GW Hunter
Well-Known Member
7mm Weatherby Magnum. Looks like this all the way down. I think I've squeezed every bit of life from it. Still shoots sub 1" though…
What do you think of this barrel?
- Thread starter GW Hunter
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Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Simple answer, shoot it till it don't.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
Doesn't look bad to me, just needs a bit of JB to remove the copper, maybe some JB bore bright after that.
Normally, a barrel is toast when the jacket starts stripping the rifling from an elongated throat and rough haze cracking extending for a couple of inches or more beyond the original throat.
Cheers.
Normally, a barrel is toast when the jacket starts stripping the rifling from an elongated throat and rough haze cracking extending for a couple of inches or more beyond the original throat.
Cheers.
+1
A Teslong is either a Godsend or WT? when you look at a barrel that still shoots well.
When it becomes a chore you will move it along. I had an custom barreled 257 weatherby. It took forever to clean then took 6 shots to foul before it would group properly then groups opened up wildly by round count 12-15. IMO when it gets that bad it is no fun to use the rifle so barrel gets retired.
FYI there was extensive firecracking over a foot up the bore AND longitudinal fissures that were much longer than the firecracked areas. I see you have a few longitudinal cracks starting.
FYI there was extensive firecracking over a foot up the bore AND longitudinal fissures that were much longer than the firecracked areas. I see you have a few longitudinal cracks starting.
LaHunter
Well-Known Member
If it still shoots as good as it always has, then keep shooting it. Hopefully that cracking isn't all the way down the bore, usually it is primarily near the throat area and first few inches of the rifling. Pay attention to 'flyers' showing up more often. This can be an indicator telling you its time to swap out the barrel. What's the round count down the barrel? A Weatherby 7 mag will likely be done in less than 1,000 rounds. Also, keep in mind, a new barrel could be a 6 month wait, so if you are close you may want to go ahead and get one on order.
GW Hunter
Well-Known Member
The bore looks like that all the way down. Probably close to 1500 rounds through it. Like I said…. I think I squeezed every bit out of it.
Dang! You are in 2nd lifetime if that barrel!!!
BigNate
Well-Known Member
I'd say get a barrel on order now. Maybe get in the que at the gunsmith as well. But I'd keep shooting it until you see on target that it's done.
Would expect flyers, and larger groups than you're experiencing though.
Would expect flyers, and larger groups than you're experiencing though.
baldhunter
Well-Known Member
That's not as bad as the 7STW and one of my 300 Win Mags and both still shoot around 1\2" groups.What I learned from my borescope is you really can't tell how well it will shoot by how it looks.The other thing is,when you start burning large loads of powder,say around 65grs plus,you are going to see a lot of erosion quicker because of the heat from length of time that large load of powder burns.I've checked my 308's and 30-06 with about the same round count an no erosion.As much as I like shooting my magnums,after seeing the amount of erosion,I just try to shoot them a lot less.You can change out your barrels sooner or buy more guns.By the looks of my safes,it's looking like the later.I have several rifles chambered for the same round and most will shoot the same load well too.It keeps me from totally burning out one rifle and it gives me backup if I choose to send one off for a barrel job that can take months.
GW Hunter
Well-Known Member
I've moved on to a C.A. 280 Ackley. That's why I'm not too concerned about turn around time for the Weatherby. I actually had a quick range session with it yesterday. This is out of a cold, cleaned to the bone, zero fouled barrel. 6 shot group. 1st shot at the X, the other 5 clustered. 3140'/sec. ES and SD both under 10. I hadn't squeezed off since last September so I was happy with the results.
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GW Hunter
Well-Known Member
I think clean. I space my shots so that the barrel doesn't heat up too much.
