The Accurate Reloading Forums
Re: 22/250AI Barrel life

This topic can be found at:
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2511043/m/849109701

12 December 2003, 14:29
jstevens
Re: 22/250AI Barrel life
something is wrong if you shot it out with 1300 rounds. It took about 4000 for a .220 Swift and most of these were at 4000 fps.
12 December 2003, 15:00
tiggertate
You kinda answered your own question..if pressures are kept equal there will be no difference. I agree with JStevens, Andre. Your experience is very unusual. 22-250AIs should last more or less as long as 223s, all else equal.
12 December 2003, 16:16
Don Shearer
I shot a Ruger #1 Varminter at prairie dogs for about ten years. During that time I shot out three barrels, but got close to 4500 rounds from each barrel before it needed replacing. When I did replace a barrel, I sent it back to Ruger where they installed a factory (heavy) barrel.

I think the main thing that shoots out a barrel is heat. Fred Smith at Bullberry told me that every few minutes while shooting, I should grab onto the barrel in front of the forepiece with my bare hand and if it was hotter than I wanted to hang onto, GIVE IT A REST. He said that would be about 120 deg F at the forepiece and would mean the chamber and throat area is getting hotter than it should. Well, of course I violated that rule rather regularly and shot out my barrel after 4500 rounds. And I mean shot out. I could drop a bullet into the throat and it would go in about an inch past the end of the brass. Also the accuracy was dropping off pretty badly.

Don Shearer
13 December 2003, 03:06
aladin
Quote:

You kinda answered your own question..if pressures are kept equal there will be no difference. I agree with JStevens, Andre. Your experience is very unusual. 22-250AIs should last more or less as long as 223s, all else equal.




How do I tactfully say your opinion doesn't come close to the reality of the situation? Hope I've done such because no flame is intended.

Barrel steel erosion is a function of the heat produced, the volume of gas generated, the total BTU's of heat produced and where it burns. The slower the fuel, with some minor considerations to cartridge design-- the more that erosion is transferred and extended down into the bore.

To say the AI and the 223 were in the same ballpark isn't even close. The former burns what-- maybe 35-55% more fuel with each hammer drop? You simply pay for those trajectory numbers with barrel steel and life.

3 mm's would be around .1" right? Sounds about right for the capacity.