Re: What determines barrel life?
Hello Defusion,
First off, let me say this; not all barrel qualities are the same by no means. When a shooter wishes to purchase a new long range rifle, he or she needs to ask themselves a few questions before diving in and spending all that money on a purchase;
1.)- What will be the main use of this new rifle?
2.)- What caliber would best suit my needs?
3.)- What kind of profile and or taper would I like to have for my new barrel?
4.)- What weight of bullets am I thinking about shooting and reloading?
5.)- Am I going to mostly shoot short distance (out to 300 to 500 yards) or am I going to got for extreme long range (1,000 to 1760 yards and beyond)?
These are all very important questions that you need to ask yourself. I currently have two sniper rifle platforms that are chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and they both shoot my 139 gr. Lapua Scenar HPBT handloads beautifully. The Lapua Scenars provide the shooter with a great long range bullet that boasts a G1 ballistic coefficient of 0.615 which is absolutely incredible for the size of the bullet that it is. I have used both of my 6.5 Creedmoor rifles in several long-range competetive shoots and I kept up with the big magnums with no problems as long as the wind wasn't pushing more than 8 to 9 mph with anything greater than half value.
Finally, let me tell you about how to get the most out of the barrel life of your rifle; when you go out to the range and shoot, say anything from 50 to 100 rounds, after you shoot, clean your barrel with a good solvent. I found both Hoppes #9 and Shooters Choice works very well. I also frequently use JB non-embedding compound in my barrel as well. Just make sure to use the non-embedding kind and nothing else.
I purchased my first of several Sako TRG-42 rifles about 8 years ago, chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum. The barrel was rated to be able to shoot about 2200 rounds before it would be time to replace it. I managed to squeeze out right at 3300 rounds before I lost my accuracy node. At that point, I had no other choice than to replace the barrel. Even the gunsmith couldn't believe that I made it last that long. It's all very possible to make a barrel last. It all depends on how the shooter takes care of the barrel and perfoms preventative maintenance as well as not over-heating the barrel with a ton of consecutive shots, over and over. Overheating can lead to barrel warping very easily.
I run both of my 6.5 Creedmoor rifles between 2700 to 2800 fps with no problems. Remember; yeah, faster muzzle velocity is great, but don't forget about the G1 ballistic coefficient. You need to find the sweet spot that's between the two. You can very easily shoot your rifle with moderately faster speeds, but don't over-clock them and definitely watch for over-pressurization signs. Excessive muzzle velocity leads to more rapid heat in the barrel as well as running the risk of over-pressurizing, which in turn, leads to a much shorter barrel life.
Well, anyway, I hope that this may have helped you with your questions about barrel life and such. Just be safe, shoot straight, and have fun.
Keep your powder dry, Defusion. Until next time.
Sakoshooter...
