Ok,
My AIAX .308 barrel is just south of 6,000 rounds at this point, and while it still shoots better than the average stock SPS Tactical, it's not quite as tight as it once was. I have read a number of times that .308 barrels run around 10k rounds, but I imagine that the accuracy is significantly different for the last 1000 of that as opposed to the first 1000?
I am thinking it may be time to retire this barrel. Last shooting session I had it out, it averaged in the .6 moa range over the course of the 7 groups I shot. Still acceptable, but it used to average in the .3-.4 range. Last time I had the barrel off, switching from my .260 barrel back to .308 for the winter, I took a look down the bore and throat erosion was evident to the naked eye. The barrel doesn't run as long betaeen cleanings before accuracy falls off now (needs to be cleaned around 200 rounds where I used to clean every 500 or so,) and it takes more rounds to settle in now.
Lastly, the POI seems to "shift" around a bit. Meaning that if I go to the range and shoot 10x 5 round groups, the first group is as much as .2 mil up and left as the last group. This results in some misses that would otherwise be hits when shooting dot drills etc. It now occasionally throws a "flyer" that I know wasn't me where it didn't used to.
I guess I am posing this question to see where everyone else changes out. I know f class and palma guys go 2500 or so rounds before they dump a barrel. I also know that they go 10k or more at Benning on the m24's, but the accuracy requirements of those training rifles is not as high perhaps as my standard.
Finally, am I missing something? Last time my accuracy dropped off, I cleaned thoroughly with Butch's Bore Shine and got a ton of copper out. Let the bore soak an hour between patches, and cleaned more thoroughly than before. It seemed to help temporarily, but I just think this barrel is tired.
At the cost of components today, I'm thinking that getting every last bit of accuracy out of .75 cent reloads is more important than getting every last round out of an $800 barrel, but I'd like to hear input. I have a brand new AINA Bartlein ready to go on as soon as I get the muzzle rethreaded for my suppressor.
Thanks,
-Bob
My AIAX .308 barrel is just south of 6,000 rounds at this point, and while it still shoots better than the average stock SPS Tactical, it's not quite as tight as it once was. I have read a number of times that .308 barrels run around 10k rounds, but I imagine that the accuracy is significantly different for the last 1000 of that as opposed to the first 1000?
I am thinking it may be time to retire this barrel. Last shooting session I had it out, it averaged in the .6 moa range over the course of the 7 groups I shot. Still acceptable, but it used to average in the .3-.4 range. Last time I had the barrel off, switching from my .260 barrel back to .308 for the winter, I took a look down the bore and throat erosion was evident to the naked eye. The barrel doesn't run as long betaeen cleanings before accuracy falls off now (needs to be cleaned around 200 rounds where I used to clean every 500 or so,) and it takes more rounds to settle in now.
Lastly, the POI seems to "shift" around a bit. Meaning that if I go to the range and shoot 10x 5 round groups, the first group is as much as .2 mil up and left as the last group. This results in some misses that would otherwise be hits when shooting dot drills etc. It now occasionally throws a "flyer" that I know wasn't me where it didn't used to.
I guess I am posing this question to see where everyone else changes out. I know f class and palma guys go 2500 or so rounds before they dump a barrel. I also know that they go 10k or more at Benning on the m24's, but the accuracy requirements of those training rifles is not as high perhaps as my standard.
Finally, am I missing something? Last time my accuracy dropped off, I cleaned thoroughly with Butch's Bore Shine and got a ton of copper out. Let the bore soak an hour between patches, and cleaned more thoroughly than before. It seemed to help temporarily, but I just think this barrel is tired.
At the cost of components today, I'm thinking that getting every last bit of accuracy out of .75 cent reloads is more important than getting every last round out of an $800 barrel, but I'd like to hear input. I have a brand new AINA Bartlein ready to go on as soon as I get the muzzle rethreaded for my suppressor.
Thanks,
-Bob