Hot Barrel?

Rem 700

Beginner
Jan 26, 2009
74
0
This may sound like a silly quesiton, but how hot does a barrel have to be before the normal POI changes? At the range my first 4 or so shots group well, and then my Point of impact seems to drop a couple of inches while still shooting a consistent group. Is there any correlation here with a hot barrel, or can you thing of some other contributing factor. This seems to happen to me every time I am at the range. I shoot a 30.06 with Nosler BT's and AB's 57gr of IMR 4831. Thanks.
 
Your barrel is going to get warm from shooting and this can change your POI. It is best to let your barrel cool a few minutes between shots. If you can't keep your hand on the barrel, its too hot and you should let it cool down.
You can use some rubbing alcohol with a rag to wipe down your barrel between shots. This will help pull heat out where it will evaporate.

JD338
 
Some it dont take much. I got a rifle that I can get about 4 decent shots outta before it starts walking on the paper.... Listen to JD.. Wait a minute or two or FIVE between shots.

On the other hand, if it is a hunting rifle, take 3 shots like you would be in the "field", then wait for a cool bore then try again.

I take a book with me to help pass the waiting time when needing to do this.......

Rod
 
Ditto
It depends on where the barrel, action and stock meet as to how many shots you can get before it strings. If it's a hunting rifle it's not critical but if you plan to shoot a lot at once you either need to let it cool or work on free floating the barrel and bedding the action more solidly and go to a thicker barrel. fluted is good. Three or four shots with a hunting rifle is about all a hunter normally gets at a fleeing animal without a break in the shooting to reload and, or re-find the animal.
I plan on 3 accurate shots and 2 or 3 minute of elk shots if needed.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:
 
For hunting ,I just want to know where the first shot is going. :oops: That is the only one I plan on shooting. :lol: It is rare that I ever get a chance for a second shot anyway. :wink:
 
Antelope_Sniper":v5uuedxq said:
I like to take 3 rifles to the range. Shoot a group, then rotate rifles. Seems to work well.

Thats what I do. When shooting my RUM, I wait a min of 5 min between shots.

JD338
 
Rem700,

[H]ow hot does a barrel have to be before the normal POI changes?

On some rifles, a couple of shots is enough to move the POI. Factors that affect the POI include, but are not limited to, the steel used in the manufacture of the barrel, the barrel profile, whether the barrel channel is touching at any point or whether the barrel moves sufficiently to touch the stock at some point, the bedding. There are rifles that are deliberately designed to permit lots of shooting without shifting the POI significantly.

JD338, nodak and Greg Nolan have all given good advice. For most hunting rifles, it is a good idea to give plenty of time between shots to allow for cooling. Otherwise, you are just slinging lead and can say nothing about the accuracy potential of the rifle. On the other hand, for accuracy of a particular load to be assessed in a given rifle, you will need to take pains to ensure that you are actually measuring what the load can do rather than drawing inaccurate conclusions because of barrel movement.
 
Thanks everybody...I thought I was going crazy, but I never knew his info. Now I am excited to hit the range again.
 
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