416 stainless steel barrel
.22 caliber
3800 fps

How many rounds do you think this barrel will be able to take before accuracy starts to diminish? Let's say the bbl. will not be overheated (you will ALWAYS be able to hold your hand on it comfortably).

Thanks for you opinions!

I don't have much experience with stainless. but I have had chrome-moly barrels last up to 5000 rounds, used the way you described.

You are basically describing a 220 swift. With the swift's 21% shoulder it has a reputation as a barrel burner. The Precision Shooting Magazine ran a series of articles last year about shoulder angles of cartridges and barrel life. The steeper the angle, the longer the barrel life. Under the specifications you describe I would expect optimum accuracy for about 2000 rounds, Useful barrel life 3000 to 3500 rounds.

All I can tell you is that I have a 22-250 Ackley Improved with a Hart SS barrel and its usable life hs been pretty amazing.

It has had more than 4000 rounds down the barrel, most at or above 4000 fps. It will not shoot like it used to, but will still shoot under an inch.

I have worn out several standard 22-250 barrels. I usually shoot in the neighborhood of 3700 to 3800 fps and I usually get more than 4000 rounds out of them before they go south.

On the other hand my buddy seldom gets 3000 rounds out of a 22-250 barrel (stock or custom), but he tends to heat them up more than I do.

Just try not to over heat the barrel and any of them will last a long time.

R F

Thanks fellas for all the help. I'm thinking about doing a 22-250 ackley in a single shot.

However, I was a Cabela's new store in Kansas City yesterday and saw the 223 WSSM... just how I DON'T like my women... short and fat!

It might be a great combination in terms of shoulder angle and high velocity. In a single shot, the fat case obviously won't limit the number of rounds in a magazine like it would in a repeater. Might be fun!

I think the 243 WSSM would be great too.

Thanks again.

Kenati

P.S. R. Flowers: I was born and raised in Visalia... can't really say I miss the demographics (you know what I mean), but the geography I surely do! I think I miss shooting those damn ground squirrels and orange-orchard jack rabbits more than anything! I know... it's a strange thing to miss.

Apparently the new Hornady manual has the new WSSM data. They mention that barrel life was quite short. Geez, surprise? LOL! Dutch.

Thanks Dutch. That's another mark on the "No" side of the ledger. I saved up enough money for a new varmint rifle this year. I've been wanting a Remington 700 VLS in 6mm Rem. but have been holding off to gather more information on the .243WSSM. It's a short, fat rascal, and the benchrest shooters have pretty well shown us that's the path to accuracy. I'd like to see some data on cartridge pressures, but so far nothing. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal