When is a barrel too hot?

[tlk]

How do you guage when a barrel is getting too hot to continue shooting? I have heard shooters refer to this, but I haven't recieved a concrete explanation.

Thanks.

 

[CapDog]

General rule is that if you can't leave your hand on the barrel without discomfort it is too hot.

 

[BountyHunter]

How do you guage when a barrel is getting too hot to continue shooting? I have heard shooters refer to this, but I haven't recieved a concrete explanation.

Thanks.

When you have to ask the question, you are pretty much there!

BH

 

[royinidaho]

For my LRH rifles if it feels more than very warm, I let it cool. For example at least 5 or 10 minutes between shots with the barrel in the shade. I was at the shooting spot for about 2 hours this morning and shot 11 shots.

For some of my others I haven't see a glow yet.

 

[JeffVN]

hmm I tend to run my rifles a bit more aggresively than some do, I average about 25 rounds in 18 minutes or so (no way you can hold that barrel or would even want to) from my 7WSM, go to the pits and pull targets for an hour or so then do it again.

All that having been said, I still got 1,700 rounds from that Kreiger barrel before it went noticably south (right in the middle of my last match of course). I've got another one and am in the process of swapping those barrel to teh second one now.

JeffVN

 

[cinch]

When it melts the shag carpet in the back of your van. Had a buddy do it with a mini-14. I'd say he had it pretty hot.