Gunsmithing Barrel life question.

[Icallem]

I’m sure this topic has been beat to death, but as all barrels are different, I will move ahead.

My wife has a Model 10 Savage in 308, with a short 3000 rounds down it (factory barrel). This rifle typically shoots in the .75 moa range, some better, some worse. In the past week to ten days her shooting has gone downhill. First I cleaned it as it had just over 200 down it. There was a spot near the end of the barrel that felt rough; however it cleaned up nice and felt smooth all the way through. Still shot bad, so yesterday I took the action out of the stock, re-torqued it, took scope off and checked base, installed different scope, then even changed bi-pod to one that does not swivel. Found nothing wrong, so I thought I would check the throat. Turns out it is 75 thousand past last measurement, so I loaded up some stuff with the bullet seated 10 thousand off. Still shot badly. She shot my rifle and things were right back to normal, as well as I shot hers with similar bad results.

As the throat wears, do we have to chase it and start over with trying new loads?

I realize this is like a book, but does / can a barrel just be here today and gone tomorrow?

We have a rifle coming from Mike Bush for her, but I’m thinking I’m going to lose my shooting partner until it gets here as she is not nearly as much fun to be around when she is shooting poor!

Thanks for any help.

 

[xs hedspace]

Re: Barrel life question.

My 308 Palma rifle started to go bad, and I got the accuracy back by recrowning the barrel--just recessed the crown 1/8". You can try a round head screw in a slow drill, and valve grinding compound. Just use a screw with a 3/8"head, and wobble the drill while grinding. A 1/16" bevel around the bore will tell you if it works. Cleaned a few 800 and 900 yd targets after recrowning mine. The 1K yd line, well geezer eyeballs made me go F-class...

 

[Icallem]

Re: Barrel life question.

Had you hit the crown?
Without something happening, does the crown just go south?

 

[Icallem]

Re: Barrel life question.

SHE'S BACK.

At the local gun store talking with an older gentleman that knows the rifle and has seen my wife shoot. Told him all I had done to correct this problem. I guess if you shut-up and use your ears, there is the off chance you can learn something. He said "get yourself an oversized brush and chuck it in your drill and clean the brake". Did that and it worked. I just assumed that I was cleaning the brake as I cleaned the barrel. I now know better.

Shot yesterday evening and she shot well at 100, then 3-5 shot groups at 250, all measuring just under 1 1/2 inch, which should be in the .6 to .75 MOA which is what this rifle typically does.

 

[cmh2007]

Re: Barrel life question.

I am rebarreling my .308 model 700 at roughly 5700 rounds down the tube...so i would assume you got some more life to that tube