New .204 barrel and ?? about barrel life.

[Bison Butt]

I worked up some 32 grain Sierra BK  loads for a .204 Ruger. The most promising load was 27.5 gr Benchmark @3750,..27.8 gr @ 3870,.. 28.1 @ 3928 which is at the published max. With these loads the velocity varied as I have stated, with best groups, and I'm wondering about the barrel life at these velocities. I really like the max load as it was very consistent velocity wise, with my chrono,more so than any other trials,.(.I know the can vary) and the group was very tight.

Should I worry about the barrel life at those higher velocities? Perhaps use the lowest velocity at the smallest group size?

I have a feeling that this barrel may be shot a lot!!!! I just got it from H&R a few weeks ago and put a Burris 4x14 Fulfield II on it. I was caught up in the recall of Sierras 39 grain bullets so I don't have any shooting experience with them. They haven't replaced what I ordered yet.

 It surpassed all my expectations so far.

BB

[striker525]

From what I've read barrel wear is more excessive when you get above the 4000 fps zone.

[mitchell]

good luck burning it out man i've been trying to burn mine out for a while with no luck at all .


don't worry about it

[shaner]

all ive heard ,read an been told it after the 4000fps is when it wears a lot?

[NFG]

Barrel life is more a function of heat than velocity.  The throat of the chamber erodes from the powder burning...the bullet moving down the barrel or the velocity are not the major causes of a "barrel wearing out".  Anytime your fire a round you are generating velocity by the burning of the powder which causes the gas to expand rapidly.  Trying to push a specific amount of hot gas down a relitively small hole increases the contact time of the burning gas on the barrel steel and increases the actual burning of the barrel metal.  Throat erosion is what causes barrels to die and it is accelerated by fast shooting and not letting the barrel cool down.  17 and 20 cals are harder on steel because a lot of hot burning gas gets pushed down a very small hole...but there are many factors and they all interplay

You can minimize this and help your barrel to last longer by using powders in the cooler burning ranges...some types of powders have a lower flame temp than others...in the old days ball powders burned cooler than log powders and also had less erosive action on the hot metal...not sure if that is a given today and barrel steels are more "wear" resistant also.  Using Stainless Steel barrels also helps but the most important factor as far as I can see is shooting slow.  Keep the barrel cool enough to be able to hold a finger or hand on the chamber area without any discomfort. 

The quickest way to burn out a barrel is to go out an shoot off a bunch of rounds...on paper or furry targers...and get the barrel hot enough to cook your dinner on it.

I've put over 4000 rounds of stiff 50 gr loads through several 220 Swifts and they were still shooting 3/4" groups when I pulled the barrels...THEN cut off 7-8" at the chamber end on a couple and rechambered them to smaller cal 22's and continued for an additional few thousand rounds before using them as tent stakes.  Also similar amounts through 22-250 and 22-250 AI's, 22-243's, hot 6 mm's, hot 25's and so on up through 30 cal....not all mind you...I've burned up a couple barrels on potgut hunts in my youth by shooting until the wood charred...one just being dumb and the other as an experiment...both good lessons learned.

Each barrel steel, each caliber, each rifle use has an inherent optimum accuracy limit, then a certain length of acceptable accuracy limit...then the barrel is basically used up.  What those limits are and where the end is, is determined by the way the barrel is treated...keep it cool and it will give you good service and long life..

Some very good information can be found at http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html and http://www.freewebs.com/precisionrifle/accuracyarticles.htm.

'Njoy

[Bison Butt]

NFG,

 That was a very nice perspective and I agree with you. Thanks for taking the time to expand on the subject. It makes perfect sense.
 Thanks to the rest of you also.

BB

[Ireload2]

The best barrel to have is one you burned out having fun.  If you really had fun then you can happily go get another.

[Ditchdigger]

I have a 220 Swift that has 3000 rds.that I've put down the barrel in excess of 4100 fps. and it still shoots very very good when I do my part. I've found that leaving the action open for a short period of time after each shot will let the barrel cool down quicker especially if you place the rifle muzzle up.It creates a chimmney effect and the air will rise quickly up the barrell and cool it faster.   Digger

[LaOtto222]

Throat erosion has more to do with pressure and the amount of unburnt or partially burnt powder going through the throat area than velocity, but velocity has some to do with it too. The more powder you squeeze through a small orifice (throat) the more friction will be generated and heat is a byproduct of this friction. Shoot your 204 and enjoy. Just make sure you do not load up over safe pressure limits and do not over heat the barrel unduly, then let the chips fall where they may. Good Luck and Good Shooting.

[NFG]

I learned early on in my shooting career to disbelieve everything you read in the gunrags and only one quarter what you hear around the campfire.  The Swift is a prime example of the "old wives" gossiping over the back fence...doesn't matter if they have on a pair of pants or not.  I had some very good mentors when it came to separating fact from fancy.  I shot up a ton of 4320, 4064, H380, BL-C2 and H4895 in my Swifts and most of the other hotties with similar case capacities.  Today Varget and RL15 get the lions share with those cartridges...but 4320 is still the best overall for velocity and accuracy in my 17 Rem with 20 VMax, 40 gr VMax bullets in the 223's.  Just did 10 in a row out to about 150 yds with my 17 FB using 20 Vmax and WW748 today but I will be trying 4320 in the next few days...it burns much cleaner than the 748.  Might be a bit slow for that little case.

Every rifle has it's preferences and half the fun of shooting is working out those optimum loads.

I've been know to cut away almost all the wood around the barrel and cut big slots in the bottom wood on some of my favorites.  As long as I had enough to hold on to and some to set in a bag I was happy.  One experimental stock ended up with just a 1/2" steel rod out long enough to mount the bipod on.  That got lots of looks and comments until I won a few sucker bets.  Somethings are just not for all...

I tried using water once on the range to check out fast cooling, but it shocked the barrel steel enough so you could see a twist down the boree...It did straighten out when I got it evenly cooled all around and left it set until it cooled completely...I thought I had just wasted a very accurate Hart barrel, but after letting it set overnight, the next day it shot just as good...no thanks to my "experiment".  I just don't let things get that hot anymore...I always have several rifles, bolt pistols, pistols and wheel guns and spread the shots around.

And you're definitely right Ireload2...I've had a passel of those "Best" barrels.  Everything wears out, just enjoy what you have today and be ready for a switheroo at some future time.

'Njoy