Originally Posted by M1key
Heard claims of nearly doubling barrel life in a 22-250 by backing off loads from 3800fps to around 3400-3500. Don't know if it's true or not since I don't shoot it. Others might chime in...
Why would anyone with 1/2 a brain do something like this? I'll never understand people owning a gun then crippling it by shooting very light loads. Before I loaded a .22-250 down to 3400 fps I'd buy a .223.
Because shooting my .220 Swift at .22-250 velocities, the throat will last much longer than a .22-250 pushing max all the time. I typically run loads between the .22-250's max and the .220's max (50 gr. @ 3,950 FPS is my go-to).
This practice also extends brass life considerably.
I also never let the barrels on my varmint/hunting rifles to get too hot to touch.
Do what you want, but I promise you that maxxing out high pressure rifle cartridges for every shot drastically shortens your barrel life, especially if you do not allow it to cool between strings.
Another thing about downloading, you're giving up accuracy too because the loading density is down.
That's why there are different powders; Some use more volume than others for the same charge weight.
As well, the most accurate loads typically aren't max loads.
Shoot it and enjoy it. When the barrel is shot out rebarrel. I've done it and will do it again too.
Not all of us want to do that annually or more. I have shot more than 2,000 rounds in a season at praire rats from one rifle. Using max loads, it would have been losing accuracy before the season was over.
It's not velocity that kills a barrel, it's the heat of the burning powder. And a barrel will only last a finite amount of powder. Load it down, you may get 200 more rounds out of it, great trade off, performance for 200 more shots.
That's the biggest load of brave sierra I've seen in awhile on this board. Barrels are not fuel tanks that run out after X number of miles, regardless of speed.
I'm not a mellow handloader, and have pushed pretty much everything well beyond published data at some point. But as I've gotten older and gained experience, I've learned that sometimes it's not the best way. For instance, there are a couple of ways to build a fast car. One way is to go with a really wound up turbocharged engine of smaller displacement, the other is with more cubic inches. Guess which engine lasts longer making the same power? It's no different with firearms. You can try to crank up your .223 to near .22-250 levels (done it), or you can load a .22-250 moderately for the same performance and not have ruptured cases, peirced primers and prematurely eroded throat/rifling leade. There's a good reason I sold my .223 and got a .220 Swift.
the last shots heat has completely cooled
