Barrel length any affect on barrel life?

[drewzer17]

Hey guys looking into a 6.5 prc with a 16.5” barrel. I know I know…. However I shoot suppressed and can get the same ballistics as a 6.5 creedmore for 4-8” less depending on how loaded. That makes my supresssor rent free on my rifle.

My question, and I believe I know the answer but making sure I’m not missing something here… let’s say I’m loading 57 grains of h1000 behind a 147 gr eld. I will still have the same barrel life as if that was being launched from a 26” barrel? Heat and powder in the throat = same throat erosion?

Also does bullet weight affect barrel life ? Heavier bullet = less powder being launched into throat? I think I read somewhere it’s a wash because heavier bullets are longer and create more wear than shorter ones offsetting any gains there.

But I’ve also heard the theory that different powders burn hotter than others so seems to be several factors if we get into minute details.

But trying to establish general rules of thumbs. Seems like no matter what I’m 1,200-1,500 rounds

 

[Big Mc]

Hey guys looking into a 6.5 prc with a 16.5” barrel. I know I know…. However I shoot suppressed and can get the same ballistics as a 6.5 creedmore for 4-8” less depending on how loaded. That makes my supresssor rent free on my rifle.

My question, and I believe I know the answer but making sure I’m not missing something here… let’s say I’m loading 57 grains of h1000 behind a 147 gr eld. I will still have the same barrel life as if that was being launched from a 26” barrel? Heat and powder in the throat = same throat erosion?

Also does bullet weight affect barrel life ? Heavier bullet = less powder being launched into throat? I think I read somewhere it’s a wash because heavier bullets are longer and create more wear than shorter ones offsetting any gains there.

But I’ve also heard the theory that different powders burn hotter than others so seems to be several factors if we get into minute details.

But trying to establish general rules of thumbs. Seems like no matter what I’m 1,200-1,500 rounds

More powder,less barrel.

 

[drewzer17]

More powder,less barrel.

Yeah 6.5 Creedmoor is out the window, not in the picture in any capacity. I’m going 65 PRC I’m just trying to understand for no purposes besides my general knowledge base does barrel length affect barrel life. I don’t see how it would

 

[jelenko]

Yeah 6.5 Creedmoor is out the window, not in the picture in any capacity. I’m going 65 PRC I’m just trying to understand for no purposes besides my general knowledge base does barrel length affect barrel life. I don’t see how it would

It doesn't. All the wear in the barrel is at the breech end.

 

[Laurie]

As you deduce, barrel length doesn't affect its life as the crucial wear & tear take place in the throat and leade and are directly related to the powder weight to bore area relationship, powder energy characteristics, and pressures the cartridge is loaded to. Obviously, you will get less life from the PRC than same calibre Creedmoor due to the larger case / greater powder charge and energy input. The 6.5 PRC case has a water capacity of ~67 to 69gn ca. 15gn more than the Creedmoor, and very similar to that well-known 'barrel burner' the 6.5-284 Norma.

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/6-5-prc-case-capacity.4072795/

The PRC is also rated at a higher SAAMI MAP than the Creedmoor (65,000 psi vs 62,000) so that too will increase wear and tear if loaded heavily. (Actually, 62,000 psi trashes Hornady's Creedmoor brass so the company had to reduce its initial loadings and most factory loads will be well short of the SAAMI max.)

The better news is that H1000 is a 'cool burner' and is often used in such cartridges to obtain an optimised mix of performance and barrel life. (Likewise Viht N165 for such large case to bore ratio high-intensity cartridges.)

Run the two cartridges through the spreadsheet whose link is shown here to get a feel for the difference:

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.co...a-barrel-can-barrel-useful-life-be-predicted/

Re bullet weights, yes heavier bullets reduce barrel life if running at the same pressures with similar characteristics powders. That is because the greater the projectile mass, the slower it moves down the barrel and the longer the throat area is subjected to peak pressure and heat.

 

[357Mag]

Yeah 6.5 Creedmoor is out the window, not in the picture in any capacity. I’m going 65 PRC I’m just trying to understand for no purposes besides my general knowledge base does barrel length affect barrel life. I don’t see how it would

Drewz-

Howdy !

The rifle’s barrel length for given bore diam, plays a role’ here.

Say you were to reload/shoot a variety of increasingly longer barrel lengths while maintain the same chamber volumne. An informed reloader could likely come to a point where a
“ slower burn rate “ powder provides the level of internal/external ballistics performance desired compared to a “ faster burn rate “ powder used in a comparatively shorter barrel.

THIS shift in powder “ burn rate “ choice ( whether to a powder faster or slower ) can sometimes influence one to try a powder that “ burns “ hotter. There are powders already identified to shooters / reloaders as hot/hotter “ burning “ than other near-peer propellants ( RL-22 example ). And of course, high/higher pressures can be encountered; that simply become excessive.

