6.5-284 life expectancy

[boa454]

Ok just had a new toy in 6.5-284 built and I'm wondering what's a realistic barrel life expectancy?

 

[dragman]

I would say 1750-2000 if you take good care and dont get it hot. And its still a good hunting barrel for up too 2500. probably i dont believe in setting it back and rechambering it like some people do.

 

[mikegaiz]

Wish it was not true... 1200 - 1500. Sorry.... That is what my last two 6.5-284 got in competition. :'(

 

[Shynloco]

Wish it was not true... 1200 - 1500. Sorry.... That is what my last two 6.5-284 got in competition. :'(

Mike,
Just out of curiosity, what kind of barrels were they and what was your load? Not seen the round count quite so low before. I too would expect the 1500 - 2000 count although I do not compete. Thx.

Alex

 

[DBailey]

You may get that kind of life from it if you're not getting it hot.
But if you're string shooting F-Class style I can almost guarantee that it will stop giving match grade accuracy between 900 and 1200 rounds regardless of the barrel manufacturer.

 

[Nodak7mm]

You may get that kind of life from it if you're not getting it hot.
But if you're string shooting F-Class style I can almost guarantee that it will stop giving match grade accuracy between 900 and 1200 rounds regardless of the barrel manufacturer.

+ 10, David is spot on.. When your driving "fast cars hard", barrels are like tires, a "consumable" and expect to wear em out....

Rod

 

[boa454]

Ah that's not too bad I've heard some blokes saying 800-1200 and I thought that was pretty excessive!! I'm not looking for a hot load just an accurate one haha....cheers guys!

 

[dragman]

see I keep mine around that 2825-2850 with 140's I have never had one go south before 1500. who knows I have seen them die at the 800 round mark but all metal is not equal.

 

[DBailey]

I don't believe that it's the velocity of the bullet that was killing the barrels. Most were running 140's around 2950-3000 fps. I believe it was the string shooting. 22 to 25 shots in about 10 minutes. One of my teammates could easily get it done in 6 minutes if the target puller could keep up.

 

[boa454]

Well it's a shilen so hopefully it stands up to it...my first one the rest of my barrels are madco and they are still running .5 at 1700 plus which is pretty good for a fox gun!

 

[mikegaiz]

I don't think Barrel make matters and not more than 18 rounds at a time for 1000yd HG siters and relay. Four Hart, in 6.5-284, four Harts, 6.5/06 AI, 1 Kreiger 6.5.284. all shooting RL-22, IMR4350, H4350, and H4831sc. between 2800 and 2950. 142 SMK. All starting to fall off accuracy after around 950 rounds. I am not talking hunting, shooting in competition. I track every rounds through my barrels.

 

[spclark]

Ok just had a new toy in 6.5-284 built and I'm wondering what's a realistic barrel life expectancy?

I get asked the same question fairly often but have to beg off answering as I don't shoot a 6.5 enough to have first-hand info.

A couple years back salt-bath nitride surface-hardening started getting good talk about extending useful, accurate barrel life. Don't hear much lately so I'm wondering: anybody have anything to add now that treated barrels have been in use for a couple years or more?

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

I don't believe that it's the velocity of the bullet that was killing the barrels. Most were running 140's around 2950-3000 fps. I believe it was the string shooting. 22 to 25 shots in about 10 minutes. One of my teammates could easily get it done in 6 minutes if the target puller could keep up.

Yes, your teammate can be very hard on the target pullers, speaking from experience.

 

[camac]

Just to add weight to some of the comments above: I have done a few barrels in as well and all between 800 and 1200 rounds. And mucked around with a lot of barrel life predictions and theories
I agree with the string fire as more of a detriment than anything (not the only thing). Slow down shooting to 40 seconds plus between shots and you will get much better life. Crack em out every 20-30 seconds and expect low round counts.

 

[Laurie]

I agree with the string fire as more of a detriment than anything (not the only thing). Slow down shooting to 40 seconds plus between shots and you will get much better life. Crack em out every 20-30 seconds and expect low round counts. [camac]

This came up on a discussion on 7mm short magnum barrel life on this forum last year and several US shooters expressed surprise at GB and World champion Gary Costello's high (by 7mm/270 WSM standards) round counts before barrels were scrapped. After some discussion, the general consensus was partly due to Gary not loading the cartridge to the gills, but much more to us Brits shooting two per target and hence seeing a much slower rate of fire. A 2+20 match will take maybe 25-40 minutes depending on how well the conditions are holding and how fast the markers are doing their job.

With the variable winds we usually have on our key long-distance ranges allied to the absence of string shooting, competitors don't have as much incentive to shoot quick as they really need to check the flags and mirage to ensure they've not changed in the 90 seconds to 2 minutes since their previous shot; also in the absence of strings, there's nothing like as much pressure on the butts crews, so marking speed can be, shall we say, variable.

I have heard of some of our 6.5-284 shooters getting 1,500 + in this environment. Equally though, a lot of barrels went south at 1,100-1,200 or thereabouts - but we did see some very hot loads used when the cartridge was popular here in F.

 

[boa454]

i dont actually shoot any comps as there arent many clubs around here, just varmint shooting (foxes, crows etc) have 10000 acres plus to play on so ill be sure to spread the shots out, wouldnt mind setting a fun range up though, any suggestions for that laurie? i have hills, valleys, plains, creeks and gullies etc

 

[shooter65]

short

 

[Steve Blair]

short

[br]
...but sweet. It is a great cartridge but full power loads will mean 800-1200 round barrel life. You might consider a 6.5X47L or similar capacity cartridge. Less performance but accurate and easy to tune. Still handles the range of 6.5 bullets and will provide very good barrel life.

 

[boa454]

ah well ill just see how it goes thanks guys!

 

[shooter65]

6.5x47 all the way!

short

[br]
...but sweet. It is a great cartridge but full power loads will mean 800-1200 round barrel life. You might consider a 6.5X47L or similar capacity cartridge. Less performance but accurate and easy to tune. Still handles the range of 6.5 bullets and will provide very good barrel life.