What happened to the concern with barrel burners and over-bore cartridges?

[Marksman]

It seems like not too many years ago there was real concern with picking cartridges that weren't going to shoot out barrels too quickly. But now we have the 6.5 PRC and 22 Creedmoor and no one seems to be complaining about barrel life. Are barrel materials better now, or was the original threat of shooting out barrels just overblown?

 

[Precisionhunter417]

I have yet to see any average shooter atually shoot out a barrel. I have pulled plenty of barrels when the accuracy fell off (> 0.50”) but i think the conversation calmed when the fad of the topic ran out of steam.

Those obsessed with the conversation of 6.5 prc 6mm creedmore and the other short life barrels probably never shot a 6.5x284 and counted down the 1k barrel life with a sence of certainty .

 

[WSnyder]

Are barrel materials better now, or was the original threat of shooting out barrels just overblown?

People have accepted that they'll cook barrels with the hot rods and just don't care anymore. Barrels have become a consumable to be used and replaced like a batch of brass.

 

[Pyscodog]

I think the premium barrel makers are using/getting better steel and we have powders that are a little easier on barrels as well.. But there is only so much life in a barrel. Hot loads and high volume shooting will roast it sooner or later.

 

[nakneker]

I just had a 22x47, 22-6.5 PRC and 25 Saum Improved built last year. Barrels don’t last any longer now days and even with care not to overheat the barrel I don’t expect to get more than 700 rounds or so out of 22-6.5 PRC but it is fun! Barrels are expendable, I have plenty of standard cartridges to play with but overbore cartridges put a smile on my face. The two coyotes I shot over the winter with the 6.5 PRC were impressive kills. I understand it’s not for everyone.

I blame Fredo and his 220 redline thread. That thread probably explains the attraction of overbore cartridges as well as anything I’ve read on here, it’s worth the read. 220 redline is a 22-Saum. Link to the thread below if interested.

Gentlemen, I present... the ".220 REDLINE"

I like wildcats. And being an avid predator hunter, I've gravitated toward 'hotrod' type cartridges...fast & flat is where it's at!!! Maximum point blank range and terminal performance on critters are key elements for a 'hotrod' to improve upon, over factory available cartridges. Ideally...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[Ranger188]

I think shooters are smarter and know what to expect when choosing
a overbore or "barrel burner"
I learned a lot with my 22 creed's about bullet RPM's, twist rates and bullet's length
for stabilizing and just what makes a jacket come apart.
Plus they are fun to shoot..

 

[Mike in Oregon]

I think shooters are smarter and know what to expect when choosing
a overbore or "barrel burner"
I learned a lot with my 22 creed's about bullet RPM's, twist rates and bullet's length
for stabilizing and just what makes a jacket come apart.
Plus they are fun to shoot..

I don't want to steel the thread, but I have a 22 CM I'm bringing online shortly. The gun was built around a Hornady 62-grain ELD-VT. It's a Ruger No. 1 with a Benchmark 26-inch, 9T screwed into it. Perhaps you could PM me.

Respects,
Mike

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Id wager money that cheap borescopes have saved allot of "shot out" barrels and better understanding of certain powders should also have helped a little

 

[demarpaint1]

It's part of the game, you wanna play with high velocity/performance cartridges you're going pay.

 

[BoydAllen]

It is all about money. The guys who buy the hotrod cartridges have it, or soon find out that they should have made a different choice. This reminds me of the sign on the wall behind the counter of a speed shop. "Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?" Also a lot depends on what a rifle is used for, and how it is used. I had a Swift that held up pretty well, because paid close attention to my rate of fire. For game rifles, if you work up a load and just shoot it to check your zero, at the beginning of the season, only shot it at game, and put it away after the season ends, you are not going to wear out many barrels, no matter what the caliber.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

I know of two diffrent cases that shooters thought their barrel was “ shot out” with nothing to lose there did a very aggressive deep cleaning and it brought their barrel back to life. Yes barrels do shoot out, but I think with newer/ better cleaning produces and shooter learning not to over heat among other things has helped extend barrel life.

 

[ELR LVR]

It seems like not too many years ago there was real concern with picking cartridges that weren't going to shoot out barrels too quickly. But now we have the 6.5 PRC and 22 Creedmoor and no one seems to be complaining about barrel life. Are barrel materials better now, or was the original threat of shooting out barrels just overblown?

Actually some barrels do have better wear characteritics now
Lothar Walthers LW-50 SS
Bartleins 400 ModBB
---------------------------------------
I have 3 barrels that are shot out right now
2 of them - Wont even spin a cleaning rod with a bore brush in
(lands are worn down to almost being non-visible)
---------------------------------------
Barrels are a consumeable as much as the ammo is in my opinion
and with so many guns now that you can buy a prefit for, or use a barrel nut to adjust headspace...
Maybe people finally began to realize that you can just slap a new barrel on
so the concern of barrel wear is not limited to having to take it to a gunsmith anymore.
---------------------------------------
It is only Hunters that seem to think a gun (Barrel) should last a lifetime
---------------------------------------
We'll spend more on a batch of bullets but don't think to spend another $400 on a new barrel every couple years.

