. Using a slower powder can, some folks believe, also extend your barrel life —

[cocopuff]

I guess I need a better understanding of this statement...
Are the lower loads in the manual a slower burn powder
or how does one figure this out...Say like the difference
between RE-15 and Varget....Or IMR 4064 and IMR 4350...

Are not the burn rate charts listed in fast to slow?

Cansomeone shed some more light on this,....Thanks...John

 

[bigedp51]

At 43,000 cup the peak flame temperature is reaching the melting point of modern barrel steel. Your chamber pressure and heat has more to do with barrel life and also the type powder used, single or double base.

 

[ebb]

Benchrest shooters have known for years use fast powder and the heat ends soon, use slow and it goes on longer. The engineer at Hodgdon powder agrees with this as i have asked. I ask him why some folks belive this, he said "cause they want to".

 

[lpreddick]

i once saw a chart relating calibers, powder burn rate and useful life of a barrel. in all calibers, the slower the powder, the shorter the barrel life. when i load a specific cartridge with a heavier bullet, the powder of choice is usually a slower burn rate and a larger charge weight. there is more heat calories in this heavier charge and heat probably burns a barrel greater that pressure. example...a 6 BR with pressures exceeding 55,000+psi and a .243 win.

 

[cocopuff]

Food for thought..Thanks...Some times I think I read too damn much
about things..Might rether be pulling the trigger...

 

[K22]

Maybe I'm missing something here (wouldn't be the first time ) but does it really matter? I mean if a slower powder shoots exceptionally well does it make any sense to spend the time and money (and barrel wear) searching for a powder that shoots faster? For me, I want the powder that shoots the most accurate and has the best temperature stability.

I consider barrels consumables - the goal is to wear them out - it means I'm shooting a lot and loving it. ; I never worrying about wearing a barrel out - when it dies - I sent the rifle to the gunsmith to replace it - meanwhile I move to the next one on the rack and keep shooting / hunting.

As my old shooting buddy use to say - you need three - one in use - one in reserve - one in the shop being repaired. I've used this argument with my wife to justify buying another rifle ;D ;D - warning - she wasn't amused.

 

[louielouie]

One of the other parameters that I've seen in the QuickLoad data is the heat energy of a powder and that seems to correlate with how some powders heat the barrel faster than other powders of a similar burn rate.