THAT shift in powder choice & use could negatively impact barrel life.

To quote renowned ballistician Homer Powley:
“ High pressure is high temperature, and therefore; fast erosion. It is as simple as that. “

 

[K22]

Rules of 3 thumbs = 1 thumb = the higher the sustained heat the more erosion

1. More powder less barrel life
2. High rapid fire shot sequences less barrel life
3. The great the overbore the less the barrel life especially with thumb 2 is involved.

I sure you heard others say this, "barrels are consumables". Use the rifle according to your need / purpose and don't fret about it.

 

[drewzer17]

Good info. Now I’m wondering 127 gr or 156? One is smaller and as stated, shorter, that means less friction on barrel for less time but it also comes with more power which also means more heat… so is there an appreciable winner here or is it a push?

The fact of the matter is I’ve never heard or seen a convincing argument one way or the other, maybe because there is no argument.

 

[Old Navy]

Can't wait to see your Garmin numbers with that combo.

 

[jelenko]

Good info. Now I’m wondering 127 gr or 156? One is smaller and as stated, shorter, that means less friction on barrel for less time but it also comes with more power which also means more heat… so is there an appreciable winner here or is it a push?

The fact of the matter is I’ve never heard or seen a convincing argument one way or the other, maybe because there is no argument.

Choose the best combination for what you want/need to do.
We're way into the weeds.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Hey guys looking into a 6.5 prc with a 16.5” barrel. I know I know…. However I shoot suppressed and can get the same ballistics as a 6.5 creedmore for 4-8” less depending on how loaded. That makes my supresssor rent free on my rifle.

My question, and I believe I know the answer but making sure I’m not missing something here… let’s say I’m loading 57 grains of h1000 behind a 147 gr eld. I will still have the same barrel life as if that was being launched from a 26” barrel? Heat and powder in the throat = same throat erosion?

Also does bullet weight affect barrel life ? Heavier bullet = less powder being launched into throat? I think I read somewhere it’s a wash because heavier bullets are longer and create more wear than shorter ones offsetting any gains there.

But I’ve also heard the theory that different powders burn hotter than others so seems to be several factors if we get into minute details.

But trying to establish general rules of thumbs. Seems like no matter what I’m 1,200-1,500 rounds

Barrel length really doesn't have an effect, other than what one might load their cartridges to produce a certain speed where it's still not the barrel but the load that has the effect.

Here's a chart that should give you some idea as to what's involved with barrel life:

I found that calculator, that you see on the left, on our website here (see attached excel file):

You are being redirected...

 

[jelenko]

In the above calculator, note the significant impact shot rate and powder has on accurate barrel life.
For example, for a bore of .219, 25 grains of powder there is ~ 33% difference in estimated accurate barrel life between TAC and N135.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I wonder how much h1000 will get blown out of that short barrel without burning. Might be quite a show at night.

 

[drewzer17]

I wonder how much h1000 will get blown out of that short barrel without burning. Might be quite a show at night.

Well again it’s suppressed will it do a 6.5 PRC 22 to 24 inch barrel will do ? no… will it do what a 24 to 26 inch barrel 6.5 Creedmoor will do? While having a suppressor on and being in a total length of 22” instead of having my 6 inch suppressor on an 22-26” 6.5 creedmore and being at least 28” and front heavy? Yep ..

If you don’t get that you’re looking at it all wrong. It’s a 6.5 Creedmoor at this length with free space for my suppressor…rent free

This is a hunting rig if I wanted a bench rifle I get a 26 inch 65 PRC or 26 inch seven PRC.

So all the suppressor will hide some of the flash I do believe that H1000 in the short of the barrel is not the optimum powder.

 

[drewzer17]

Can't wait to see your Garmin numbers with that combo.

Will post them when I do

 

[drewzer17]

I wonder how much h1000 will get blown out of that short barrel without burning. Might be quite a show at night.

I believe Hornaday is super performance or H 4831SC will out perform h1000 in the barrel length. Don’t believe it will get a full Burn

 

[FNSafari]

like jelenko said, all your wear is in the few inches ahead of the chamber due to fire cracking...highest pressure, most heat from the powder burn.

 

[Old Navy]

I wonder how much h1000 will get blown out of that short barrel without burning. Might be quite a show at night.

Might be hard on the suppressor also.

 

[drewzer17]

Might be hard on the suppressor also.

Ah, screw it’s not my favorite and overbore

 

[C.E.Smith043]

Yeah 6.5 Creedmoor is out the window, not in the picture in any capacity. I’m going 65 PRC I’m just trying to understand for no purposes besides my general knowledge base does barrel length affect barrel life. I don’t see how it would

Short answer is no.
I would make sure your bullets are definitely stabilizing before you screw on the suppressor.