The cost of shooting just in components. Thought for the day!

Frank Green

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So this is a good one... Just recently got an accuracy test barrel back from a ammo maker. 308win is the caliber. When ever they retire one of ours as they typically go a long time barrel life wise. I get it back and we look at it.

So the accuracy test barrel I got back was officially retired when it hit 27,160 rounds fired thru it. That's not a typo! Not 2k rounds but yest 27k rounds fired thru it!

The barrel was testing five different types of ammo/bullets. Barrel is a 1-12 twist 308win.

At 26,550 rounds the barrel was still shooting groups at from .4 to .5moa at 200 yards and it was getting a 150 rounds a day fired thru it. 10 shot groups by the way.

So while we where looking at it the thought went into our heads. How much powder got burned thru this barrel?

It got roughly a 154# of powder fired thru the barrel.

At a cost of lets say current retail of $70 per pound of powder... that equals $10,800!

27+ boxes of 1k count primers at $85 per 1k that equals $2,295!

270 boxes of bullets (100 count boxes) at a rough retail price of $50 per box that equals $13,500 in bullets!

That total dollar wise comes to $26,959 if you had brass to start with and used your reloaded brass every single time.

If you had to buy brass and only shoot the brass one time.... that would be about $16,740 for brass. That would give you a grand total of $43,335!

Just food for thought.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
 
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The original post should be on the top of every reloading thread on the Hide

Next time somebody shows a three shot cherry picked group with their pet load and says that major ammo manufacturer or bullet maker doesn’t know what they’re talking about knows better…we can all just laugh 😆 lol 😝
 
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Are people junking barrels long before they should be?
That really is the question of the day. Do we get scared after we get a lot of rounds on a barrel and replace it when we should have just kept shooting or reworked the load? Are they really going to just suddenly stop shooting in the middle of a match? We all think the next barrel is going to shoot in the 2s and the one we have is only shooting 4s. lol

I know I got rid of the factory barrel on my Savage early because I was tired of cleaning it. Copper magnet.
 
@Frank Green

So over the course of the last 20-21yrs I am at roughly $50,000-$55,000 in powder,primers and bullets using your numbers.
If I take into account that things were cheaper when I started then I'd say I am roughly $40,000 just in components, NOT counting barrels(most of which have been yours Frank)or brass. I stopped tracking barrels at 33 so I'd guess I am at aprox 37-38 now and lets say average $300 per barrel and $250 per for smith work equals another $20,350 so lets just round off to $60,000...I do not travel more than about 400 miles so I'd say another $10,000-$15,000(conservatively)in match fees and travel so $75,000ish!!

Shit that's a grip of cash!!! Was it worth it? HELL YES, every penny, I have met a bunch of good ppl and have had a great time over the years and plan on continuing shooting PRS and NRL as long as my old ass can and when I'm to broken to roll around in the dirt with the youngsters I will go prone with the girls...I mean the F-class and benchrest guys LOL!!!
 
@Frank Green

So over the course of the last 20-21yrs I am at roughly $50,000-$55,000 in powder,primers and bullets using your numbers.
If I take into account that things were cheaper when I started then I'd say I am roughly $40,000 just in components, NOT counting barrels(most of which have been yours Frank)or brass. I stopped tracking barrels at 33 so I'd guess I am at aprox 37-38 now and lets say average $300 per barrel and $250 per for smith work equals another $20,350 so lets just round off to $60,000...I do not travel more than about 400 miles so I'd say another $10,000-$15,000(conservatively)in match fees and travel so $75,000ish!!

Shit that's a grip of cash!!! Was it worth it? HELL YES, every penny, I have met a bunch of good ppl and have had a great time over the years and plan on continuing shooting PRS and NRL as long as my old ass can and when I'm to broken to roll around in the dirt with the youngsters I will go prone with the girls...I mean the F-class and benchrest guys LOL!!!
If you are only $75k into 20 years worth of a hobby, you are doing terrifically well. Makes it sound downright “cheap” to shoot rifles as opposed to rebuilding cars, international travel, skiing, light aircraft aviation, scuba diving, golf, or hookers…or hell, even fancy shotguns.
 
