temp was 90 (normal for here in South La), I would remove the bolt, and place the rifle in my car across the front seat, and point the a/c vents at it. After three or four minutes, it cooled down quite a bit.

 

[Rick Richard]

Remove the bolt and wipe down barrel with wet rag when it is really hot. However, I try to go early in the morning and shoot fewer rounds. Also, bring more than one rifle and alternate

 

[Dosh]

O, go to Wally World and get the battery powered air mattress pump. Connect the hose to a bore guide, stick it in the chamber and turn it on. Safely cools a barrel quite quickly and economically. Here in AZ there is very little nice shooting weather and I had to find a reasonable way to cool the barrel. I've read about some shooters using CO2 cylinders but perhaps too much cold too quickly and pricey. Good luck

 

[davkrat]

Pull the bolt.
Wet rag on the barrel. (I've never had any problems doing this. A bullet heats up a barrel in miliseconds so cooling one down over a minute plus shouldn't be a scary shock to it.)
Set the gun inside the car out of the sun.

I like the idea of the mattress pump, especially since I have one or two of those laying around.

 

[wyomingblizzard]

O, go to Wally World and get the battery powered air mattress pump. Connect the hose to a bore guide, stick it in the chamber and turn it on. Safely cools a barrel quite quickly and economically. Here in AZ there is very little nice shooting weather and I had to find a reasonable way to cool the barrel. I've read about some shooters using CO2 cylinders but perhaps too much cold too quickly and pricey. Good luck

Plus one for the air mattress pump. I have a rechargelbale one, works very well.

 

[AZShooter]

I have been using CO2 to speed up load development for over a decade now. I was fortunate to have a cooperative welding supply shop let me try several regulators till I got the flow I needed. Some regulators do have enough flow to work.

A friend tried a 5 lb CO2 tank and found out it was too small. IMO 20 lb tank is minimum.

A rubber hose is attached to the regulator. The tip of the hose is cut into a taper. I always wipe off the hose before inserting into the chamber. The valve on the tank is fully opened then the regulator is adjusted for enough flow to cool but not waste the gas. It only takes 15 seconds on thin barrels. I feel the chamber and some of the barrel and turn off the gas when it gets close to ambient. It will continue to cool after gas is turned off.

One guy came over to see what the hissing was. He asked is that oxygen? I said yes I was trying to accelerate the wear on the throat.......

 

[tbrice23]

I have been using CO2 to speed up load development for over a decade now. I was fortunate to have a cooperative welding supply shop let me try several regulators till I got the flow I needed. Some regulators do have enough flow to work.

A friend tried a 5 lb CO2 tank and found out it was too small. IMO 20 lb tank is minimum.

A rubber hose is attached to the regulator. The tip of the hose is cut into a taper. I always wipe off the hose before inserting into the chamber. The valve on the tank is fully opened then the regulator is adjusted for enough flow to cool but not waste the gas. It only takes 15 seconds on thin barrels. I feel the chamber and some of the barrel and turn off the gas when it gets close to ambient. It will continue to cool after gas is turned off.

One guy came over to see what the hissing was. He asked is that oxygen? I said yes I was trying to accelerate the wear on the throat.......

Are you sure there isn't condensation left in the bore and/or chamber? You do live Arazona so that may not be a huge problem for you.

 

[Greyfox]

Any more, I have gotten into the habit of shooting a finite number of rounds that keeps my barrel temperature to a warm to the touch feel regardless of ambient temperature. While I have used damp rags, auto A/C, etc , but I try not to let it get hot enough that have to help it. I'll generally bring a second rifle or pistol to shoot for a whie as it cools with the bolt open. In timed/highvolume matches where there is no opportunity to cool, I have had barrels get so hot, they would produce 2nd degree burns. Even with ice water cooling between strings, 308's would show throat erosion/ accuracy fall of at 2000-2500 rounds under these conditions. Interestingly, the R-5 Milspec barrels seem to give me the best hot shooting, sustained accuracy under hot conditions.... Once I get a great shooting LR Hunting rifle, I baby it to the extreme in this respect, and try not to run it hot.

 

[AZShooter]

Never noticed any condensation inside or outside the barrel even during our summer monsoon. I don't cool below ambient if I can help it. Az's moisture content in the atmosphere is so low we don't get condensation on a very cold soda can when pulled from the frig.

 

[J E Custom]

The best way I know is to take several rifles with you to the range and alternate firing them.

When one gets hot to the touch, open the bolt and stand the rifle up on its but stock.

Then get another rifle and start shooting until it gets hot. (Hot to the touch, not so hot you cant keep your hand on it). Big powder charges can heat a barrel in 2 or 3 shots.

NOTE: it is very important to keep a barrel cool if you want good barrel life.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Mike 338]

O, go to Wally World and get the battery powered air mattress pump. Connect the hose to a bore guide, stick it in the chamber and turn it on. Safely cools a barrel quite quickly and economically. Here in AZ there is very little nice shooting weather and I had to find a reasonable way to cool the barrel. I've read about some shooters using CO2 cylinders but perhaps too much cold too quickly and pricey. Good luck

Hmmm,

When I was a kid, a lot of guys with 1/4 mile cars would make cool cans for their gas lines to drop the fuel temperature. Seems like a guy could get a coffee can and coil plastic tubing around the inside and pack the center with ice or dry ice and blow hot air in one end and get cold air out the other. Stick the end of that tube in the chamber and it should cool things down nicely.

That CO2 tank in the picture looks both expensive and a little dangerous unless it gets anchored to the nearby post. If it falls and the neck breaks, things could get interesting fast.

 

[Lpart]

I use a timer on my cell phone. Open the bolt and set the timer at 3 or 4 minutes. Shoot again when alarm sounds. Barrel never seems to get on me this way. Only warm.