barrel life on 223

[flatsticks]

I know there is no exact answer to my question , just looking for a rough idea if possible .

Looking to see what one migh expect barrel life out of a bolt action Tikka 223 .

It shoots well and is very accurate and was curious how long it will last before groups start opening up due to rounds put through it .

Take it predator hunting and at the range shoot 3 shot groups , let the barrel cool , then 3 shots , let the barrel cool , ending up with about 24 -30 bullets fired per session or less .

 

[DMW1116]

All depends on your tolerance for accuracy. I wouldn't notice a difference until the groups opened up quite a bit, maybe from 1.5 to over 2 MOA. The smaller the groups tend to be, the easier it is to notice though. To put a number on it, I'd say thousands though, 4 or maybe 5K.

 

[VoodooMountain]

Shooting 3 shot groups and letting it cool between groups that barrel will last 4k -8k rounds before your groups open up due to wear. The amount groups open up could be as little as .25 MOA at that point.

I wouldn't worry about barrel wear on a 223 bolt action used in the manner you described

 

[flatsticks]

Sorry forgot to mention the current accuracy on the rifle , it is pretty much 1/2 moa on average with the reloaded ammo.

Have seen many .25- .4 groups with it .

Like the way the gun shoots so much with the 24 inch heavy barrel , was thinking about buying a second to have for a back up .

Prices will only be going up on them but to buy a gun to just sit in the safe until the other barrel wears out , does that really make sense ?

If the groups got to .75 on average that is my threshold for accuray this thing has me spoiled right now I suppose.

Appreciate the insights so far .

 

[lightman]

Shooting the way you describe I would say 4000 to 8000. Heat is the enemy, that and poor cleaning technique.

 

[Gun-Reck]

Heat will be the biggest factor, as it softens the metal.

Being a high pressure, over-bore, high velocity round - figure 3,000 rounds slow fire.

Double that if you keep it cool, cut it in half if you rapid-fire a lot.

 

[db_tanker]

Just wanting to add a little variable here - I am assuming the round count is either factory OR full-house max velocity loads from the reloading bench?

What if you have someone like me...who is up and down the spectrum playing with some mid-range to low power loads using Bluedot, Trailboss, 4895, etc.

I'm not trying to extend the life of the barrel. I just like having one rifle that can be used for pest control up close, pest control at medium range and for nice 300 yard rifle range shooting.

Bottom line - does anyone know if reduced loads can affect barrel life?

AND...sorry for the possible or perceived thread hijack?

D

 

[DMW1116]

Just wanting to add a little variable here - I am assuming the round count is either factory OR full-house max velocity loads from the reloading bench?

What if you have someone like me...who is up and down the spectrum playing with some mid-range to low power loads using Bluedot, Trailboss, 4895, etc.

I'm not trying to extend the life of the barrel. I just like having one rifle that can be used for pest control up close, pest control at medium range and for nice 300 yard rifle range shooting.

Bottom line - does anyone know if reduced loads can affect barrel life?

AND...sorry for the possible or perceived thread hijack?

D

I don’t know how much difference it makes. I’d guess it extends life considerably. I do like the way you think. If I had a bolt gun in 223, I’d have loads ranging from 22LR to 0.75 times the speed of light.

 

[MarshallDodge]

My most shot bolt action is a Remington action with a remage nut style stainless 223 barrel. I've not kept good track of the round count but am going to guess 300+ rounds a year since 2016 when it was put together. This year was even more as I had it out at least a dozen times and shot a minimum of 50 rounds a session.

At north of 2000 rounds, there are no signs of accuracy fading. I clean it about ever 150 rounds, and am careful to let the barrel cool if it gets hot to the touch.

 

[AK Hunter]

The barrel life depends on how fast you shoot & what ammo you shot through that barrel.
I have had cheap barrels on one of my ARs that I had the old bump stock on it burned it up in only about 2000 rounds.
The 100rd mag dumps burned it up fast.

 

[horsemen61]

Barrels are like tires they are wear and tear items meant to be used and replaced as far as barrel life it all depends on how you use it tikkas have prefits know so find one you like order it and a have a known good Gunsmith install it simple as that

 

[243winxb]

Savage Axis 223- mostly IMR4198 powder

Around 2700 fired rounds i noticed accuracy drop off with a Nosler 55 gr bullet load. Switching to a 69 gr bullet, with a longer bearing surface, brought back accuracy.

Targets

Chome lined GI barrels withstand high temperatures when firing full auto, but still fail.

My Colt M16A1 carbine with 14.5" barrel still grouped around 1" @ 100 yds with Sierra match bullets, right before i sold it. . Round count around 4000, a guess. A 30 round mag on full auto, got her smoking. Always letting it cool before the next mag.

 

[tbs]

Back in the day, (like 25 years ago) I was using a Colt 6700 hbar for NRA high power. I put about 12,000 rounds through that barrel and it still shot 1.5 - 2.0 moa like it did when new. I sold that and got a Rock River national match which i easily put 6,000 rounds through it and it was still shooting high master scores. I cleaned those barrels after every match to keep from carbon build up.

 

[flatsticks]

Some good points you all had there .

The barrel never gets hot to the touch .

Have been shooting reloaded ammo that I found a nice node that is at the very low end of the Hogdon suggestion for Vargte and 77 gr bullets .

Did not see a reason to go much past that node .

Not shooting long distances .

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

I'd guess you'd be at 10k before accuracy would drop below 1 MOA if you're at .4-.5 right now and continue the slow fire, barrel cooling pattern. That's just a guess, though. Other figures in this thread seem pretty valid.

 

[TonyAngel]

I'd say that you should get 5k rounds before you start seeing a decrease in accuracy. I would think that at that point, a decrease in accuracy would likely be more due to throat erosion than the barrel being shot out. At that point, depending on the profile of your barrel, you could get it chopped at the back end and rechambered.