If you are only $75k into 20 years worth of a hobby, you are doing terrifically well. Makes it sound downright “cheap” to shoot rifles as opposed to rebuilding cars, international travel, skiing, light aircraft aviation, scuba diving, golf, or hookers…or hell, even fancy shotguns.
I know what your saying, hookers are a huge expense.
 
What the hell are these hobbies that can be done for $250 a year? Naval gazing? You can’t even make a hobby out of lawn-mowing for that.
I spend around that on one bowling ball. I really don't even want to consider how much I've spent on reloading alone let alone guns. :oops:
 
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So this is a good one... Just recently got an accuracy test barrel back from a ammo maker. 308win is the caliber. When ever they retire one as ours as they typically go a long time barrel life wise. I get it back and we look at it.

So the accuracy test barrel I got back was officially retired when it hit 27,160 rounds fired thru it. That's not a typo! Not 2k rounds but yest 27k rounds fired thru it!

The barrel was testing five different types of ammo/bullets. Barrel is a 1-12 twist 308win.

At 26,550 rounds the barrel was still shooting groups at from .4 to .5moa at 200 yards and it was getting a 150 rounds a day fired thru it. 10 shot groups by the way.

So while we where looking at it the thought went into our heads. How much powder got burned thru this barrel?

It got roughly a 154# of powder fired thru the barrel.

At a cost of lets say current retail of $70 per pound of powder... that equals $10,800!

27+ boxes of 1k count primers at $85 per 1k that equals $2,295!

270 boxes of bullets (100 count boxes) at a rough retail price of $50 per box that equals $13,500 in bullets!

That total dollar wise comes to $26,959 if you had brass to start with and used your reloaded brass every single time.

If you had to buy brass and only shoot the brass one time.... that would be about $16,740 for brass. That would give you a grand total of $43,335!

Just food for thought.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
Was that barrel made out of your 400MODBB steel?
 
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I too would love to know how much the lands actually eroded. I'm betting smoothbore for 4 inches
I knew 30 hate was easy on barrels but DANG.
my 6 creed is toast in approx 1500 rounds.
 
Not to brag, but I'm still shooting Hodgdon powders from the cans with metal lids and $27 - 29 stickers on top. 😄.

I have bought (insert legal limit here) kegs of Hodgdon stuff when it was $315 and the prices were going up.

Still, 27K rounds through a .308 that still shot sub-MOA is pretty awesome.
 
Was that barrel made out of your 400MODBB steel?
To be honest.... standard material.

Was it a freak and out of the ordinary.... you bet! Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason these things happen. It's just flat out not the norm.

That's why I ask for these back at times. We take a look at the material certs etc... and see if we can find something that points us to something in the material to try and make future lots better.
 
So the accuracy test barrel I got back was officially retired when it hit 27,160 rounds fired thru it. That's not a typo! Not 2k rounds but yest 27k rounds fired thru it!

Frank, my question is do you know how often they cleaned that barrel and what their method was? I suspect they were not over cleaning like we tend to do.
 
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Not to brag, but I'm still shooting Hodgdon powders from the cans with metal lids and $27 - 29 stickers on top. 😄.

I have bought (insert legal limit here) kegs of Hodgdon stuff when it was $315 and the prices were going up.

Still, 27K rounds through a .308 that still shot sub-MOA is pretty awesome.
About two years ago I finally used up my last container of W296 pistol powder. Bought it back around 1988 time frame. Paid $9.95 for it.

Also I was given these two cans of 2400 and Bullseye. Still sealed and unopened. $2.75 a pound. LOL!

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What on earth was the throat erosion at 27k? Was it measured in inches not in .001 inches?

David
I'll look at it again and see if I can come up with a close measurement on the 27k. I'll post back.

