Help me! Rifle Troubles

[Tullis94]

Has it been this way for the whole life of the barrel? 265 shots sounds like A LOT of frustration!
In my opinion 3 shots and then unpredictability is not acceptable in any way. I would never have confidence in the rifle.
@SDHNTR brings up a good point. A look inside the barrel might make some sense of the situation.

 

[DaleW]

I would definitely talk to someone at bartlein. If that doesn't pan out, just buy a proof prefit and have it spun on. Messing with that barrel will be a long expensive path to nowhere.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Find the velocity the gun likes.

 

[mitchellmountain]

A three shot group is what people normally shoot and most would never know if their gun opens up after that. I'm sure it will be fine but I'm like you and wouldn't rely on it on a guided elk hunt if there is an unknown issue, but that issue is most likely heat.
The PRC will be more than enough gun inside 400 yards and is good farther if you have the skill to shoot it accurately and consistently. I am not a Berger fan of you hit anything besides lungs, lots of other bullets out there that are accurate and stay together better

 

[ResearchinStuff]

What scope? Won't make things speed up, but can surely grow your groups.

Also, I think @Lawnboi had a barrel that sped up a lot within a string, pretty sure the ultimate fix was a new tube.

 

[Lawnboi]

What scope? Won't make things speed up, but can surely grow your groups.

Also, I think @Lawnboi had a barrel that sped up a lot within a string, pretty sure the ultimate fix was a new tube.

I had a carbon barrel that didn’t speed up in subsequent shots But pressured up, to the point I could blow a primer in 10 shots. Even factory it did it.

I didn’t trust the gunsmith at all on that one either due to it being the second barrel by him that turned out to be a dud.

If it’s never shot good, I’d talk to bartlein, but be prepared to scrap the barrel and have a new one put on. It sucks… I’m not a rich man by any means and I have a carbon barrel sitting in my gun room that will never see another action.

If your action will take a prefit that’s a route you could go too. Part of the reason I won’t buy an action thay wont take a prefit is exactly what you describe. If something goes wrong, you can screw on a new one quickly without shipping and waiting.

If this problem just started I’d suspect a possible carbon ring. I know many here are non cleaners, but Iv had 2 barrels now go from shooters to shotguns and back due to carbon, though that was rifles with 1k plus rounds on them.

Good luck. Sometimes you need to eat the cost of a barrel, it’s unfortunate, but if you have the means I’d Atleast get a backup coming.

 

[j_volt]

Has it been this way for the whole life of the barrel? 265 shots sounds like A LOT of frustration!

Yes, it has been this way the entire time. I took possession of the rifle in 2021. It took me ~125 rounds of messing with different loads to conclude this wasn't a me or an ammo problem. Then, lots of practice and waiting for the thing to cool until an elk hunt in 2021. With the supply chain issues of Covid, I didn't have a lot of options and made it work. Then, lots of promises from the gunsmith until he was arrested for an unrelated matter...

 

[j_volt]

What scope?

Zeiss V4 6-24x50

 

[Lawnboi]

260 rounds of 300 prc during high price Covid time is about 160 rounds farther than I would have gone.

At one point your money spent on ammo, time and frustration go way over the amount of money needed for a barrel.

I’d scrap it for a new tube personally.

Before than I’d clean the crap out of it, bore scope it, assemble/re torque everything, and try a different scope.

If that’s a no go I’d begin exploring options for a new barrel. If the tenacity is a newer model and a prefit is an option that makes it fairly easy and quick to get you back up and running.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Potentially you have 2 different issues, velocity change and unacceptable accuracy. The scope could be contributing to the second, while the accuracy issue is definitely something barrel related. Could be a bad chambering job, or the bore itself.

 

[SDHNTR]

Clean the thing. Wrap a plastic brush with a patch saturated with carbon solvent. Stick it just into the throat. Let set overnight. Then take a one caliber oversized plastic Iosso brand brush and scrub the piss out of the throat.

Then shoot it and see if it still does it. If yes, scrap the barrel and move on.

