Infrared Thermometer for Barrel temp?

[Keith Glasscock]

Has anyone actually used one of these successfully?

I've been trying to make it work with a Ryobi and I can't get it to read the barrel temp. It may read 100 degrees, but the barrel is too hot to hold on to (150-160) on the outside. I've been wondering if the barrel finish has some part in it. My barrel is blasted stainless.

I'm going to try again tonight at our weekly 600 yard night, but my first several tries have left me thinking that I need something else.

Anyone have a better idea? Maybe try to read the temp in the chamber?

Thanks,
Keith

 

[eric_monster]

I use an infrared temp sensor from the r/c hobby industry. Seems to work fairly accurate. How old is your sensor? Might be out of calibration, if they can fall out of calibration.

 

[artbosco]

It may read 100 degrees, but the barrel is too hot to hold on to (150-160) on the outside.

Just out of curiosity, why would you want to hold onto a barrel, regardless of temperature? What's wrong with the stock's forend?

 

[Eddie Harren]

Ooooooooh, Outdoorsman thats a good one.

 

[spclark]

Any idea of what the "angle of view" is on that Ryobi device?

It's possible you need to hold it really close to your barrel so the area being read fills the sensor almost 100%.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

No idea what the angle of view is on it. I've tried everything from 18" to physically touching the barrel.

The unit is new, and I've checked the calibration against the oven thermometer and it seems to be darn good (or as darn good as the oven thermometer is).

I just can't ge the thing to give me a solid reading on the barrel.

My goal is to be able to monitor more objectively the barrel temperature during strings of fire. I know the barrel will get warm during an F-class string, I just don't want to get to the point of opening up the group (that happens around 180 degrees or so I think).

I'm also experimenting with a new fan Idea to help keep the barrel cooler, but I need good quality data to tell if it really works.

Does anyone know where I can get a glue-on thermometer that would give me 100-200 degrees of temp with reasonable resolution? I know I've seen color strip thermometers somewhere.

 

[jonbearman]

When you use this type of measuring instrument you have to take into consideration that the core is warmer than the outer diameter. You will get varying readings on the end where it is thinner and difference where it is thicker as the barrel hasnt nomalized,meaning the core is hotter than the outside daimeter. The best place to get an idea of what the temp really is when firing is the thinnest section towards the muzzle. Another thing that is important is using a black marker made similar to a grease pencil. I used an exergen infared for years in the hvac industry and without the grease crayon they sold,you couldnt get an accurate reading with shiny metals. I would call exergen and field your questions to them. I wouldnt tell them you are using a competitors tool,but rather say you are in the market for an accurate scanner. I will bet if you measured the thickest point in the barrel and compare with the muzzle you will get a variation making you think the scanner isnt working right. I hope this helps.

 

[hedditch]

I have the same problem as Busdriver. I got my measuring unit at Harbor Freight and figrued it was just a POS. I am going to put a peice of black electrical tape on the barrel and take a measurement and see if that works. If that doesn't work, I will get with Exergen. Does their marker come off the barrel easily? Is the marker expensive?

 

[jamesh]

Put a piece of masking tape on it. The barrel is to reflective to give an accurate reading with the IR thermometer.

James

 

[jonbearman]

The grease pencil comes right off with a touch of any solvent if I remember correctly.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Does anyone know where I can get a glue-on thermometer that would give me 100-200 degrees of temp with reasonable resolution? I know I've seen color strip thermometers somewhere.

I bought some several years ago from one of the online tool supply houses I believe. Made by Cole-Palmer they're about 1/2 inch by inch and 1/2 with adhesive on the back. About $10 for ten reusable strips. Work great. Cole-Palmer will sell them direct - $25 for 25 strips.

A 130F barrel is really freakin' hot.

Thanks Dave, I'll look for them.

I agree that 130F is hot. I don't allow my barrel to get above 150ish because it starts to throw shots around 170 or so. Unfortunately, shooting F-class in summer temps (100 or more) doesn't give you any wiggle room - it gets hot - really hot!

I just ran my first test with my barrel cooling system. It works, but the prototype is cumbersome to say the least. I think I have a solution to that - details later (if it works)

 

[Erik Cortina]

Maybe the reason your groups start opening up is because you are focusing on barrel temperature instead of conditions?

 

[kentuckytroutbum]

Has anyone tried the William Joseph infrared thermometers? I got one for use while fishing trout streams and it seems to work fairly well.

Bill

 

[hedditch]

Kentuckytroutbum, OK, explain how you use the infrared thermometers while trout fishing. Not gun related: blast them with a 44 mag. There!

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Just a thought here...but if your thermometer has a laser on it, the laser is just a pointer and does not read temps from it. Some models have a laser pointer above or around the actual infrared that does the reading. I've dealt with 3-4 different ones, and never had the problem you are describing from any of them.--Mike

 

[kentuckytroutbum]

Kentuckytroutbum, OK, explain how you use the infrared thermometers while trout fishing. Not gun related: blast them with a 44 mag. There!

You hold the WJ thermometer close to the water, push the button and read the temp of the water. Trout are especially tuned into the temp of the water. Too cold or too warm and they won't bite. Optimum temp is 50-60 deg. F.

Cabelas has them for $39.

Thought it might be useful to read temp of barrels, I'll try it next time I go to the range.

Bill

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Maybe the reason your groups start opening up is because you are focusing on barrel temperature instead of conditions?

If I hadn't had the experience the way I did, I'd agree with you. In my case, I was shooting like the house was on fire at 600 (F-TR, 20+2).

I normally "keep the target in the pits" when conditions are changing slowly or are calm.

All the 10's were my fault and they weren't far from the line. Then, out of nowhere, I get a 10 at 2 oclock - outside of mid ring. Then another. I had to wait for pit service for a minute plus and went back to x's. Next thing I know, #15 shows up as a 9, low. I stopped cold trying to figure out what happened and started over - X. As soon as the target came up I fired again, 9 at 6 oclock!

I gave it a minute or two to think about it and fired again - X.... Next shot, 9 again!

I then reached up and checked the barrel - uh-oh! try 180+

Let it cool for 3 or 4 miintues and fired 2 X's in a row - with cooling time in between

Last night I shot again - kept my eye on the temp and things went very well 150-8X @ 600. This barrel just doesn't like heat.

I have, however, not had any problems when the air temp is below 65. The barrel seems to keep cool enough then.

I am working on building a process and pacing that allows me to maintain the barrel temp in the "good" zone without having to think about it - I agree that taking one's attention off of conditions is a bad thing.

 

[Jeff A]

I have an Exergen D-Series Microscanner temp gauge that cost a fortune. I will have to play with it next time I go to the range. Not sure what I'm looking for, but I'll try it.

 

[232]

While the exergen d series is supposed to give accurate readings on most surfaces, the instructions still say to either paint or place a piece of tape on shiny surfaces.

A Fluke 68 or 66 will allow you to adjust the unit's emissivity for the type of surface being measured.

Measuring the outer surface of a barrel is fine, but I wonder how that correlates to the throat surface temp inside the barrel, and at what heat that surface is preheated enough to flame cut (erode) when firing. I guess you are looking to measure at what temperature your barrel produces flyers I think that would change with differing ambient temps.

 

[MrMajestic]

I use the stick-on strip thermometers from one of the major industrial suppliers. Just another variable I can measure. The expansion coefficient of steel is 6.5 PPM per degree Fahrenheit. Your bore is getting larger or smaller by that rate and may or may not effect your accuracy. Barrels are like women, let me know when you figure either out!