Barrel cooling - I am trying something new

[Mrvmax]

Next week I am going to try something new to cool down my barrel, I have used the Riflekuhl (it actually broke) and I still have a Chamber Chiller.

I was exploring other options that provide more air and ended up buying this mini Rigid blower from Home Depot. Yes, it is much larger than the other ones, but I shoot off a bench by myself so room is no issue. I already have Rigid tools so I have plenty of batteries and Rigid offers a lifetime warranty so if this works, I won't have to buy again.

I will report back and tell how it worked. I bought some Tygon tubing and I will see how well that fits into the chamber.

Rigid Mini Blower

 

[Varmint Hunter]

That looks like waaaaaaay overkill for the intended purpose. I use a small portable air mattress inflator with a rechargeable battery bought from Amazon. I added a flex hose that looks like surgical tubing bought at Ace Hardware store. Put a drilled out .223 case in the end of the tubing to make it easy to insert in any chamber. Cheap, easy and small.

Either way - Good luck with your set-up.

 

[K9TXS]

I use an IV for my barrels. The water running through also flushes out some of the carbon. After 1 IV bottle, I run a dry patch through. Next a patch with alcohol followed by one last dry patch. Back to shooting.

It takes longer for me to explain the process than it takes to cool the barrel.

 

[Mrvmax]

That looks like waaaaaaay overkill for the intended purpose. I use a small portable air mattress inflator with a rechargeable battery bought from Amazon. I added a flex hose that looks like surgical tubing bought at Ace Hardware store. Put a drilled out .223 case in the end of the tubing to make it easy to insert in any chamber. Cheap, easy and small.

Either way - Good luck with your set-up.

It's not much larger than the Coleman air mattress inflator I have. There's a point when airflow can be too much but I will see how this works.

 

[azbruce]

I second the air mattress pump. Summer In Arizona gets ridiculously hot but it will still cool a barrel in a few minutes .

 

[FEENIX]

I normally bring other rifles to shoot instead.

 

[fseaman]

I did extensive testing with barrel coolers. Most simple. One was the "bug vacuum", my favorite.

The idea works very well. Especially large/over bore that generate lots of heat. For my bench rest 300 RUM it's very nice.

This is a hunting forum so how did I apply it to hunting. Well, my 338 26 Nosler has a Weatherby #1 or #2 barrel, pretty thin. It gets hot fast. For hunting first shot is ambient temperature, second is warmer, third is warmer still.

so

For load development it's faster than waiting for the barrel to return to the same/near same temperature as would simulate hunting.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I normally bring other rifles to shoot instead.

I do both - I hate shelling out another $1,000 every time I need a new barrel. LOL

 

[FEENIX]

I do both - I hate shelling out another $1,000 every time I need a new barrel. LOL

I am never in a hurry to shoot that many shots to heat a barrel. And yes, I lived in hotter climates than MT, i.e., AZ, NM, CA (esp. the high desert), etc.

 

[Beluebow]

You're welcome....

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/products/0886-20

 

[atblis]

Could you not just mist with water?

 

[comfisherman]

Interesting... I used the ever elusive method yesterday of it being 12 degrees outside....

 

[Mrvmax]

I'm in south Texas so it's hot 95% of the year and the barrel stays hot longer. Cooling with air while shooting another rifle gives it time to cool down.

Like I stated, this puts out more air than the mattress pumps and has a lifetime warranty. I did not expect the Riflkuhl to break, but with this Rigid blower I will never have to buy another one. Plus, with the higher air flow it will cool my 50 BMG rifle barrel quicker.

 

[FEENIX]

Interesting... I used the ever elusive method yesterday of it being 12 degrees outside....

That, Sir, is the best barrel cooler.