Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles what is your experience with hot barrels?

yep, my controls were not up to Campfire standards. I rolled up my vest for a front rest, scrunched down onto the table, pulled the rifle tight into the shoulder and rested both arms parallel with the surface of the L shaped bench, support hand held the rifle just front of the magazine well, watched the cross hairs dance about the 1" orange dot at 100 yards... that is as steady as i could be... so i have an inch of variability right there.

the last sets of five with the 100 grainers were truly randomly dispersed about the shot group, stringing mostly left and right.

I learned four things from this exercise: i need some kit to properly bench a rifle for accuracy testing; the barrel does walk, 80s are more consistent than the 100s, and the rifle is plenty accurate for 100 yard shots on deer.

quote: First up was the Hornady 95 SST which put three into 1" but two fliers opened it up to 2.75"
Next up were the 100 Federals which scattergunned over 3.75"

This right here would tell you have other problems before barrel heat set in.

If you touch a barrel and your instinct is to pull our hand away then you are above 140 degree's and internally it's hot enough to burn the bore.

I say keep shooting, and sell it when the groups open.

I.e. - too hot to. Touch and you've already done damage.

One thing I like to do with a strictly big game hunting rifle is to shoot 10 shots into a target spaced over 10 days at just one shot a day. I can because I can shoot at home. I think it gives me a good idea of what I can do and what the gun can do on any given day. I think it helps eliminate the good shooting days from the bad shooting days and all issues caused by temperature.

I think it would show you exactly how well a rifle likes a particular load much more so than trying to test out several different loads on a single day. It will eliminate any barrel heating issues or shooter fatigue issues.

I put the barrel against the web between my middle and ring fingers, if it's hot enough that I feel discomfort, then it's too hot.

Too hot for what?

Putting the the barrel between his middle and ring finger.. duh

Bull. Largely depends on purpose of shooting, and bedding. If it is a free floated barrel, and walks after a few, then maybe. If it has a pressure point, then it damned well will walk when it heats- ain't necessarily the barrel's fault.

But who in their right mind does this except on the range, maybe?

Now, I admit to being contrary- but for me- I really don't give a chit what it does after 3-5 shots. I'm a hunter, not a shooter. If it takes more than 5 shots to down game, I did something wrong. Hell, I can do something wrong with one shot....

Hot barrel problems just ain't in my lexicon...

YMMV, and that's OK, too.

1 minute per shot is a good general rule, but it also depends on temperature. If it's winter time you can shoot more often. Just be sure to put a hand on that barrel and check it for heat. Don't want to get that barrel too warm... I'll often bring 4-5 rifles to the range when I go, so as not to overheat anything... Might as well buy a rear bag along with that front rest/bag as long as you are at the store...

Does the target look different than on with just 10 rounds fired back to back? If it does, there is something wrong with the gun somewhere.

What have you found to be the most common 'something' that is wrong when cold vs hot POI is different?