 

[357Mag]

It seems like not too many years ago there was real concern with picking cartridges that weren't going to shoot out barrels too quickly. But now we have the 6.5 PRC and 22 Creedmoor and no one seems to be complaining about barrel life. Are barrel materials better now, or was the original threat of shooting out barrels just overblown?

Marksman -

Howdy !

I think there are plenty of shooters that still pay attention to potential “ barrel life “, relative to the chambering that want to shoot; or already are shooting with.
Yeh…. barrels can be viewed as “ consumables “. But…having a custom barrel made along with having a machinist chamber/ thread it for you, is still a high-buck proposition; and covering the cost remains a “ push “ many shooters.

Varmint shooters campaigning smaller calibre high-intensity rifles a won’t necessarily go through barrels on the scale that high volume competition shooters do, yet they still know they’ll have to replace a barrel(s) at some point. As a result, many varmint shooters
may try to extend barrel life through measures like avoiding fast repeat shots.

Making enducated choices on powder selection, can only help. Avoiding use of powders that are proven to “ burn hotter “ than others within a certain “ burn rate “ span, should also help in prevention of excessively accelerated barrel erosion. Likewise, “ load pressure” is also a contributing factor to reduced barrel life. I often mention this quote from ballistician Homer Powley…. “ High pressure is high temperature, and therefore, faster erosion; it is as simple as that “. In that light, shooting with loads @ the max end of allowed chamber pressure is something a shooter should only do when cognizant of the potential negative impact to barrel life.

The increase in popularity/use of longer and heavier bullets in smaller calibers has played a role’ in achievable life ( IMHO ), because amongst other things… they can drive changing the powder burn rate selected, reduced charge weights ( compared to lighter bullets in the same calibre ); and likewise reduced muzzle velocity.

Another trend also advancing, is the acceptance and use of chamberings with 30* ( and even some sharper ) shoulder angles. These, along with adequate neck length, serve to keep the powder combustion “ turbulence point “ inside the case neck; and not out in the barrel / barrel lead.

Beyond all that: use a good bore guide, a good “ coated “ rod; and bore cleaning products that work.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[jelenko]

We'll spend more on a batch of bullets

Or a jug of powder!

 

[joshb]

I still think about barrel life when I build a gun. Some new cartridges are hot rods pushed by Hornady or others. New sells. I’m not so drawn to “new”. I have several 22-250s that I treat with care. I have no use for a 22 Creedmoor. If I wanted to hot rod a 22-250 with a faster twist barrel, I’d go with a 6xc instead.
Back to the question: I think the Sales guys don’t care about barrel life. They just want to sell the new hot cartridge. People buy it.

 

[FNSafari]

It seems like not too many years ago there was real concern with picking cartridges that weren't going to shoot out barrels too quickly. But now we have the 6.5 PRC and 22 Creedmoor and no one seems to be complaining about barrel life. Are barrel materials better now, or was the original threat of shooting out barrels just overblown?

I don't think barrel materials are materially better than they were say 10 years ago. It's in my opion related to what do you need to shoot, say in the long range games, to be in the hunt? If its a 6.5x284 or a 300 win mag, or a 30-378 then people are shooting those overbores. They have discovered that success costs and barrels wearing out is just one of the several consumables in the shooting game.

I shoot short range IBS score. At .45 per bullet and 60 bullets per match and a 3000 rounds of competitive barrel life that's $1350 for bullets! Why worry about barrels at half that cost?

 

[ebb]

Like buying a Yugo and wanting to win the Dakar rally with it. High performance comes with a price. Usually several prices, more powder, more cleaning, shorter brass life, less barrel life.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Inflation has made it that almost nobody can afford to burn a barrel out.

We also have prefits and YouTube so even a knuckle dragger like me can spin on a new barrel at home.

Its not the cost of the barrel to me, it is starting over with load development that I dont want to do.

 

[Bc'z]

Barrel makers gotta eat too!!

 

[K22]

Based my experience, shot sequence plays a major role in barrel life. Most guys I see at the range, even with bolt rifles, shoot 5 to 10 sustained shots. With overbore cartridges, this heats up the barrel quickly. Heat is the major contributor to shortening barrel life.

I shoot only cool / cold barrel shots, not to preserve barrel life but because for me being a hunter, this is the "money shot". A side benefit is increased barrel life.

For some long-range applications, overbore cartridges may be needed. For example, for long range eastern varmint hunting, the 22 250 is an excellent choice where the shots are well spread out, especially today with the changes in farming practices resulting in limited shot opportunities.

However, I would submit that many shooters buy these extreme long range cartridge rifles like the 26 Nosler based on hype. While such cartridges are certainly capable of making shots at extreme ranges, those ranges usually exceed the skill of most shooters. The advantage is mental rather than practical.