A variant on the 'how long will my barrel last' question

[delucy]

Background:
I'm shooting FTR, with a Krieger 4R, Hvy Palma, 30", 10 twist barrel. My load is Lapua Palma brass, 44.2gr of Varget, CCI BR-4 primers, and 200-20X bullets. My average velocity is 2650fps (ish). I currently have 1505 rounds, all with the above load, through the barrel. I have had to chase the lands by .003 since new.

So here is the question. Knowing that I want to shoot this barrel at Nationals this year, (SR, LR and both team matches), at what point would you take this barrel off and save it (if not already)?

Dale
SW Michigan

 

[Rope2horns]

If it's proven and you wanna get that best out of it, I would say park it until Nationals....any extra rounds down the barrel isn't gonna make it better....I wouldn't think.

 

[Dos XX]

Start breaking in a new one. It it turns out better, win win.

 

[Jennb]

I would also recommend breaking in a new barrel just to be prepared. I have one barrel with over 2000 on it and it still shoots great but Nationals I would not use it for because when they go its too late. Does not mean they are bad, just not as great as they could be.

 

[Park ranger]

Unless you are going to shoot another 1500 rounds before the nationals, keep on keeping on.

My buddies bartlien has 6000+ and still shoots cleans on a sling target at 600&1000, iron sights, prone.

 

[delucy]

Thanks for the insights. I have a new barrel that is ready to go, so I think that I will break that one in, and do some load development as a backup.

Dale

 

[Ned Ludd]

Break the new one in and work up a comparable load for it...you're eventually going to do that, anyway. FWIW, I've had a couple Bartlein .308 barrels that showed their best results using comparable loads to what you're shooting in between about 1500 and 3000 rounds. I wouldn't use that as an excuse to go out and burn your current barrel up, but it may well continue shooting through Nationals and beyond if you don't put another 1500 rounds through it by then.

Regardless of what you decide, don't leave anything to chance. In the weeks leading up to Nationals, make sure you have at least one barrel that: a) is solidly broken in (i.e. at least 350-400 rounds down it); b) for which you have sufficient prepped brass; and 3) for which you have a well-tuned load. There is obviously more than one approach to skin that cat, just don't wait to the last minute to have everything worked out because life doesn't always work in harmony with "the best laid plans of mice and men", especially when scrambling to finish load development and/or brass prep and reloading right before a big match .

 

[dcali]

Put it away now. I’ve had barrels start to give up the ghost at around 1700 rounds (for f class grade accuracy). You might be fine, but maybe not.