Cnkhunting
Well-Known Member
So with the increased powder to get the hammers to shoot faster what's the life of the barrel? It's got to have negative impacts on barrel life with pushing these bullets
Barrel life
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Actually, due to less engraving/friction, the trend is to use Faster powders (burn rate) with Hammers. You may use a few grains more to get up to max pressure and velocity.
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
Barrels, much like the tires on your truck are a consumable. They are a wear item & will eventually give out. It's up to you as the end user to determine what is acceptable. Personally, I have a handful of chambers that "might" make it to 1000 rounds. I don't care; it's the price I chose to pay for performance. If you're loading Hammers, I'm going to assume it's a hunting rifle. You'll get years worth of life out of it no matter how hot.
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X"s 2 the above! Right on..
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Barrels wear out or burn out, as the case may be. But they are not just casually replaced like putting new brakes on your car. A new match grade barrel will run between $400-$800 (ss vs cf) before your gunsmith even touches it. Another $400-$500 (or more) for threading, headspacing, chambering and finishing if needed. Even more if you want it threaded for a brake and timed properly.
The last barrel I changed cost me over $800 (without ext finishing or adding a brake) plus another $100 to ship the rifle each way. That's a cool $1,000 + for a new tube. I take particular care of my barrels because I just can't keep tossing around $1000 bills like they were nickels. If you like to shoot, taking steps to conserve barrel life sure makes sense.
To answer the OP's question; I doubt that using Hammer bullets or the faster powders that are generally used with them, cause any decrease in bore life. However, high volumes of shooting certainly will. Keeping your barrel cool and cleaned regularly is probably the best bet to extended bore life.
The last barrel I changed cost me over $800 (without ext finishing or adding a brake) plus another $100 to ship the rifle each way. That's a cool $1,000 + for a new tube. I take particular care of my barrels because I just can't keep tossing around $1000 bills like they were nickels. If you like to shoot, taking steps to conserve barrel life sure makes sense.
To answer the OP's question; I doubt that using Hammer bullets or the faster powders that are generally used with them, cause any decrease in bore life. However, high volumes of shooting certainly will. Keeping your barrel cool and cleaned regularly is probably the best bet to extended bore life.
Seabeeken
Well-Known Member
I have a rack of pre fit match grade barrels for several rifles. They cost me $375-500, + go gauge and change in 5-10 minutes. They all shoot .5 or better. No gunsmith needed. Shooting hammers and faster powders have caused no damage to my barrels. In fact, copper fouling is almost non existent and carbon comes out easily. To answer the OP, I see no difference in barrel wear with faster powders or hammers as opposed to normal cup and core bullets and slow powders
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
For one, there is a big difference between barrel life and accurate barrel life.
Second, barrel life is not affected by speed of powder burn, but temperature of powder burn.
This, along with how much powder is actually burning in the bore, and shot rate, and pressure.
It could generally be assumed that a higher % of faster burning powder will burn in the bore.
And faster powders typically burn hotter.
But neither is a certainty.
N133 is very fast AND very cool burning. But, competitive 6PPC shooters who use N133 only get ~900rnds of accurate barrel life -because of competitive pressure loads and rate of fire.
If you used a 6PPC for coyote hunting, with reasonable hunting loads,, you could get ~3000rnds of accurate barrel life.
And even past that, the gun might still be accurate enough for that hunting at 5,000rnds.
Bullets don't matter, as hunting barrels don't 'wear out'. They burn out.
Second, barrel life is not affected by speed of powder burn, but temperature of powder burn.
This, along with how much powder is actually burning in the bore, and shot rate, and pressure.
It could generally be assumed that a higher % of faster burning powder will burn in the bore.
And faster powders typically burn hotter.
But neither is a certainty.
N133 is very fast AND very cool burning. But, competitive 6PPC shooters who use N133 only get ~900rnds of accurate barrel life -because of competitive pressure loads and rate of fire.
If you used a 6PPC for coyote hunting, with reasonable hunting loads,, you could get ~3000rnds of accurate barrel life.
And even past that, the gun might still be accurate enough for that hunting at 5,000rnds.
Bullets don't matter, as hunting barrels don't 'wear out'. They burn out.
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Ahhh another barrel life question. If you're shooting Hammers, I'm going to assume it's a hunting rifle, so I'm also assuming this hunting rifle won't be shot more than 3-5 times in a row. Let's say this rifle has a barrel life of 1000 rounds. If you're like most people, you realistically probably shoot less than 10 rounds a year at game and probably 50 rounds or less confirming zeroes and some practice. That's 16 years of service that barrel will give you if you're the average hunter. Now let's say you're a top notch hunter who takes marksmanship very seriously and wants to be as prepared as possible and give yourself every chance you can in the field. Let's say you still shoot 10 rounds a year at game, but you practice weekly shooting 20 rounds a weekend for 6 months leading up to hunting season. Now you're shooting just shy of 500 rounds a year through that rifle. You're still getting 2 years of top level accuracy and precision from that barrel. You're burning through over $1000 worth of components to shoot 1000 rounds every 2 years with Hammers and todays powder and primer prices. A good steel barrel is $350-400, and $300-400 to install. So the barrel is literally cheaper than the components you're running through it. You shouldn't even be worried about barrel life unless you're a serious competitive shooter or a colony varmint hunter.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
I totally agree Jud96.
But the cost for me is taking a gun out of service to have a new barrel finished.
Then, there is potential re-load development.
My expense is time
Given this, I have same make blanks finished in pairs.
Cuts the time burden in half anyway..
But the cost for me is taking a gun out of service to have a new barrel finished.
Then, there is potential re-load development.
My expense is time
Given this, I have same make blanks finished in pairs.
Cuts the time burden in half anyway..
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Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
Outlaw6.0 said tires not brakes. So, price tires these days….not much difference between them and replacing a barrel. Lol
I agree, but I would add Quilty Barrels like Kreger will last longer then cheaper models.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
It was my intention to not quote anyone, merely expressing my opinion on the cost(s) associated with rebarreling a rifle.
FWIW - I've shot out several barrels in less time than I replaced my last set of brakes. And new brakes don't require a new work up to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Cnkhunting
Well-Known Member
I'm not by any means bad mouthing these bullets , just simply wondering about it. I'm shooting a couple rifles with them. It just crossed my mind is all.
SSgt G Cody
Well-Known Member
I love the Rem 700 bolt action rifles. I have since my Army service. Mostly the 'Varmint Special' heavy barrel models. I find and re-build a near-new gun in 243/6mm or 25-06. I perfect them 'til they can group under .350 MOA, then shoot them a while 'til groups start to open up (usually around 1000 rounds, or more), then sell each rifle to one of my close friends for deer hunting, along with 100 rounds of my hand-loaded hunting rounds. Half-price usually, as a gift from me. In the past 20+ years I've done 6 that way, and all are still going strong today. They have taken many deer, and still group within .5 MOA, very capable for normal hunting!
