Hot Barrel

Until you can hold the barrel without discomfort in your bare hand.

ArchAngelCD said:

Until you can hold the barrel without discomfort in your bare hand.

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Yes.

And it also depends.
For instance, I use the above answer for general hunting and plinking ammo.
However, when I am working up a load for metallic silhouette competition, because I live in AZ (where the summer matches are a thing one must experience to understand) I shoot 10 rounds between cooling periods regardless how hot the barrel gets. In highpower silhouette we shoot 5 rounds (2.3 min. per round), rest for 1 minute and shoot another 5 rounds. In the summer, you cannot touch the barrel after shooting a bank of animals with your bare hand. My .270 in its plastic stock cannot be comfortably held by the forestock. Generally speaking, by the time my relay is called again, the .270 has cooled enough that it will not burn you, but it is still hot to the touch. Also, in the summer in AZ, just leaving a piece of steel sitting in the direct afternoon sunlight is enough to cause a 1st degree burn to bare skin to the touch.

The OP did not give details nore did he say he was using the ammo in competition. My suggestion was general and IMO correct for most cases.

I am usually in no hurry when at the range testing accuracy; I let the barrel cool until (or almost until) I can feel no residual heat (probably not necessary but I have the time) - I like to duplicate a hunting scenario as repeating a “first shot” from a rifle. Also, I tend to be “tight” at the bench (especially the first couple of rounds and/ or if it is cold) - the cooling gives me time to calm down. However, I am certain that some heat in a barrel (warm but not hot) will not significantly affect accuracy.

ArchAngelCD said:

Until you can hold the barrel without discomfort in your bare hand.

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I wait much longer. I don't even want to feel heat coming off that barrel. If I'm REALLY trying for the best "cold shot" accuracy I can find (all my rifles are hunting rifles so my primary concern is where is that 1st shot going on a completely cold barrel) I will put the gun back in the rack after a single shot, then forget about it for a while and go on and play with other guns in the meantime, or just visit with someone at the range.

It takes time, patience and discipline to do this, but it's the only way to really know what's going to happen on a cold barrel.

If I'm working on accuracy loads and not just testing for velocity, I never go to the range without plenty of time to do this.

Interesting! Not meant to be a hijack as it's kinda keeping with topic; I have a Ruger American in 308 and with lower/starting loads of IMR 4064 under a 155 gr. bullet, the barrel is hot after a magazine full (4 shots). Not rapid fire as about 1 minute or more between shots. After one magazine I walk to the target and back (200 yds) and the barrel is still hot to the touch. Any input? Different load that shoots "cooler"?

BTW; I can get 7/8" groups and most groups are under 1" @ 100...

Newtosavage said:

If I'm REALLY trying for the best "cold shot" accuracy I can find (all my rifles are hunting rifles so my primary concern is where is that 1st shot going on a completely cold barrel)

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Just a note, a fouled cold bore will be closer to the other shots than a cold clean bore in most rifles.

ArchAngelCD said:

Just a note, a fouled cold bore will be closer to the other shots than a cold clean bore in most rifles.

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Yup.

I'm a hunter but also a competitive NRA High Power shooter and might interject that it may be good to know how your gun shoots both hot or cool.If your gun shoots a group more than 2x as large when hot (say, after 10 rounds in 60 seconds) than it does waiting 2 minutes between shots, it's not shooting right; there may be contact on the barrel from the stock or barrel/receiver mismatch. If this is unacceptable to you, have it looked after.

I agree with the Beatles, Happiness is a Warm Gun.

ArchAngelCD said:

The OP did not give details nore did he say he was using the ammo in competition. My suggestion was general and IMO correct for most cases.

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And I agreed with you!

But there are also those of us that shoot in AZ in the summertime. I can tell you, when it is 110 degrees+ in the shade, everything touched is hot. One round downrange and it will be lots hotter! And after a 5 round group? Owwwiiieeee! Letting a barrel cool to ambient temperature between rounds for a 5 shot group could take two or three hours or more.

For a hunting rifle (here in AZ) I find a load with a hunting type bullet that shoots five 3 round groups less than 1" avg. With my Tikka 6.5x55, it was very easy. Then I take it out with a cold, fouled barrel in mid-winter (AZ ambient temps right now in the morning are 50-ish, 60-70 mid afternoon) and shoot a three shot group with that load. The scope turrets are set for competition load settings, (6.5-20x50mm Vortex Viper) I use the group just fired to set the scope 2.5" high at 100 yards. I shoot one 3 round group after the barrel cools to ambient air temperature to confirm the setting. I record the turret readings and return the scope to the recorded silhouette load settings. When hunting season comes, the scope settings are turned to the recorded marks for the hunting load.
Easy peasy.

It works for me but YMMV.