Light practice loads for Magnum? Inc barrel life?

[uhcoog1]

I've got a new rifle on the way - a 7 saum. I'm stoked about the ballistics that it will offer, but I'm not excited about the decreased practice time I'll be able to get with the rifle because of it. I've heard barrel life from ~700 rounds to ~1500 rounds.

Is it possible to have a hot hunting & competition load, and a slower practice load? Say maybe match the performance of a 7-08 for increased trigger time with the same rifle? My shooting form is not where it needs to be.

I have a 308 as well, but I'd sure like to focus all my efforts on one rifle. The rifles are a good bit different.

 

[Jerry m]

Re: Light practice loads for Magnum? Inc barrel life?

P. O. Ackley has a whole chapter in his book about the dangers of reduced loads of slow powder causing the rifles to explode. So be careful!

Good luck on your quest.

Jerry

 

[Jeffvn]

Re: Light practice loads for Magnum? Inc barrel life?

I agree on the potential dangers of light loads with low density. I think that is the key ... you can practice with your SAUM using a lighter, less expensive bullet and slighly different powder to get you a decent velocity and retain the load density needed to be safe.

But in my opinion, you want to run the racehorse, as that is why you got it to begin with. I view barrels as consumables, and a cost of doing business, whether it be in your 7 SAUM or in my case 338LM Improved or my various 7WSMS. I got 1,685 rounds from my first 7WSM barrel, and that included a ton of F-Class torture work. When I realized I would burn that one up pretty fast, I started my current practice of having a spare or 2 chambered barrels sitting in the garage (in Houston it was my gunsafe) to thread on at any moment.

JeffVN

 

[Grump]

Re: Light practice loads for Magnum? Inc barrel life?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jeffvn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">[snip]
But in my opinion, you want to run the racehorse, as that is why you got it to begin with. I view barrels as consumables, and a cost of doing business,
[snip]
When I realized I would burn that one up pretty fast, I started my current practice of having a spare or 2 chambered barrels sitting in the garage (in Houston it was my gunsafe) to thread on at any moment.
JeffVN </div></div>

Thus, my opinion that if one wants to shoot Magnums enough to burn out barrels in less than 10 years, then the way to go with a bolt gun is the Savage action with your own set of headspace gages.

Heck, you can even get more out of any great barrel, much more easily, with the approach of chopping a quarter-inch of the chamber end and just re-chambering a few times, without the added expense of a 'smith dismounting and re-mounting the barrel to the action every time.