barrel cooling techniques or bad idea?

[bsumoba]

better to just let it cool down on its own or can you use outside means to cool the barrel?

20 rounds....hell....10 rounds gets the barrel hot already and it takes a while for it to cool down with the barrel having so much mass to it.

is there any way of cooling the barrel down by outside means or is that bad and I should just let it cool normally?

 

[Erik Cortina]

better to just let it cool down on its own or can you use outside means to cool the barrel?

20 rounds....hell....10 rounds gets the barrel hot already and it takes a while for it to cool down with the barrel having so much mass to it.

is there any way of cooling the barrel down by outside means or is that bad and I should just let it cool normally?

Keep a towel in an ice chest with ice water. Wrap soaked towel around barrel and it will help cool it faster.

 

[hogpatrol]

I have a rig I use consisting of an air mattress inflating pump, a piece of tygon tubing and a nylon tube stuck in the action. Depending on ambient temperature, it'll cool the barrel down in a few minutes. Pic of the tube that connects to the pump:

 

[bsumoba]

thanks guys. lots of good ideas.

i like the simple towel in ice chest idea. or maybe even one of those gel packs that can rest on the barrel for a while.

 

[Phil]

I wouldn`t risk a gel pack anything.....

With my luck i`d be explaining what that blue sticky plastic smell is on my barrel......


Phil.

 

[wolley]

I wouldn't use ice packs or wet towels or anything that can't be applied evenly over the entire barrel surface. Unless you just like chasing sighters during the next string as the temps in the barrel even back out.
If you're gonna do anything use a bait pump moving air through the bore.
Or don't worry about it at all.

 

[bsumoba]

I wouldn't use ice packs or wet towels or anything that can't be applied evenly over the entire barrel surface. Unless you just like chasing sighters during the next string as the temps in the barrel even back out.
If you're gonna do anything use a bait pump moving air through the bore.
Or don't worry about it at all.

I'm only doing this for load development when Im at the range and I want to get the most out of my range session without waiting for the barrel to cool down a little.

that being said, it makes A LOT of sense to use a bait pump and a tube and run air down the tube to cool the barrel also.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I wouldn't use ice packs or wet towels or anything that can't be applied evenly over the entire barrel surface. Unless you just like chasing sighters during the next string as the temps in the barrel even back out.
If you're gonna do anything use a bait pump moving air through the bore.
Or don't worry about it at all.

I'm only doing this for load development when Im at the range and I want to get the most out of my range session without waiting for the barrel to cool down a little.

that being said, it makes A LOT of sense to use a bait pump and a tube and run air down the tube to cool the barrel also.

Stand the rifle up with the muzzle pointing up in the air. Convection will take care of the rest.

 

[dogdude]

for load development on a hot day I bring a battery operated FAN or two, may not be the best but it sure helps.

 

[mikegaiz]

Not telling you to do this, but for load testing in summer, I stand the barrel on muzzle and run ice cubes from breach to muzzle to cool evenly, let set for a few moments to evenly cool down, dry off and keep shooting. If anyone knows that it hurts please let me know. I did this with my IBS record setting gun and saw no impact????? also use a 12 volt muffin fan I rigged up to blow air down barrel. Works well but slower.

 

[4xforfun]

If you live in a dry climate you can rig up a C02 tank to hook into a bore guide. BUT be forwarned......if you live anywhere within 100 miles of a misquito...well...DUCK!!!

What I did on those really warm days ...between groups.....is just lay the gun between the seats of your car/truck with the bbl up front and run the AC on high and close all of the vents but one. just aim it to blow down the tube with the bolt removed.

 

[jsthntn247]

Get you a small pump and a minnow bucket with a long clear tube. Put ice water in the minnow bucket and run the tube through your barrel and back into the bucket. Circulates the cold water through the barrel and cools from the inside out.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Fan to push heat mirage from your scope sight picture maybe. I wouldn't physically touch the barrel with anything.


Ray

 

[Erik Cortina]

Fan to push heat mirage from your scope sight picture maybe. I wouldn't physically touch the barrel with anything.


Ray

All the suggestion so far are to be done during a shooting break, not during actual firing.

 

[johara1]

Erik, Maybe you should try that doing firing because it does two thing lowers the heat and blows the barrel heat from in front of the scope………. It works …. jim

 

[R.Morehouse]

I have found that bringing 3 guns to the range helps a lot with patients and cooling.....lol

 

[SS427]

I second the idea of bringing more guns. I bring 3 center fires and I always bring my bolt action .22LR. That kills enough time for the barrels to cool on their own. I've taken a laser thermometer to the range with me and a heavy varmint barrel takes about 20-30 minutes to cool down to air temperature with no outside factors involved. At my range you can't stand the rifle up...muzzle always has to be pointed downrange.

Loading at the range is another way to kill time too.

 

[CPorter]

I use wet towels during some competitions. There have been a few where the temperatures are in the 100s and the time between relays isn't enough to cool the barrel. Works well enough.

 

[mikegaiz]

This works, but not the fastest. ;D