Fire cracking

[bench]

I noticed that some fire cracking has started in my barrel
Is the barrel toast now as I have noticed some shots are getting a bit wild and not sure if it is the barrel or the scope giving up on me.
How much fire cracking is the limit on a barrel,its about 3" into the barrel from the lands forward.
or should I just use it for a tomato stake now.

 

[JBT47]

I noticed that some fire cracking has started in my barrel
Is the barrel toast now as I have noticed some shots are getting a bit wild and not sure if it is the barrel or the scope giving up on me.
How much fire cracking is the limit on a barrel,its about 3" into the barrel from the lands forward.
or should I just use it for a tomato stake now.

What caliber and how many rounds?

Have you ever used Iosso or JB's in the throats area?

 

[bench]

It is my 240 Weatherby, Deer and Goat rifle pushing 85gr pills at max load @ 3390fps
got to be at 450 rounds down the tube.
The barrel has been pushed hard as far as load goes and replacing the barrel is no big deal but just checking what you guys think.
I have never used any Iosso or JBs

 

[BenPerfected]

It is my 240 Weatherby, Deer and Goat rifle pushing 85gr pills at max load @ 3390fps
got to be at 450 rounds down the tube.
The barrel has been pushed hard as far as load goes and replacing the barrel is no big deal but just checking what you guys think.
I have never used any Iosso or JBs

Take the gun/barrel to your gunsmith for evaluation, good chance you have good barrel life left.

 

[savagedasher]

Don't worry about paper will tell you forget the bore scope . Larry

 

[Clancy]

I'd use JB, could be looking at cracked carbon.

 

[mongo chicago]

All guns have cracking - mine too. I would think that the throat may be getting a bit longer so you would need to not seat the bullets as deep in the case.

 

[Brians356]

I've had good results on such barrels with Tubb's Final Finish lapping bullets. They've not yet failed to shrink groups and speed cleaning, but it's a more involved process than using JB which mostly just requires elbow grease and alcoholic beverage of choice. But if it truly is pronounced firecracking, you'll never erase it completely short of deep rechambering. What matters is how it affects accuracy and fouling, if at all.
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[carlsbad]

As you say, barrel has been pushed hard. If 243 win is a barrel burner, that round is an incinerator. occasional wild shots is a symptom of barrel problems more often than scope problems. If you can't find any other explanation for degraded performance, replace the barrel. Since it is a rifle you use for critical shots, I might replace it anyway. --Jerry

 

[Brians356]

If it once was consistent, before I'd rebarrel it, I'd run the Tubb bullets through it. That's what they're for. Since you'd just rebarrel anyway, who cares if you "ruin" it? (You won't, but you can humor the Tubb detractors that way.) The throat will likely be advanced .010 or more, so your seating depth will need to be reestablished. But for a fraction of the cost of a new barrel, you could have your old Betsy back.
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[jepp2]

You might run it through the barrel life calculator, just to see what it projects your barrel life to be:
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/excel-formula-predicts-useful-barrel-life/

 

[Webster]

It is my 240 Weatherby, Deer and Goat rifle pushing 85gr pills at max load @ 3390fps
got to be at 450 rounds down the tube.
The barrel has been pushed hard as far as load goes and replacing the barrel is no big deal but just checking what you guys think.
I have never used any Iosso or JBs

It's not just fire cracking, the lands get eliminated. I would shoot it as long as the accuracy is acceptable. I had a 6mm Rem with 4000 rounds fired. It still shot 3/4" groups and killed many GH out to 300 yards. The rifle had extreme erosion out to about 6”. I cross-sectioned the barrel and put photos on this website several times. The rifle must have had 4” of rifling erased. Lots of freebore. Kreiger now has a five month delivery on barrels. There are other suitable calibers with better barrel life. Do whatever makes you happy.

 

[SWRichmond]

as far as I know All barrels are fire cracked shortly after you start shooting them.

Use the JB pink stuff. Tight patch. Stroke the 3 or 4 inches forward of the chamber about 60 quick strokes, then extend.

If the cracking is so severe you get bad copper fouling, JB may not help.

 

[Tim s]

Unless your familiar with the J&B use less aggressive approach.
Fire cracking is enevitable but you need to realize once it starts you get hard carbon associated with it.
Use a short rod with a nylon brush loaded with IOSSO bore cleaner for the carbon and you should have reasonable accuracy. IOSSO works quite well on carbon and that's what you're targeting.
Unless the barrel falls off a cliff this now becomes part of the cleaning regimine no less than, probably, every 40-50 rounds.