Ice on your barrel???

[Long Time Long Ranger]

You will not save time by icing your barrel. The problem is to shoot top groups the barrel must cool down evenly and be as consistent with temperature throughout as possible. Icing the barrel does not cool the barrel consistently and will shoot more erratic groups until the entire barrel has a consistent temperature again. In other words about the same time as air cooling in the first place.

 

[rscott5028]

I'm no metallurgist. But, I read an interesting thread recently where someoe explained why the throat breaks down rapidly due to the extreme temperature diferrential causing an inner ring to expand and contract more rapidly from the rest of the barrel which eventually leads to formation of layers and eventual separation/flaking.

I may be misquoting that and it may not have been accurate info to begin with. But if so, then I would think that cooling evenly such as blowing fresh air through the bore might be better than icing the outside. ...perhaps the cold/wet towel accomplishes sufficiently even distribution?

 

[noneck180]

I have a few cans of those instant cool spray cans, I am sure millwrights use them on bearings. I cools stuff down quick, I tried one on a beer, the can was cold but the beer was still warm.

 

[Boss Hoss]

I'm no metallurgist. But, I read an interesting thread recently where someoe explained why the throat breaks down rapidly due to the extreme temperature diferrential causing an inner ring to expand and contract more rapidly from the rest of the barrel which eventually leads to formation of layers and eventual separation/flaking.

I may be misquoting that and it may not have been accurate info to begin with. But if so, then I would think that cooling evenly such as blowing fresh air through the bore might be better than icing the outside. ...perhaps the cold/wet towel accomplishes sufficiently even distribution?

The amount you spray is just like you are painting---by the time you get ready to shoot again the distribution of cold has transferred to the point that the tube/chamber temp is pretty even. A few times of doing this you will get the hang of it.

I do this on all of my rifles and that includes Speedy and Chuck Grace built ones. This works OUTSTANDING on factory rifles that are sensitive to heat.

 

[shortpants]

I forgot to mention that I don't resume shooting immediately after icing. I open the action and wait about 10 min. allowing the cold to transfer through the entire barrel. Once it feels evenly cooled I resume shooting at that point.

 

[rscott5028]

The amount you spray is just like you are painting---by the time you get ready to shoot again the distribution of cold has transferred to the point that the tube/chamber temp is pretty even. A few times of doing this you will get the hang of it.

I do this on all of my rifles and that includes Speedy and Chuck Grace built ones. This works OUTSTANDING on factory rifles that are sensitive to heat.

I may have to try it some time. It just hasn't been a big problem with my newer rifles.