Quick Cooling a Barrel and Suppressor

[jfields]

I live and shoot in Deep South Texas where it gets damn hot. I was wondering if anyone knows if it would hurt the rifle and/or suppressor to drape a wet towel over them in an effort to cool them off. I was thinking about keeping one in an ice chest and then deploying it every 4 or 5 shots so I can get back to shooting more quickly. If I don't have a shady place to set the rifle, it could take forever and a day to get the barrel to a temp that you can touch without burning yourself. This is for a .338 LM with a AAC Titan suppressor.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

-J

 

[RTH1800]

I do that on smaller rifles in KS often. No harm that I can see.

 

[Steel head]

I do it here in E Wa when it's 90+ degrees or so.
Drape some wet shop towels on the barrel.

 

[jfields]

Thanks for the replies, Guys! I'm going to give it a try next time out and report back.

-J

 

[rpk762]

It is almost a requirement for shooting prairie dogs.

 

[gaphighpower]

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...nt/202061-half-baked-barrel-cooling-idea.html

 

[waveslayer]

I use a battery operated fan sometime too. It works awesome

 

[Deadshot2]

Whenever "rapid cooling" a barrel, etc, he issue is keeping the "cooling" even.

Try this. Take a long Bore Guide that fits the chamber tightly. Attach a piece of hose (fuel, vacuum, etc) to it with the other end attached to a coil of copper pipe inside a cooler. Mount fan (large Computer fan) on one end of the cooler and inside put a baffle that the end of he copper pipe passes through and is sealed. The baffle should be sealed at the edges and also seal when the lid is closed.

For operation, fill the cooler portion with either regular or dry ice. Power up the fan. Air is forced through the coil that is surrounded by ice. The cold air is then directed down the center of the barrel thus cooling the barrel and suppressor between strings.

If using dry ice only, no need for the cooler coils. They just keep "wet air" that exists over regular ice from being blown down the barrel to react with powder residue, etc.

 

[agbm]

tag

 

[McCrazy]

For the sake of provoking some thought:

Cooling the outside of the barrel (like with a wet rag) wont work to quickly cool the actual bore of the rifle. It will draw heat away from the surface of the barrel but a lot of heat will remain in the bore and most importantly the throat. Most of our rifles have a scope on top of the action and chamber area, with a stock covering the bottom of the area. Therefor access for even placing a wet rag is pretty limited in the areas that need it most.

Seems to me that taking an expended piece of brass and installing a nipple into the primer area, then attaching a tube to the nipple, attach an air pump to the tube, and then place the brass in the chamber would work better. The brass would help seal the chamber end of the barrel off; no water is being used; and the air would blow out of the piece of brass directly into the throat and down the barrel thus cooling in order the metal that really needs to be cooled off instead of the outside of the barrel.

Would not be something I carry to a firefight but if it would aid the cooling of a barrel between strings of fire to prevent cooking a barrel it may help someone.

 

[waveslayer]

For the sake of provoking some thought:

Cooling the outside of the barrel (like with a wet rag) wont work to quickly cool the actual bore of the rifle. It will draw heat away from the surface of the barrel but a lot of heat will remain in the bore and most importantly the throat. Most of our rifles have a scope on top of the action and chamber area, with a stock covering the bottom of the area. Therefor access for even placing a wet rag is pretty limited in the areas that need it most.

Seems to me that taking an expended piece of brass and installing a nipple into the primer area, then attaching a tube to the nipple, attach an air pump to the tube, and then place the brass in the chamber would work better. The brass would help seal the chamber end of the barrel off; no water is being used; and the air would blow out of the piece of brass directly into the throat and down the barrel thus cooling in order the metal that really needs to be cooled off instead of the outside of the barrel.

Would not be something I carry to a firefight but if it would aid the cooling of a barrel between strings of fire to prevent cooking a barrel it may help someone.

I simply place a 10" fan at the action. The fan blows air though the chamber out to the muzzle. With heat rising it cools the barrel rather quickly.