 

[striped1]

One of the best gunsmiths in the world is in Kansas City. Give a call to GA Precison and talk to George (the owner). He is who I would have work on it.

 

[BjornF16]

Carbon being an insulator, I don’t think I would run a chambering that has that much powder pushing a bullet.

Makes me wonder if that contained heat isn’t conducting to either end where it can radiate out.

 

[Gila]

I don’t think you are out of the norm by much….My 300 win mag shoots a Tikka SS lite barrel and gets hot after 3 shots. Sounds like you are letting the barrel cool between strings and then go back to optimal accuracy, so not quite sure why there is a problem? I have debated getting a carbon barrel but decided that I can live with SS. From my research the different barrel makers lay up the carbon fibers differently to dissipate heat. Epoxies that have the highest thermal conductivity are very expensive, I know that from personal experience. So I would fathom to guess that not all carbon barrels have the same heat dissipation.

Most shots made on big game are cold bore shots so carbon fiber barrels do not seem to be an issue. As mentioned, that custom match ammo you are shooting is some really hot stuff, usually shot out of a heavy SS barrel. I would go with some other ammo for your elk hunt. The good outfitters down here (you have one) are rather conservative because most of their clients don’t shoot much and are below average to average shooters that typically shoot out to max 300 yards to hit vitals. They typically like to have their clients use conventional good quality factory hunting ammo in 30 cal or higher. Something like these:

Federal Premium Terminal Ascent Ammo 300 PRC 215 Grain Polymer Tip

Federal Premium Terminal Ascent Ammunition allows you to go beyond what you ever thought possible. Any hunt. Any range. Bonded construction penetrates...

www.midwayusa.com

Hornady Precision Hunter Ammo 300 PRC 212 Grain ELD-X Box of 20

The Hornady Precision Hunter 300 PRC is an intelligently crafted 21st century magnum cartridge specifically designed to take advantage of long, heavy...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[j_volt]

I don’t think you are out of the norm by much….My 300 win mag shoots a Tikka SS lite barrel and gets hot after 3 shots. Sounds like you are letting the barrel cool between strings and then go back to optimal accuracy, so not quite sure why there is a problem?

That is certainly possible. I have been getting feedback that more than 3 shots should be expected before a POI shift, but I think I can limp this gun along.

 

[Lawnboi]

That is certainly possible. I have been getting feedback that more than 3 shots should be expected before a POI shift, but I think I can limp this gun along.

If your custom rifle can’t shoot a 5 or 10 round group without a cool down; my opinion is that barrel is junk.

 

[OKHunter84]

I have a 300 win mag and a 300 WSM that both get pretty hot pretty quickly. The WSM is a sporter contour and it gets hot after 3 shots for sure. Killed a boat load of game with it. Your first shot is the most important. I wouldn't overthink it.

 

[Formidilosus]

That is certainly possible. I have been getting feedback that more than 3 shots should be expected before a POI shift, but I think I can limp this gun along.

It absolutely should work for more than 3 shots. Barrel mirage is a factor with heat, but it will be obvious that it’s mirage, and a piece of cardboard over the barrel will show it. However, a barrel/rifle that walks, POI moves, or groups open regardless of round count, means there is something mechanically wrong with it and it should be fixed.

Properly stress relieved barrels and actions bedded correctly will shot inside the true cone until the barrel is nearly glowing.

 

[SDHNTR]

If your custom rifle can’t shoot a 5 or 10 round group without a cool down; my opinion is that barrel is junk.

Especially a $1000 carbon wrapped fatty!

 

[Gila]

Found this article on the forum….first time i read it is just now, but seems to be about as good as it gets on the subject of carbon wrapped barrels. The barrel experts were there:

Let's Talk Carbon Barrels... What are the REAL advantages and disadvantages?

The carbon barrel seems like a natural evolution on a long range hunting rifle and selling point almost anyone would see as an advantage. Theoretically, you get the stiffness of a heavy contour rifle barrel, improved resistance to heat walking, and a much lighter firearm? I would like to hear...

rokslide.com