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Hot barrel - what temp to stop shooting rounds

A lot of folks talk about stopping when barrel surface temps approach instantaneous scalding temps (>140F), but something to consider, steel isn't changing until we're more than 10x that temp. Great safety measure to not get a barrel so hot that you can't safely touch it, but in terms of barrel life, the flash temperature (and resulting heat from the internal strain of the pressure pulse) during the shot is causing ridiculously more change to the steel inside the bore than anything we'd be able to influence by shooting faster or slower with a bolt action, or anything we'd do with any surface temps of sub-instantaneous scalding temp.
 
This time of the year shooting in sweltering heat, it's tough to get barrels to shed heat. I have been known to shoot a group to where the barrel was hot to the touch. I'll then take the rifle into the deer camp house and put it in front of the window A/C unit with cold air blowing on the outside of the barrel. It cools is down quick but it's not without issues doing this.

Upon going back outside and shooting another group, ES increases significantly and POI changes. I've really noticed this with factory lever actions and factory bolts the most. The learning lesson for me is that is not a good way to go for load development. I thinks its better to keep the barrel at a consistent temp whatever that is.
 

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