I know the barrel at 14,560 rounds we got back I had it wire cut in half. Here is a pic. About a good 1.5" of the rifling is gone from the case mouth. This is as I received it. No cleaning etc... you can see how black it is in the first part of the barrel from the carbon fouling.

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Frank, my question is do you know how often they cleaned that barrel and what their method was? I suspect they were not over cleaning like we tend to do.
I do ask that question. I know the 27K barrel had little or no cleaning with JB/abrasive period. He said and I quote... "we have not used abrasive on this barrel in thousands of rounds if at all."

If they do use JB or anything like that... Only one person is allowed to use the stuff.

Sometimes it got cleaned after say 30-50 rounds and sometimes it went a 150 in between cleaning. If I recall correctly towards the end of it's life it was getting cleaned in less than 50 rounds.

Again I quote.... "At 26,550 rounds it got a 150 rounds in the last 21 hours and that's about average."

" We are cleaning this barrel with Eliminator every 3 groups and of course using a bronze brush."

You have to keep in mind... a 308w is very easy on barrels fouling wise so cleaning. It's not a 300wm or a 300 Norma or a 243win etc...

Later, Frank
 
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About two years ago I finally used up my last container of W296 pistol powder. Bought it back around 1988 time frame. Paid $9.95 for it.

Also I was given these two cans of 2400 and Bullseye. Still sealed and unopened. $2.75 a pound. LOL!

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Dad gave me an 8lb keg of Unique that is still unopened in the round cardboard container 😳. I think I'll save it for other purposes besides reloading. I still have a metal can or two of 3031 and 4320 if you're collecting old stuff.😄

Used one of your barrels with some ca. 2008, H4350 the other day to do some load development (6CM). Old powder still works great if stored properly - but you have to have a good barrel too. Basically stayed .4" and below for 2 whole grains of powder.

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I mean, I know what I use bore paste for...(carbon rings)(very carefully)
I wonder what they use it for if they're cleaning every 50 rounds anyway.
learning so much this morning!
 
thanks for entertaining our questions! looks like my initial guess of 4" may be relatively close lol
Looking at the 27k round barrel under the bore scope... I do see faint traces of lands prior to this dimension but until I see a decent/defined rifling (lands) my dimension is 5".

So basically the first 5" of rifling is gone/eroded away.
 
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I'll look at it again and see if I can come up with a close measurement on the 27k. I'll post back.

I know the barrel at 14,560 rounds we got back I had it wire cut in half. Here is a pic. About a good 1.5" of the rifling is gone from the case mouth. This is as I received it. No cleaning etc... you can see how black it is in the first part of the barrel from the carbon fouling.

View attachment 8441950

Holy crap, but still producing 0.5MOA groups per the etched info. That’s nuts!
 
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I’ve got about 1/3lb of RL-15 running around here with $17.99 on the sticker, circa 2004, and that was from the highest place in town.

Golf, even when I’m going a couple/few times a month, is by far the cheapest thing I do.
 
Then I guess you don’t buy Retumbo or similar powders now.

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And don’t forget that unless you buy local, there’s shipping, taxes and Hazmat added. Easy $70/# .

$70/#, check again - 1lb H4350 $55.99 + Hazmat $22.99 + Shipping Under $100 - $12.95 = $91.93... plus state/local taxes, 6% for me.
 
And if everyone has been following it....

About a month ago Alliant powder said they will no longer sell powder for reloading. It will all go to ammo makers only from now on until further notice is what I got out of it unless I got it completely wrong?

So that's going to put a further strain on powder supply. If you use any of the Alliant powder and you can't get it anymore... then you have to look at other brands/choices for a given cartridge.
 
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And if everyone has been following it....

About a month ago Alliant powder said they will no longer sell powder for reloading. It will all go to ammo makers only from now on until further notice is what I got out of it unless I got it completely wrong?

So that's going to put a further strain on powder supply. If you use any of the Alliant powder and you can't get it anymore... then you have to look at other brands/choices for a given cartridge.

Does Alliant make powder?