I was planning on building a 6.5-06 (I bought a slightly used barrel) however I got a 'too good of a deal to pass' on an action with a mag bolt face. So, now my 6.5-06 project has turned into a .264 Win Mag project. Now I understand that if load to their full potential the .264 Win Mag will have a shorter life. But here's my question: if loaded to the same performance level (muzzle velocity) would the .264 have a longer barrel life because of lower pressures? Thanks for any and all advice.

I've seen as little as 800 rounds from a 264 toast a barrel.

That gun was a M-700 Rem. shooting a case full of surplus 4831 and a 140 Sierra BT in matches from 100 to 1000 yards.

Not always possible to keep it cool under those conditions.

Pressure affect flame temperature and flame temperature coupled with a small bore and large cases full of powder affect barrel life. Long barrel life isn't in the cards for that particular caliber, but you can extend the barrel life by not over heating the barrel. While hunting you may have to take 2 or 3 quick shots, but while your sighting in or just punching paper, let it cool a bit between shots.

When I smoked, I would shoot a round and light a cigarette, shoot a round and light a cigarette and so on. I got cancer and shortened my life but the barrel is still going strong!


Keep it cool would be my advise...

Malm

1 pointer.

I don't know if its me but doesn't it seem that there are numerous barrel burners out there that no one has caught onto yet. It almost seems to be the cherished end result if you shoot say an stw, ultra, lazz. etc..etc..

I had 7.82 warbird made up for me in 99 when the cal was at the start of the buzz. 600 rds and two owners later it has since been rebarreled.

I've carried 2 .264's for over twenty years now.
The first one was a pre 64 westrener that my father bought for me as my first rifle. I retired it 2yrs ago.

The second 264 is a ruger MkII ugly boat paddled looking son of a gun.

The winchester undoubtly has over 1200 rds through it; And I'm not gonna say its perfect, but it doesn't have as much throat erosion as my lazzeroni did after 200 rds.

The ruger by now has 400rds through it.
( took a little longer to develop a load for this one.)

Maybe when the 264 first came out the powders were'nt good, bullets weren't good, the writers of the time never liked it.

Its still a helluva caliber; and will probably be my cal. for a very long time.

If you go ahead and build it pm me and I'll give you my recipes.

turfman

Thanks for the info! How much more barrel life could one expect from the '06 version?

Mr. Malmborg, are you stating that by not 'hot-rodding' the cartridge I keep pressure therefore temperature down which causes less barrel wear? So if my target performance is 120gr @ 3200fps, the Mag version could do so with less pressure? Right?

How much of a 'barrel burner' is a 6.5 Rem Mag?