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Hi everyone

just want to start a new topic and find out if anyone else can supply any answers to my question.

Right Ive just bought a brand new HOWA 1500 in .308 with a heavy barrel and a Bell and Carlson stock its lovely Ill be trying it out soon and Ill post some pics of it later as well anyway doing some reading in some gun mags I found an article saying that the life expectancy of a .308 barrel is 2500-3000 rounds, I read the same on a few sites on the net. Im finding this hard to believe and was wondering if anyone has any views or opionions.

 

 

cheers Spas12 :smoke:

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2500-3500 for best accuracy on a steel barrel. Stainless many more. Chrome (like Saiga's) a WHOLE LOT more. Chrome seems to reduce accuracy, but makes the barrel last like the energizer bunny.

Even after 5000 rds, a steel barrel is reasonably accurate, but due to erosion the throat is enlarged. This is why old military rifles are not generally as accurate as when new ( or at least one reason) , but they are still good shooters. Just not sniper accurate anymore.

 

G O B

 

Check with some of the 'smiths here , but I am pretty shure that's the ballpark numbers for .308. However each calliber will hane a different life span due to - tempreture X pressure X time=erosion.

Edited by G O B
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First it depends on what ammo you shoot out of it too as to wether its reloaded hot or not that determinds barrel life and throat wear too. I think the best barrels are the chrome moly steel barrels. You can always shoot moly bullets every now and then just to keep the barrel lubed too that should extent its life too. The saiga chrome lined bore and chamber is great but the receiver/action will most likely wear out before the barrel does. I lube my saiga's up with moly it elimates wear, reduces friction and prevents galling too. It stays were you put it and doesn't attract dirt too. On the trigger sear it will feel like a different gun and it will cycle faster and smoother too. I lube everything up even the gas piston/tube too just a little will do. You will never see any wear at all inside the receiver so it should last as long as the barrel life does now too. Get some moly and don't let any gun wearout before its time.

 

BTW; With my saiga 16" / 308 shooting 1 1/2" groups at 100yds with surplus south african 308ball ammo and others making 200yd and 400yd+ shots with there 16" barrels why not get a saiga 16"/308win? (iron sites)

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My uncle shoots a few M1As, one with a national match bbl. He says that bbl will be the same tolerances after 1000 rnds as a regular new grade bbl. Then after 5000 rnds it will be rack grade. Ask Fred from http://www.fredsm14stocks.com/ , he will know about the 308 round. How many rounds do you expect to shoot thru any one bolt gun, in your life?

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If i was looking for a new rifle with a quality barrel I'd look at the saiga bolt actions? They also come with the chromed lined chambers and bores too. Then you have your barrel life problem solved if you have to have a bolt action.

 

I believe with chrome lining the barrels bore and chamber a lesser quality steel can be used because the bullet rides on the hard industrial chrome lining not the steel itself.

 

Some of this barrel life in standard rifles is BS too. I have a 1972 mossberg bolt action rifle in 30-06 that i purchased brand new and i have shot my hotter reloads for most of its life and thats around 3,000rds thru it to today and maybe even more I'm being consertative because i was shooting 750rds per year for many years in can be much higher. From day 1 after breaking in the barrel and it started shooting 3/4" groups at 100yds with this load it still shoots the same 3/4" groups today. You would think it has throat or barrel wear but its still accurate like it was from day 1? I have always used the Speer 30cal, 180gr magnum mag-tip bullets today i think there called hot core mag-tips. Is Barrel wear something to worry about? truth or fiction?

 

go to; http://www.yarchive.net/home.html then click on "GUNS" there is lots of reading and it has everything your looking for. It seems that HEAT is a big factor its how many rounds you fire close together while the barrel is heated or if you over heat the barrel your barrel life is drastically reduced. So were up to a range of 3,000 to 5,000rds now i think my '72 '06 proves that.

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Heat is a real big factor in barrel wear. That's why guys with 22-250s and 220Swifts have short barrel lifes (well, that and taking a bucket of ammo to the gopher control zone, and leaving with a bucket of spent brass).

 

If you're shooting ubermagnumthumpinboomers as fast as you can ram a round into the chamber, expect the barrel to not last as long as if you were taking 20 to 60 seconds between shots on average.

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Heat is a real big factor in barrel wear. That's why guys with 22-250s and 220Swifts have short barrel lifes (well, that and taking a bucket of ammo to the gopher control zone, and leaving with a bucket of spent brass).

 

If you're shooting ubermagnumthumpinboomers as fast as you can ram a round into the chamber, expect the barrel to not last as long as if you were taking 20 to 60 seconds between shots on average.

 

 

I think its a combination of heat and FPS(speed) that causes more barrel wear. The smaller faster calibers are prone to barrel wear like the 264win.mag is noted for its shorter barrel life. Its also said the bigger magnums have a short barrel life of 1,000rds. I guess its how hot you load it too. I have owned my remington 700 in 338winmag since '94 and i don't think i have 100rds thru it yet. After first shooting it to zero it in with just a few rounds. I shoot two rounds a year just to check the zero then go hunting. She's a keeper and can put two bullets thru the same hole at 100yds using new winchester "X" ammo. I got a very accurate 338win.mag. so i don't push it. I think how you break in a new barrel is the key too so there can be many factors to factor in with barrel life, its how many minutes between shots at the range(HEAT), how hot your ammo is loaded(HEAT), FPS of your ammo(BULLET SPEED/FRICTION). Lets face it max loads aren't accurate so we have to drop back on the powder charge to bring the accuracy in tighter but at the sametime we have extended the barrel life too. My '06 at first with max loads wasn't accurate when i dropped the charge back 1 grain it became more accurate. I'd rather have a little slower accurate TAC driver?

 

In a 308win/nato rifle i would reload drop back on the powder charge to save the barrel and get better accuracy.

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