Barrel finishes and mirage

[4xforfun]

Seems to me something that held heat would help mirage while you were shooting. The heat would dissipate after you finish.

Good point...never thought of it that way!! But still....a shade is simple, quick, and easy.

 

[bpmoss1]

Good point...never thought of it that way!! But still....a shade is simple, quick, and easy.

That's why I stated that a bead blasted barrel probably makes barrel mirage worse rather than better.

 

[4xforfun]

That's why I stated that a bead blasted barrel probably makes barrel mirage worse rather than better.

I WANT a tube to shed heat, so, I don't think of it as causing worse mirage, I think of it as causing BETTER COOLING!! I guess it is a different way of saying the same thing.

 

[4xforfun]

New laws of thermal dynamics? Maybe you are talking about the metric version.

Stan,

WHOOPS!

Old post....but....Looks like I read your post wrong..... I had it in my head that you said bead blast all you want ......it would only make it worse. That is obviously not what you were saying. I 100% agree with you. Sorry about that

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The DA sanded finish with 80 grit is best in my book for mirage

 

[Stan Taylor]

Mirage from barrels is caused by heat. Don't think their finish or color matters.

A 2.5" or 3" diameter one with 18 thin flutes down to safe base depth would probably cool a lot faster.

Stan,

WHOOPS!

Old post....but....Looks like I read your post wrong..... I had it in my head that you said bead blast all you want ......it would only make it worse. That is obviously not what you were saying. I 100% agree with you. Sorry about that

Well my friend I wish new a 100 percent how to dissipate heat quicker I would be rich LOL.PS thanks Todd

 

[bpmoss1]

Well my friend I wish new a 100 percent how to dissipate heat quicker I would be rich LOL.PS thanks Todd

Stan I see guys use air pumps to blow air though the bore between relays which I imagine can't hurt but when I see a guy pull a cold wet towels out of an ice chest and apply it to the top of his barrel to cool it I can't help but wander with the bottom staying hot could it temporarily warp?

 

[KMart]

when I see a guy pull a cold wet towels out of an ice chest and apply it to the top of his barrel to cool it I can't help but wander with the bottom staying hot could it temporarily warp?

When you cool the top and sides of the barrel, the heat at the bottom travels to the colder top.
Heat has a natural tendency to travel from hot to cold.
And you could always wrap the towel all the way around the barrel

 

[bpmoss1]

When you cool the top and sides of the barrel, the heat at the bottom travels to the colder top.
Heat has a natural tendency to travel from hot to cold.
And you could always wrap the towel all the way around the barrel

Ya, but not between the barrel and forearm. It's got to retain more heat there which seems like it would induce some kind of stress from wanting to warp. Just thinking, may be nothing to it.

 

[Stan Taylor]

Stan I see guys use air pumps to blow air though the bore between relays which I imagine can't hurt but when I see a guy pull a cold wet towels out of an ice chest and apply it to the top of his barrel to cool it I can't help but wander with the bottom staying hot could it temporarily warp?

I would love to be able to say what's right or wrong in cooling you put rounds down a barrel an created heat it will cool when it's cool flutes beadblast or pumping cool air isn't going to matter I have shot a barrel that was hot in a shoot off an shot better than the previous target that got me there.

 

[xswanted]

I have a Dasher with a barrel that I finished with Duracoat Parker.

Prior to this it was polished stainless.

It SEEMS I notice less mirage from the barrel than I did prior.

The barrel still heats up the same. On a long string of shots I feel that, to the touch, it’s as hot as it was prior to it being duracoated.

I don’t have any scientific data to back any of this up, however I think the duracoting has helped barrel mirage.

 

[RDavies]

The OP said he wants to do some PRS shoots, so he cant use a mirage shield but did ask about Cerakote coatings to reduce the heat coming out of the barrel.
I don't know about most of the Cerakote coatings, but I do know that he would not want to use the Cerakote C-187Q coating as it is a heat dispersing coating, which DOES cause more barrel mirage. I tried some a while ago and still have some left. I did not get to do a scientific test to measure internal barrel temps but did try to use an internal temperature probe to check internal barrel temps. Results were inconclusive with my rudimentary tests, but theory says it should have been cooler.
I did have some temperature stickers on the outside of the barrel and used an infra red heat gun, but once again my non scientific method of testing did not show anything outstandingly conclusive. I really did think that barrel mirage might have been slightly worse though with the cerakote C-187Q heat dispersing coating. I did not have mirage shade on during this testing as I wanted to be able to use the heat gun easier.
It might be an idea to contact Cerakote to ask if the rest of their coatings reduce heat transfer a significant amount which might help reduce mirage.

 

[WindSurgeon]

Based on all the replies, there is not a consistent answer. Go for the aesthetics you want and then use a heat shield.

 

[montana_native]

I had my current barrel bead-blasted. There seems to be a definite reduction in perceived barrel mirage. I don't think it's my imagination, but maybe it is.

 

[JimPag]

Of course mirage shields are the best way to deal with BBL mirage. Nobody is arguing that point. every competitive shooter in the free world has them. But, the OP never even mentioned mirage shields, so how we got there is beyond me.

I haven't used a mirage shield in competition for over 4 seasons now. Use a battery powered Ryobi Fan

 

[Ned Ludd]

It's not just surface area...it's the surface area to mass ratio. If you want the barrel to cool down faster, get yourself something like this:

 

[Intheshop]

Let me guess,it's a production pic of a brush sander head? If not,thanks for posting...... heading towards shop,haha.

It's not just surface area...it's the surface area to mass ratio. If you want the barrel to cool down faster, get yourself something like this:

 

[JRS]

It's not just surface area...it's the surface area to mass ratio. If you want the barrel to cool down faster, get yourself something like this:

Looks like a section from a heat exchanger.

 

[STS]

If you can't use a mirage shield the most effective way to deal with this issue (as opposed to eliminating or hiding mirage) would be to have an adjustable cheek piece stock and super high rings. The further the distance above the barrel your scope is the less mirage there is to deal with. That is if you can tolerate having a rifle set up like that.

 

[JRS]

You can essentially stop the mirage from barrel heat by placing a thin piece of cloth over the barrel.