Barrel cooling while load testing.

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Borden811

New member
How do you guys go about cooling your barrel while testing loads? The private range I shoot at is in the middle of a field(no shade). I was testing some reloads I hade made up in 3 shot batches. It was about 80 degrees out, and sunny. The black matte barrel on my rifle was warm from the sun before I ever startesd shooting, and was hot enough to make a mirage in the scope after the first 3 shots. Any tips on how to cool the barrel between shots, or atleast three shot groups? Waiting ten minutes between shots didn't do much for me, and really ate up my time. I could shoot/test a lot more if I could keep my barrel cool. Would ice in ziplock bags wrapped in towels and laid over the barrel inbetween shots work?
 
Try a damp towel draped over the barrel. Maybe a shot of air from a small compressor (generator driven). I've heard of cool water poured down the barrel but I have avoided that idea. Bring your own shade, umbrella. Use the old imagination. Something will come to ya. How about setin in your truck with the AC on??????????
 
Serious load testing is not a process to be done with impatience...While I agree with a wet towel to speed up barrel cooling, I also take a fold up chair and a book, planning on a 'several hours' session...with much leisure thrown in...Fortunately, our shooting benches are covered, so direct sun is usually not a factor..

Your chamber will retain some residual heat and ammunition is best kept in a small cooler to resist temperature change from ambient heat..
 
Good post. I was just thinking this the other day while shooting the .243. I found myself growing impatient. I'm gonna try the damp towel, and and ammo kept in cool place.
 
A rifle standing on its butt pad with the action open will cool faster than rifle laid flat with action open.

Draws air through it like a chimney.

DAB
 
Very good question. I have been curious about this myself along with how long to wait between shots as well?

I to am at a covered range but occasionally I do go shooting and testing loads while in prone out in the sun.
 
A small pop up canopy would give you and your bench some shade. I've seen a 8x8 for $80.

A piece of steel laying down flat in the sun will get HOT, stand it up and it will just get warm. You'll never see a fence builder lay down a crowbar in the sun, he'll stick it in the ground vertical.

Also don't leave a round in a hot chamber to COOK.

When they get too hot to touch for a second they need to cool. No sizzle.
 
Bordon811, You might consider going to the local Wally World, or similar store and trying to find a small 'beach' umbrella for some temporary shade...This is what I use on a PD shoot... Not the best, but it works and was cheap...I use a couple of plastic electrical ties to stabilize it to my portable shooting bench...

JulyPDTrip-06002.jpg


While it's not "camo'd", the PDs don't care and we go to a private ranches where other shooters are not allowed, but if someone sneaks in, it makes it easier to be seen...
 
Thanks for the tips guys. Definately no water going down my bore. I did stand the rifle on it's butt with the action open while I was waiting between shots. It helped some, and I had my .204 and .22 to shoot inbetween. I was there for about 2.5 hours while I tested the 4 3 shot batches. I just have limited time, and was looking to maximize it any way I can. Cooling the barrel faster would help that along. The beach umbrella looks liek a good idea!
 
Dick's Sporting Goods has 10x10 and 12x12 canopies on sale this week for $49.99 I believe. Don't know if one is near you.

Another easy alternative is compressed air in cans used to clean the dust out of computers. It even has a plastic insert tube to stick right in the barrel.
 
I have used water down the bore since 1988, cools the barrel in less than 30 seconds with 6 oz of water. Follow by 4 tight patches on a pointed jag, dry chamber, back to shooting in minutes.

All the guys I took p. dog hunting used the same method, on the very finest custom Varmint and benchrest rifles made.

Another method that will work, but not anywhere near as fast is to drench a wash cloth with a mixture of 50/50 water and rubbing alcohol. Rub the barrel with the wash cloth till the solution is dripping off the bottom of the barrel. The solution will rust a chrome moly barrel if you don't oil it when you get home.

Don't be scared of putting water down the barrel, we have done it for more than 100,000 rounds fired.

The whole idea of compressed air is a bunch of BS once you have used the water down the barrel. Also, when you patch out, you remove more carbon that you would imagine and extend your shooting string, also.

Before we got into cooling our barrels, we would carry a minimum of 6 rifles each and fire 50 rounds per gun, the barrels never really cooled off....no surprise in 90* heat.

For developing loads at the range, the 50/50 rubbing alcohol/water works great, cheap and easy. Most factory barrels have their groups open up once they really get hot.
 
Because heat will move the point of impact in a barrel, whether it be a rifle, shotgun or cannon barrel. In trap shooting years ago we found by shooting the point of impact on a hot day shooting much shells, the point of impact will move in a shotgun barrel as much as 12 inches. If you wonder how the military does this on sniping or cannons and stuff they have all there barrels Cryogenic Frozen. It's a process where by the temp in the barrel is brought down to minus 300 degrees fairenhight, then taking the same about of time taking it down to that temperature it is brought back to room tempature. If down properly we found that 12 inches will change to about 3/4 of an inch. The miltary has all there cannon's etc, down this way, i believe they can do this up to either 88's or 105's. By doing this with a rifle barrel you don't have to (as it is a shoulder mounted cannon) sit around and wait. This process takes the stress out of the barrel. Does not harm the barrel in any way. I send mine to 300 below in Illionis. The main thing is to find a reputuable company. I know this about the miltary as this company i use has miltary contracts. They also do the rifle barrels. the cost is about $99 per barrel, but i have found in the later winter they do specials like 2 for one.
 
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Do you use ice water, or just regular water? I would assume ice water would have a quicker result? Maybe I'll give it a shot. For some reason, I just don't like the idea of dumping water down the bore, lol.
 
Typically, with a light barrel, I wait a minute or so between shots for a five shot string, then stand the rifle vertically until the barrel cools down. Heavy barrel...a little different, but I still let it cool after a five shot string for a little while.
 
I try to get to the range before the heat and wind picks up. I am on the range by 0730 and off by 1130. I take several rifles so I can let one cool as I shoot the other one(s). I have never tried the water down the bbl but I will try almost anything once.....
 
I have a pretty set routine. I go to the range at sunup, that way there is usually no wind and it is cool. After set up, I shoot 1 fouling shot(because the gun is always clean afer the previous range session.) Then I shoot 1 shot, get up and pick up and inspect the brass and replace it in the box. Then I write down the chrono numbers and settle in for the next shot. That is repeated till 5 shots are made. Then I walk to the line and record data on the target. ie powder, bullet seating depth etc.

Then I pull out a pistol or other weapon and shoot a magazine or so and then repeat the 5 shot process. After the second or 3rd (depending on how new the BBl is) 5 shot group I clean the BBl instead of shoot another weapon. It takes me about an hour to shoot 4-5 different loads but the barrel is never ever hot. It is never more than warm to the touch.

Works for me and I don't have to dump anything down the barrel.
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we used what ever water we had, run out of water, then used pepsi, mountain dew, what ever was available. When dogs are crawling like roaches out in front of you, you want to get back to shooting real quick.
 


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