The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Barrel life -6.5 x .284 ?

Gewehr98 · July 9, 2007, 01:02 AM

A 6mm-06 with better barrel life than a 6.5x284?

It's commonly accepted that the more overbore a round is, the shorter the barrel life. A 6mm-06 (aka .244-06), is more overbore than the .25-06, which is overbore compared to the 6.5-06 (aka .264-06). The .264 Winchester Magnum is also considerably more overbore than the 6.5-06 or 6.5x284, and it definitely had a reputation back in the day as a barrel burner.

The 6.5x284 has a very similar case capacity to the older 6.5-06 (which I've got two of at present). I don't consider my 6.5-06 rifles to be barrel burners, not when the venerable .25-06 has been around for ages and hasn't garnered that reputation.

A wise old gunsmith once told me that barrel life is a function of how many pounds of propellant you throw down that barrel, in particular how many pounds of powder you launch per round. It takes a damned long time to send a pound or two of powder down a .22 rimfire barrel, compared to what a .30-378 Weatherby Magnum consumes. There's a theory that smokeless powder doesn't always combust in the chamber area of the barrel, and those grains will physically erode whatever's in the way as they light off somewhere enroute to the muzzle. Obviously, the bigger the stack of powder behind that bullet, the more powder grains are moving out upon ignition.

I do, however, keep my strings of fire spaced as far apart as I can with bolt open between shots, and I even have a liquid crystal barrel thermometer glued to the chamber area of my 6.5-06 F-Class gun. Don't forget, barrel life is also influenced by working pressures, heat, and barrel steel composition. Rip through a box or three of handloads without keeping the barrel and chamber area cool, and you could probably see the throat erode further down the bore with a borescope after that session.

I've known fellows in the 1,000 yard game using .30-378 Weatherby Mags who minimized their handload development just so they could optimize their remaining barrel life.

You won't see that with the 6.5x284 folks.

For the BAR-L Temp strips, I use the 86-194 degree version found here:

http://www.neconos.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=9&

July 9, 2007, 01:02 AM	#6
Gewehr98 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2000 Location: Token Creek, WI Posts: 4,067	I don't believe that. A 6mm-06 with better barrel life than a 6.5x284? It's commonly accepted that the more overbore a round is, the shorter the barrel life. A 6mm-06 (aka .244-06), is more overbore than the .25-06, which is overbore compared to the 6.5-06 (aka .264-06). The .264 Winchester Magnum is also considerably more overbore than the 6.5-06 or 6.5x284, and it definitely had a reputation back in the day as a barrel burner. The 6.5x284 has a very similar case capacity to the older 6.5-06 (which I've got two of at present). I don't consider my 6.5-06 rifles to be barrel burners, not when the venerable .25-06 has been around for ages and hasn't garnered that reputation. A wise old gunsmith once told me that barrel life is a function of how many pounds of propellant you throw down that barrel, in particular how many pounds of powder you launch per round. It takes a damned long time to send a pound or two of powder down a .22 rimfire barrel, compared to what a .30-378 Weatherby Magnum consumes. There's a theory that smokeless powder doesn't always combust in the chamber area of the barrel, and those grains will physically erode whatever's in the way as they light off somewhere enroute to the muzzle. Obviously, the bigger the stack of powder behind that bullet, the more powder grains are moving out upon ignition. I do, however, keep my strings of fire spaced as far apart as I can with bolt open between shots, and I even have a liquid crystal barrel thermometer glued to the chamber area of my 6.5-06 F-Class gun. Don't forget, barrel life is also influenced by working pressures, heat, and barrel steel composition. Rip through a box or three of handloads without keeping the barrel and chamber area cool, and you could probably see the throat erode further down the bore with a borescope after that session. I've known fellows in the 1,000 yard game using .30-378 Weatherby Mags who minimized their handload development just so they could optimize their remaining barrel life. You won't see that with the 6.5x284 folks. For the BAR-L Temp strips, I use the 86-194 degree version found here: http://www.neconos.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=9& __________________ "Bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round... Neural Misfires