Newbie barrel temperature and accuracy

[drgoose]

I understand that as the barrel of the rifle gets hotter, the dimensions of the barrel will change and this will change the point of impact. I just shot my first attempt at working up a load for my rifle and I learned in the range that I was shooting with a barrel that was too hot (according to the nice guy next to me).

My question is: As the temperature of the barrel increases, does it eventually get to a temperature where the changes in dimension decrease in relation to the changes in temperature. In other words, if I get the barrel hot enough, will the change in point of impact will eventually become neglegible?

I was kind of surprised to see guys shooting 3 to 5 shots in a 15 min relay. Kind of like watching grass grow, but I guess if there is no other way, then there is no other way.

Thanks guys

[oneounceload]

If your barrel gets too hot to grab and hold with a bare hand - it is too hot...........that's oversimplified, but you get the basic gyst

[P-990]

1) Don't let it get too hot to touch. If you need gloves to touch it, your barrel is probably too hot for accuracy testing.

2) There is no hard-and-fast rule. Some barrels shoot better warm and fouled, others cold and clean, and others somewhere in between. The only way to know for sure is to shoot it a bunch and find out.

3) If it is a hunting rifle, the shot that matters is the first one from a cold, clean barrel.

4) You have to judge your load/rifle performance by intended use. I'd tolerate a hunting rifle that will keep three shots close, fast, and then open up. But if a Highpower or long-range match rifle started to open up and string after 10 shots, it would get worked on. (In Highpower the string is typically 10 or 20 shots in as many minutes, but if the conditions are steady and target service good, it's not unheard of to drop 20 rounds from prone at 600 yards in 10 minutes.)

5) I don't think there is truly a "last word" on what works best. We only have what has worked for US and some others, so we have general rules of thumb.

6) A hot barrel erodes faster than a cold bore. And heavy loads accelerate throat wear. These effects are cumulative over thousands of rounds.

[Sphawley]

Can accuracy change if its too cold?

[Tuckerp229]

This problem drove me nuts. We all knew there was a problem but there seemed to be nothing being done about it. After all what is "too hot" and if trying to sight in one's gun in a hurry or waiting for a hot gun to cool down doesn't "too hot" feel more like OK to shoot?
Now I know exactly what temperature range is best for each of my weapons. When sighting in or testing new loads I check the temperature after each shot and quite shooting if the optimal temperature range is breached. When the gauge says the barrel is cooled down back into the best shooting temp' I start shooting again.
Check out my solution, just follow the link.
Let me know what you think.

[drgoose]

Dont see the link to measure temperature

[Tuckerp229]

Sorry, I should have noted there are two links in my signature line.

precisionaccuracycompany.com or consistentcrimp.com

Let me know if you have any questions.