Throat wear.

[bruddah]

How many rounds of .308 would I expect to get out of a barrel before accuracy degrades? (lets say from a 1/4 or 1/2 MOA gun to a 3/4 or 1 MOA.)

I'm not talking super hot loads.

Lets say using Varget or IMR 4046 and 175-208gr bullets out of a 5R Savage NON chomed, NON stainless barrel.

Just a round figure as I know there will be lots of variables.

 

[M14 Shooter]

A lot of target shooter will change 308 barrels after 4500-5000 rounds.

Regards,Mike

 

[Deadshot2]

A lot is going to depend on the barrel itself. I shot a 5-R Milspec for well over 10k rounds and it maintained 1/2 MOA accuracy to it's dying day.

That barrel was a hammer forged barrel and tougher than my old uncles attitude. Button Rifled barrels, in my estimation would be a close second for "tough" with single point cut rifling barrels in third place, again for just plain resistance to accuracy sucking wear.

.308 is a unique cartridge as it is not a big "barrel burner". Keep loads reasonable, clean them properly, and you'll definitely get your money's worth from a .308 barrel.

 

[Aeon1]

I have one with 4K+ rounds w/168SMK's and Varget. Throat has hardly moved at all and still shoots as consistently as it was when new.

 

[Graham]

That barrel was a hammer forged barrel and tougher than my old uncles attitude. Button Rifled barrels, in my estimation would be a close second for "tough" with single point cut rifling barrels in third place, again for just plain resistance to accuracy sucking wear.

Wearing out a barrel has nothing to do with wearing out the rifling.

 

[bruddah]

Thanks for the input guys. Sounds like it should last for a lot longer than I thought it might. It'll be a long time before I put 5,000 rounds down the barrel of my .308

 

[lte82]

Wearing out a barrel has nothing to do with wearing out the rifling.

Do tell.

 

[TeaRex]

Do tell.

It's the throat that wears out.

I know it is a different caliber (one more prone to throat erosion that a .308WIN), but I have been tracking the throat erosion on my 6.5x55.

The first ~250 shots eroded the throat 0.015", and the next ~250 eroded it ~0.007 more. This is measuring with the hornady COAL gauge too ogive and the using same soft seated bullet for each measurement.


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