Barrel Cooling Trick

[Waffen]

Gentlemen,

The temperatures across the US have been getting hot lately and I figured I would post a trick to help you shoot your rifles quicker, while keeping the barrel cool. This tip will probably only help people who shoot precision bolt rifles, as you cannot do it very well with a semi-auto.

I have noticed a trend on certain forums to try to create some sort of elaborate device to cool barrels to allow you to fire faster and I’ve found that unnecessary. I along with a buddy have started using a washcloth and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. To cool the barrel apply a liberal amount of alcohol to the rag, and rub on the barrel until the rag has evaporated. I generally pour more on the rag and go back for a second round of rubbing, but it's certainly up to you.

I have found that this will not warp wood stocks, will not harm synthetics, and will cool VERY fast. It cools because it's a liquid, thus the heat dissipation properties are obvious, however it being alcohol when it evaporates it draws heat from the inside of the barrel and brings it out towards the outside for faster dissipation. Another advantage is that it's very cheap, something like 99 cents a bottle at any drug store. A large bottle usually lasts me something like 1-2 months with heavy shootings.

This drastically cuts my shooting times in half, epically when the ambient air temps are around 100+. Just something to think about.

 

[HondoLane]

Very "cool" idea. I will have to try that :lol:

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Awesome little trick. I"m about sick of shooting in this heat. Trying to work up loads is ridiculous. Yesterday I got a whole 2 loads, or 6 shots off out of my 270 in 2 hours. I waited 20 minutes between shots, and my barrel was still HOT!

 

[Bruce Mc]

A couple of other "cooling" techniques. Pour cool water through the barrel from a plastic bottle and tube into the chamber and then dry with a clean patch. Or just fire up the v-8 and lay the gun in front of the ac vent. Both work well and speed up your range sessions.

 

[JD338]

Great idea. I will give it a try.
My 338 RUM gets hot fast so this could be a great aid.

JD338

 

[mshaffer]

fandamntastic idea. that one's going in the trick book for sure. The 350 Rem Mag and 45-70 are bound to love that one.

 

[JD338]

The alcohol rub worked great on my 338 RUM.
This allows for more shooting and less waiting. :grin:

JD338

 

[clearwater]

If you forgot the coolant, open the bolt and stand the rifle barrel up in
the shade. Takes longer, but if you brought a 2nd or 3rd rifle to shoot,
you can rotate them to keep shooting, what with changing targets and
all. A rimfire is a good gun to bring for plinking between shot of the center
fires.

 

[JD338]

That is exactly what I have done in the past, air cooling with the muzzel up.
But when you are burning 90+ grains per shot as with the 338 RUM, the barrel gets hot. The alcohol rub cools down the barrel much faster.

JD338

 

[CamoWildcat]

I fill a small cooler hlaf full of ice, then add water until its almost to the top of the ice. Then place a hand towel on top of the ice. In Arizona where it is so dry, the damp towel rubbed over the barrel along with evaporation cools the barrel down quickly.
I also made a 6 rifle stand out of PVC - total cost 6$. It folds flat for transport. (see photos) My buddy and I rotate 6 rifles in the desert heat to also aid in cooling.

 

[CamoWildcat]

Here are 2 photos of my portable rifle stand in use.

See how cool the rifles look!

 

[old #7]

Nice stand but I think the bike looks "cooler"

 

[CamoWildcat]

Aw shucks, #7. Thanks. You see, I spent so dang much money on the bike, I didn't have any left for a nice rifle stand. :?

 

[SteveTimm]

Back in the days when I was writing actively, I often had the total privilage of using the Leupold Range. Leupold's setup is fabulous; a basement 100-yard tube that is wide and high enough to walk down to change targets. To the rear of the shooter is a full handloading setup, complete with an air compressor hose.

The range and room are kept at a constant 72 degrees, so it is T-Shirt comfortable and barrels heat up at a ferocious rate.

It didn't take me long to figger out that the air compressor could be used for more than cleaning powder off the bench and blowing actions clean. If you put a cleaning rod guide in the action, put the nozzle into the rear hole and blow air through the barrel for a minute or two, it is surprising how cool the barrel becomes. Works like a charm.

When I'm hunting prairie dogs, I simply rub an ice cube up and down the barrel multiple times and it cools the barrel PRONTO. The stainless steel barrel and McMillan synthetic stock, of course, are not prone to rust or moisture absorbtion, so there is no harm at all.....at least not to the rifle. The prairie dog's view of that may be quite different. :grin: :grin:

I used to hook up a piece of surgical tubing to the ice-chest petcock and flow water through the barrel. This works, but it is slower than simply rubbing an ice cube along the barrel. Hey, it works for me.

Steve