Barrel cooling time
- Thread starter Rdb496
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Barrel Temperature Strips - Pack of 5 or 10 - BarrelCool
Ever wonder what your barrel temperature is? Determine when your barrel is getting too hot with these barrel temperature strips.
barrelcool.com
These might be kind of silly for some folks (or maybe most), but I have them on a bench rifle and shoot until the temp strip is 113 to 130ish. But also realize I'm in AZ, so the temp strip can read that much sitting in our summer sun.
Just a suggestion
nealm66
Well-Known Member
I set up a timer on my cell phone between shots. For me it depends on the cartridge. I'll shoot anywhere from 2-4 minutes. It also depends on velocity. I load my light barrel 6.5-284 pretty slow and shoot every 2 but it could be loaded faster and I'd lengthen the timer. This has worked good for me, it could all be in my head but that's what I do. I also try to do load development in moderate temps unless I feel it needs to be otherwise. If the temps outside are too warm, I wait for another time
Same here. My last two builds have been varmint contour barrels, a 22-250 and a 260 that I haven't shot yet. For the 22-250 I shoot a couple foulers, then start the timer that's set for 3 minutes before continuing. I have a 260 with a pencil barrel that I'd wait for four minutes, it gets hot in a hurry.
nealm66
Well-Known Member
Eventually I plan on a carbon fiber barrel and I'll probably give it extra time just for peace of mind
k, this is a very old school approach............when I get to the range I stick the rifle sitting muzzle up in the gun rack. Then I take a probe thermometer (just like one from the kitchen) in the end of the muzzle. I let it sit like that while I'm setting up the bench.
Then, before I get to shooting I look at the temp. That'll give me a base barrel temp.
B4 shooting don't freaking forget to remove the thermometer!
I'll shoot my string then the rifle goes back in the gun rack. Therm goes back in the muzzle and then I wait for that internal temp to go back down b4 I shoot again.
Works for me and my impatient ways
Then, before I get to shooting I look at the temp. That'll give me a base barrel temp.
B4 shooting don't freaking forget to remove the thermometer!
I'll shoot my string then the rifle goes back in the gun rack. Therm goes back in the muzzle and then I wait for that internal temp to go back down b4 I shoot again.
Works for me and my impatient ways
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
I believe you can never go wrong with 1 minute. That's from a warmed up barrel, for hot group shooting.
It shouldn't hurt barrel life nor the grouping.
Then there would be some interval between groups that works, and that doesn't work well.
You would just have to observe that.
For cold bore accuracy testing, I can wait 3hrs between shots.
But I found through adjusting this that a 10min shot rate is by far the worst performing. This has held for 223 through 260AI, light to heavy palma contours, factory hunting guns to 17lb BR.
So that's exactly what I test at(for cold bore). If it shoots good there it will shoot better with any other timing.
I just mention it because it's a timing to avoid for hot grouping.
If you wear glasses you might also consider a nemesis range. For me it's 200yds..
If I shoot good there, I'll shoot better at ANY other range.
So I do a lot of testing at 200yds, and 10min shot rate.
It shouldn't hurt barrel life nor the grouping.
Then there would be some interval between groups that works, and that doesn't work well.
You would just have to observe that.
For cold bore accuracy testing, I can wait 3hrs between shots.
But I found through adjusting this that a 10min shot rate is by far the worst performing. This has held for 223 through 260AI, light to heavy palma contours, factory hunting guns to 17lb BR.
So that's exactly what I test at(for cold bore). If it shoots good there it will shoot better with any other timing.
I just mention it because it's a timing to avoid for hot grouping.
If you wear glasses you might also consider a nemesis range. For me it's 200yds..
If I shoot good there, I'll shoot better at ANY other range.
So I do a lot of testing at 200yds, and 10min shot rate.
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The 10 min statistic is super interesting. Wow! What gives?
nealm66
Well-Known Member
I'd say daylight becomes a factor at that point
Ckleeves
Well-Known Member
Maybe I'm the odd one but when shooting groups I want to know what the barrel is doing from cold to hot and without breaking my position. So I'm guessing about 12 seconds between shots lol. But I don't go over a 5 shot string without cooling, unless I'm wanting to see if there is any shift with a real hot barrel.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
I don't believe it's an issue with my gun builds or barrels.
I don't use mirage shields on my barrels. And my barrel weights go upward with cartridge sizes.
Maybe it takes that long for heat to soak through & release in front of my scopes.
A few minutes past 10mins the heat dissipates and I shoot better again.
Shooting under 10mins doesn't put me there.
Shoot it until it's hot then let it cool.
All sorts of tricks to cool them down from barrel coolers to ice towels. Just cool it down then get to have fun again. One good reason to take more than one rifle at a time to the range.
All sorts of tricks to cool them down from barrel coolers to ice towels. Just cool it down then get to have fun again. One good reason to take more than one rifle at a time to the range.
WV338
Well-Known Member
When I'm at the range or shooting Sage Rats I use a Coleman battery powered air pump. I just stick the tube in the end of the barrel and in a few minutes the barrel is cool enough to start shooting again. The pump is small so it doesn't take up much room in my shooting bag.
It depends on what you are looking for. In a hunting rifle I shoot 3 in a row looking for first shot and follow up shot consistency. After 3 shots let it cool way down, takes 15min. If you are shooting a PRS or Silhouette competition rifle then shoot at least 5 shots right in a row to check grouping. When in a match there is no time to wait and cool your barrel so why do it when group testing. Not sure the pace of shooting in a bench rest match and in F class you get a little time between shots. Match your shooting pace to the rifles intended use.
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