Powder VS. Barrel life

[coldboremiracle]

So the next build is gonna be hard on barrels I'm told, so I was wondering if there is any definitive information out there about powders VS. Barrel life. Is one brand/burn rate of powder more damaging to a barrel? Or am I wasting time thinking about it?
I was hoping that some of you out there who have gone through alot more barrels than me could chime in and give your opinion as to one way or another.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: Powder VS. Barrel life

I wouldn't worry about it. I do not know of a single powder that has a reputation for washing out throats.

More better to worry about pressure. If you are always loading max, expect degraded barrel life in the form of loss of accuracy.

That's all I know? Overbore chamberings will tend to decrease barrel life. As an example, take a cartridge like the 6-284, which has a reputation as a barrel burner. Sure it does and those "speed freaks" that are attracted to that type of cartridge always want to push the limit, then whine about barrel life, when I think that if they were sensible, and kept the pressures below maximum, the barrel life shouldn't be much worse than a plain vanilla 243Winchester.

I suspect a lot more shooters wash out a barrel on a 17Remington than a 308, with the same amount of shots fired.

Short answer is max loads with slow burning powders will shorten barrel life. None are worse than others, it's just how you go about your handloading that causes decreased barrel life. BB

 

[jet_lagged]

Re: Powder VS. Barrel life

accurate shooter has a spreadsheet to put a few variables and powder types into, but from my playing around with it, most scenarios only changed the life by a few hundred rounds, if that.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2008/10/spreadsheet-formula-calculates-useful-barrel-life/

 

[JimGnitecki]

Re: Powder VS. Barrel life

I just played with that worksheet using 338 Lapua as an example, and got the barrel life to swing from as low as 1000 to as high as 1650 with just a few sensible possibilities.

Could be useful.

Jim G

 

[raptor99]

Re: Powder VS. Barrel life

If you have a case that will take enough slow burning powder compared to a faster burning powder you will get better barrel life due to the cooler burning slow powders.

H1000, VV N165 are suppose to be a couple of the better powders for barrel life.

These powders are why a lot of guys are getting close to three thousand rounds out of 243s shooting the heavier bullets when a lot of barrels are gone in around a thousand or so for the average 243s.