Does loading less than magnum save barrel life?

Wayfaring_Stranger · October 29, 2007, 12:51 PM

I was reading a while back that magnum cartridges wear out barrel a lot faster than standard cartridges. I hear that barrel life for short mags is expected to be in the 2000 - 4000 shot range.

1) is this true?
2) would loading down to standard cartidge pressures for practice ammo save barrel life?

Crosshair · October 29, 2007, 01:11 PM

High pressure generally equals increased barrel wear. The short mags operate at rather high pressures. Loading them down would increase barrel life.

The main problem with the short mags is that they have heavy throat erosion. In the Hornady load manual they said that the 223 WSSM was especially hard on barrels, with significant erosion happening in as little as a few hundred rounds.

October 29, 2007, 12:51 PM	#1
Wayfaring_Stranger Member Join Date: May 29, 2007 Location: North Idaho Posts: 64	Does loading less than magnum save barrel life? I was reading a while back that magnum cartridges wear out barrel a lot faster than standard cartridges. I hear that barrel life for short mags is expected to be in the 2000 - 4000 shot range. 1) is this true? 2) would loading down to standard cartidge pressures for practice ammo save barrel life?

October 29, 2007, 01:11 PM	#2
Crosshair Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 5,333	High pressure generally equals increased barrel wear. The short mags operate at rather high pressures. Loading them down would increase barrel life. The main problem with the short mags is that they have heavy throat erosion. In the Hornady load manual they said that the 223 WSSM was especially hard on barrels, with significant erosion happening in as little as a few hundred rounds. __________________ I don't carry a gun to go looking for trouble, I carry a gun in case trouble finds me.