[oO_Rogue_Oo]

I would caution against quick cooling methods but if you must then it is advisable to begin before the barrel heats up too much. In the old days it was not uncommon to see the long range guys pour a little water down the inside of the barrel (room temp, not cold) then run a dry patch through it, between shots. But; they would start with the very first shot; not wait for the barrel to heat up then start. Rapid cooling of the barrel is not what I would call good for it.

So what do you do in the downtime

Typically spotting other shooters.

 

[Txhillbilly]

If you're shooting suppressed, the heat mirage coming off the suppressor will tell you when it's time to let things cool off. A cover will allow you to shoot a little longer, but the barrel will be even hotter and take longer to cool off.
I usually don't take much time between shots when shooting groups. I take shots back to back with all heavy contoured barrels.
On my sporter weight barrels, I'm only concerned about the cold bore shot and the difference in the POI of a rapid 2nd shot for hunting scenario's.

 

[BillM]

Saw one of the local guys with a cute little setup. Cheap little air blower/compressor.
He had it adapted somehow to blow air through the bore.

 

[Wambli]

I would never use any “quick” way to cool a barrel. I have seen folks do all sorts of silly things including spraying alcohol all over the barrel. Anything that cools a barrel too quickly upon application will cause a barrel to warp because it won’t be consistent slow radiant air cooling all over the barrel surface. MAYBE pushing air through the bore has SOME merit but that’s about it.

Like it has been said all my hunting rifles get shot for 2 shot groups with no extended range sessions. I could not care less where the third shot from a hot barrel goes. And all my precision rifles are expected to hold zero for as long as I need them for cold or hot so they cool down when I’m done with my string.

 

[JimRau]

It depends on how 'hot' your are talking about. If you are cooling between 3 or 5 shot groups 'quick' cooling with an ice cube has no ill effect on the metal. But it MAY if the bbl is extremely hot. It is all relative to the situation!

 

[formerCav]

back in the days when I used to shoot prairie dogs,
we had the great luck of being invited to a ranchers place and he had a dog town that was a square mile, just west of Mission, S.D.
FOUR of us would shoot 7 to 800 rounds per day, 4 days in a row and the dogs would still be crawling over each other when we left.
We had coolers filled with soda, water and ice.
two of us were shooting a pair of 243's, the other 2 guys had 6 mm remingtons. They were remington 700's if I recall correctly. Blue steel barrel.
We'd dunk the barrel in the ice water, wrap a wet towel around the barrel while we were heating up the other rifle.
NEVER had a problem with rust or anything else.
I remember doing the same thing in Vietnam. We would dunk our M-16's in the mermaid can on the tanks and apc's that were full of ice (if we were lucky), water, and BEER.

 

[alsaqr]

i often take a .22 LR rifle and shoot at swinging targets while the barrel of the centerfire rifle cools.

 

[1oldvakid]

I have used wet rags to cool down a barrel in the summertime. This has never harmed any of my barrels.

 

[sheepdawg]

My old Swedish Mausers don't start getting real accurate till the barrels warm up.

 

[tac foley]

My old Swedish Mausers don't start getting real accurate till the barrels warm up.

I've only got one and I don't shoot it so that the barrel gets more than warm. Like yesterday, when it came out on its monthly visit to the range. The air temperature was 34F.

...and raining.

Overheating the barrel?

Naaaaaw.

 

[Bigcat]

I rotate between rifles.

I usually take 2 equally configured ARs (grips, stock, type of optic) to the range at same time.
After every lane takes only 3-5 minutes (approx 200 rds from different positions at different targets from various angles) the barrel will be smoking hot.....

If the crowd is small It may be my turn again in 15-20 minutes or so. IMO not long enough to cool down the barrel.
Having "shot out" a couple of AR barrels in the past few years and knowing that heat accelerates wear greatly I alternate between rifles

 

[tac foley]

We really do live on different planets.....................

 

[JTJ]

Tuesday my wife and I were on one of the pistol ranges. We put over a brick through the 15-22's. I have found the 15-22 mags do great with 23 rounds so we use 1 mag each and reload. That gives the barrels cooling time even though 22lr does not heat like a CF. I usually do the same with my CF. The 9mm carbines get a lot warmer and the AR's can get pretty hot if I run multiple mags. To practice mag changes I load 10 round or less. Also found suppressors heat the barrel up more even on the 22lr.
A 1 lb peanut butter jar will hold 400 rounds of 22lr. We used 1.5 jars. Surprised me she held up that long shooting offhand.

 

[sheepdawg]

I've only got one and I don't shoot it so that the barrel gets more than warm. Like yesterday, when it came out on its monthly visit to the range. The air temperature was 34F.

...and raining.

Overheating the barrel?

Naaaaaw.

They are military rifles, not meant to be babied. I doubt anyone on the front lines ever said.

"I can't shoot now cause my rifle's barrel is too hot."

 

[Bigcat]

I doubt anyone on the front lines ever said.

"I can't shoot now cause my rifle's barrel is too hot."

Not trying to nit-pick.. but you do with crew served weapons in the support-by-fire role.

That is why M249 and M240 and M60 are all equipped with quick change barrels and are issued with a spare barrel and asbestos gloves (gloves maybe different material now.. but u get the idea)
Actually many folks hold that in order to be a proper Machine gun even a Light machine gun (LMG) the barrel has to have a quick change feature.
This is (among other things) why the USMCs new(ish) M27 is not a real substitute for the M249

 

[sheepdawg]

Not trying to nit-pick.. but you do with crew served weapons in the support-by-fire role.

That is why M249 and M240 and M60 are all equipped with quick change barrels and are issued with a spare barrel and asbestos gloves (gloves maybe different material now.. but u get the idea)
Actually many folks hold that in order to be a proper Machine gun even a Light machine gun (LMG) the barrel has to have a quick change feature.
This is (among other things) why the USMCs new(ish) M27 is not a real substitute for the M249

Can we even compare a rifle to an automatic weapon? Kind of an apples to oranges thing.

 

[Bigcat]

Can we even compare a rifle to an automatic weapon? Kind of an apples to oranges thing.

Maybe not.. again sorry I didnt mean to nit-pick..
I was just seizing what I thought was a teachable moment

 

[tac foley]

Thank you for your 'teachable moment'. I think that my thirty-three years full-time soldiering qualifies me to make a judgement as to whether or not the barrel of my 121-year-old rifle is at a suitable temperature to continue shooting, or not.

 

[Bigcat]

Thank you for your 'teachable moment'. I think that my thirty-three years full-time soldiering qualifies me to make a judgement as to whether or not the barrel of my 121-year-old rifle is at a suitable temperature to continue shooting, or not.

First of all Happy Thanksgiving .

I respectfully submit to you

a) There is no telling who reads here and in the past I noticed that many non mils seem to enjoy reading such things strewn into threads . Many of us are mils or ex mils on here and are obviously not the intended audience. I
f a statement is useless to you due to personal experience what did you lose? The few seconds it takes to read it?
b) This was (I thought) a friendly exchange between myself and Sheep.. not sure where I quoted, commented, responded to, or otherwise engaged with you on this subject..(though I would be happy to)
So I struggle to understand the underlying anger in your post.

best wishes,

Bluez

 

[Bigcat]

PS: Back on topic:
What I forget to mentioned is that instead of putting the rifle back in the rack between lanes I often lay it flat on the table with the barrel stuck off the table so it gets maximum wind cooling on both bottom and top.
Also leaving the action open of course so the hot chamber is open to the air (but I think most everybody does that what with range safety requirements most places..)