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Barrel life of the .300 Winchester Magnum

coorslight

Silver $$ Contributor
Just curious as to the average barrel life of my Remington 700 long range. While I am at it could I re-barrel it for 6.5-.284 down the road, is the bolt diameter the same and is the cartridge based on the long action.
 
Depending on your load, I'd day 2000ish rounds on the 300wm. However, the 6.5x284 is not the same boltface as the 300wm. It has a 30/06 boltface.
 
Just curious as to the average barrel life of my Remington 700 long range. While I am at it could I re-barrel it for 6.5-.284 down the road, is the bolt diameter the same and is the cartridge based on the long action.
Look at it this way>>>if you are using the .300Win for hunting and basically shooting "a box per year" (20 rounds), it will last you the rest of your life. Same with the 6.5 x 284>>>however the .300Win has a .532 boltface and the 6.5 x 284 has a .473 boltface... With the .300 Win. it will cleanly take any North American big game species. No need to look any further for a hunting cartridge.
 
Bart Bobbitt came up with a formula for barrel life, back in 1992 and posted it on rec.guns usenet before www gun forums existed. You can still access it through google groups... even though your ISP has probably dropped usenet.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.guns/iC-CoKQCeW8

The trouble is, he was competitive at Camp Perry, and his standards were so high, his take off barrels would seem like new barrels to me.

upload_2016-11-13_15-49-6.png
Bart Bobbitt
upload_2016-11-13_15-49-6.png
11/4/92

I finally completed my research on a way to calculate how many rounds
a rifle barrel can be expected to deliver its accuracy level. By that,
I mean the barrel can be expected to have an average group size for
so many rounds before that average group size starts to get larger.
First, the rule-of-thumb formula I derived will produce a barrel accuracy
life of about 3000 rounds.

Second, if a lot of rapid fire (one shot every 5 to 10 seconds) is done,
the accuracy life will be less.

Third, if full-auto or very fast fire (a few shots per second, or one shot
every second) is done, accuracy life will be much less.

Fourth, the accuracy levels are for ranges through 600 yards. Once the
barrel life calculated limit is reached, groups will probably start to
get bigger at the longer ranges before they are noticeably bigger at the
shorter ranges.

My formula, or rule-of-thumb process, is:

1. Calculate the bore area in square millimeters.

2. Use one grain of powder for each square millimeter. This is what
I call the reference, or base powder charge.

Example: .30 caliber bore = 45.6 square millimeters.
Base powder charge for .30 caliber is 45.6 grains.

A .30 cal. cartridge that burns 45.6 grains of powder should give a
barrel life of about 3000 rounds of good accuracy.

3. If a larger cartridge is used and it burns more powder, the
accuracy life in rounds for that bore size is reduced. The amount
of reduction is determined by

a. Divide the increased charge by the base charge, then square
the answer.

b. Divide that answer into 3000.

Example: .28 caliber bore has a base charge of 38.5 grains.
Cartridge burns 57.8 grains of powder.
(57.8/38.5) squared is 2.25.
3000 divided by 2.25 is 1,333 rounds.

If anyone can shoot a hole through this theory, I welcome that shot. This
is more or less an emperical process based on accurate barrel life in
several calibers as reported to me by lots of folks. All I did was study
the data and determine what math would give a best-fit formula.

And if someone has a better method, I'd like to know what it is. My
formulas may not be the best.
 
My PRS 300 first barrel went to hell at 1280 pushin 210's at 3040 and my second barrel which is chambered 248 MOD 1 pushin 230's at 2950ish is pretty much done with a touch over a thousand. I was very hard on both barrels with long strings of fire with not much cooling time. Shoot em a little nicer I'm sure a guy could easily get 1500.
 
Thanks for all your input, I don't really Hunt and I bought it thinking nice cartridge for long range, recoil can be a bit much with sustained fire, Getting Older, put a muzzle break on it, gee I wonder why nobody wants to shoot next to me. I have about 300 rounds thru it, just wondering if I should just sell it or play with it for awhile and then maybe re-barrel. What caliber options do I have for say 600 to 1000 yards shooting chambered in a long action that isn't going to kick the snot out of me?
 
Don't sell it. 300 Winchester mag is to incredible of a round. My opinion but I love shootin mine. I don't have many friends so I like the blast when I'm touching off 230 grains of ass kicker and ain't no doubt when I hit whatever I'm shooting at. For when you shoot the barrel out I would rebarrel right back to 300 win mag.
 
300 WIN. Mag set many a record at Camp Perry back a few years ago.
As you stated added a Muzzle Break ??? You can not shoot NRA Long Range Matches with a Break.
You stated people don't want to shoot next to you ! Think of Prone shooters side by side ? Brain Damage 101.
Best of luck,
Don
 
Just curious as to the average barrel life of my Remington 700 long range. While I am at it could I re-barrel it for 6.5-.284 down the road, is the bolt diameter the same and is the cartridge based on the long action.
To answer the question ask
Barrel life depend on how it is shot .
You can kill it with 1000 Rounds . Larry
 
I know the NRA matches are out, I do like the gun just not much use for the caliber, I put a timmney (not sure if I spelled that right)trigger in it. Maybe I will use up the brass I have and re-barrel it. any other suggestions for caliber other than 6.5 rem mag
 
A couple tips on shooting .300WM.
1. Suppressor - the ultimate muzzle brake. Hopefully you live in a state where they are legal, if so, get one.
2. Wear a life vest (yes, as used in a boat). Makes a HUGE difference when shooting off a bench; for prone a folded bath towel over the recoil pad is equally effective.
3. Double ear protection - plugs and muffs.

As to other lighter recoiling chamberings for long range, the sky is the limit. To shoot accurately, .223 loaded with 77gr or heavier will do it as will pretty much any 6mm shooting 90gr -115gr bullets such as 6BR, 6 Dasher, .243, 6mmRem, 6mm-284, etc.

6.5mm you have .260 and 6.5-284 and a host of others that I don't pay much attention to.

In 7mm the .284Norma (or Win) is a very popular and accurate round giving good barrel life (go with the Norma spec. reamer to shoot Norma and Lapua brass as well as Win. brass). Also, 7SAUM and 7mmWSM, recoil is still considerably less than the .300WM.

The .308 Win will also reach out there with much less recoil than the 300WM.

Barrel life is what is. If the loaded round looks pretty small on top and pretty stout below you are going to be good friends with your gunsmith.

Best of luck!
 
I have 3 Savage bolt actions, in .308, 223, and just purchased one in 6.5 creedmore. all are set up for local competition, 300-600yards, My question is what calibers, given it's a long action and the size of the bolt face? I've been mostly a pistol shooter for the past 35 years so bear with me while I learn.
 
Well, with the mag bolt face you are limited to mag cartridges. You could buy another LA bolt, say from an '06 or buy a PTG bolt, and have a new barrel installed.

.284 is right at home in a LA and really any case longer than the .308 based family.

6.5 Rem Mag, as stated above, or any Belted Mag (and possibly Lazzeroni's) if you don't want to change bolts.
 
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Shoot it till its toast enjoy it to the fullest. If it doesn't last as long as you think it should , when you send it to the gunsmith send two new barrels with it and you will have twice as much fun as with the first barrel and half the down time.
 
After giving it a lot of thought I decided to keep the rifle, shoot it and then re-barrel it. (to what caliber I do not know) A friend of mine gave me some Hornady 165gr BTSP about 200, I thought I may as well load some up, any thoughts to powder? have any pet loads.
 

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