Barrel Burn

Tycon

Tycon

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I bought a browning .243 for my girlfriend for christmas. The idea was for her to have a short range hunting rifle, and also one that she can shoot targets all day without a sore shoulder.
As it turns out, she loves the gun, and we are target shooting a lot more than anticipated. How many rounds can that barrel take before it's gunsmith time?
 
There is no simple answer to this question. The answer is ..... it depends.

Depends on how hot the barrel gets and if you continue to shoot it when it is hot.

Depends on how the barrel is cleaned.

Depends on what level of accuracy you are willing to live with.

IF the barrel is not abused and you don't need sub 1 MOA accuracy then the barrel could live 20,000 rounds or more.
 
i would think accuracy will fall off at around 2500 rns. small bore and slow powder are not condusive to long life. but thas just an excuse for a better barrel.
 
Bevan King, put over 10,000, (yes, ten thousand) rounds through a 243 shooting pigs and kangaroos, and then gave it to his cousin. His cousin put another 4000 down the tube before he rebarreled it...to 243 again!

Ted
 
I washed the throats out of 3 - 6mm Remingtons. While I do take good care of my firearms, and refrain from shooting them hot,
It takes a lot of shooting to get to the point where accuracy is no longer acceptable.

The quickest I managed to do it was in an older Ruger M77V, and I could no longer average 1.25 moa after some 5500 rounds.
That is a lot of shooting!!

Both the others lasted longer, with the 700V making it to almost 7000 before I had to rebarrel.
BTW, These were all Chrome-Moly barrels.

That 243 should last quite a while, even if well used. Barrels are easy to come by anyway.

Regards, Dave.
 
A benchrest shooter may be swapping barrels on a .243 in 200 rounds, but 99% of shooters would notice nothing for probably 4000, and most could go 10 000 before groups really open up. Obviously that's just a guidline. In reality the cost of ammo is much more of a worry than the cost of a barrel.
 
If you handload and can seat your bullets out and play with powders as the erosion moves out you can see 15,000 rounds out of a 243 with good hunting accuracy. I done it with 2 - 243s.
 
Thanks for all the info everyone! My wallet and I are enjoying the good news.

Another question for the hunters... What is, sort of, the "maximum" distance I should be letting her take a rip at a deer from with this caliber? She is a good shot, but I don't suggest she shoot for the neck. So I guess what is the maximum distance for vitals?
 
Tycon said:
Thanks for all the info everyone! My wallet and I are enjoying the good news.

Another question for the hunters... What is, sort of, the "maximum" distance I should be letting her take a rip at a deer from with this caliber? She is a good shot, but I don't suggest she shoot for the neck. So I guess what is the maximum distance for vitals?
Click to expand...

That's not a caliber question - it's (a) a question of how far she can shoot, under pressure, and keep her shots in about an 8-inch circle under realistic field conditions, and (b) the bullet that you're using, and what sort of velocity it needs for good terminal performance.

With a good hunting bullet (TTSX, Partition, A-frame, etc) the 243 is good for much further than a new hunter should be shooting in any case.
 
I've NEVER shot-out a barrel... Sold them long before I ever got that many rounds down the barrel... Most of my plaid shirts have been around longer than my rifles...


The one exception is my grandfathers '94... Back when they were feeding the family with it, they didn't waste any lead, neither did my father and neither did I, nor has my son... I'd be willing to bet that there is a dead deer, bear or moose for every two rounds down the pipe...
 
Tycon said:
Thanks for all the info everyone! My wallet and I are enjoying the good news.

Another question for the hunters... What is, sort of, the "maximum" distance I should be letting her take a rip at a deer from with this caliber? She is a good shot, but I don't suggest she shoot for the neck. So I guess what is the maximum distance for vitals?
Click to expand...

At what distance can she shoot a pie plate, prone, unsupported?
 
Why not? said:
I think he is referring to "my grandfathers '94"

Ted
Click to expand...

I thought he was talking to the OP... But if it is "my grandfather's '94" he was referring to... For three generations, it has only seen Winchester 170 Silvertips's... But we are talking 5 boxes... The generation before that shot a deer every Saturday... In season and out... Family beef was cash money, and you don't eat cash money!
 
ciphery said:
Run cast lead bullets and your grand kids will be shooting the same barrel.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly! :)

As for a max. distance for a heart/lung shot on a deer sized critter with a .243, I would in your case
make sure she can reliably hit a clay at 200 yds. from a rest using that rifle.

After that, work on stalking skills to get in close for a sure, rested shot. Use 100 gr. boolits for best
results.:)
 
Tycon said:
I bought a browning .243 for my girlfriend for christmas. The idea was for her to have a short range hunting rifle, and also one that she can shoot targets all day without a sore shoulder.
As it turns out, she loves the gun, and we are target shooting a lot more than anticipated. How many rounds can that barrel take before it's gunsmith time?
Click to expand...

I'm quite willing to bet half the farm that your girlfriend and you're's and her's daughter's daughter's daughter will never ever burn out that barrel! Shoot and have fun and shoot some more!
 
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