Stainless steel barrel distortion

[SlimTim]

Looking at the Tikka TX3 in stainless steel though have heard the barrel on stainless steel rifles can distort due to heat after a few rounds.

Is this the case? Is it an issue I should be concerned about?

Apologies if this post already exists. I couldn't seem to find it.

Cheers,

 

[Bubblehide]

Don believe everything you hear

 

[HandgunHTR]

Yeah, that is not a thing.

Every barrel, whether it is chrome-moly or SS, will heat up as it is shot. Like any metal, it will expand when it heats up. This is not "distortion" it is a basic property of metal. When it heats up the harmonics will change. Depending on the barrel, this may cause a shift in point of impact.

For a hunting rifle, it won't matter because you will not be (or should not be) taking multiple shots in a short period of time (prairie dog shooting excluded).

This is the main reason why benchrest guns have such big/heavy barrels. They can absorb more heat, therefore you can get off more shots before the physics catch up to it.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

No, Tim.

 

[SlimTim]

Awesome. Everything I need. Thanks for the info. SS Tikka Tx3 308 it is then.

It'll be my first hunting rifle so I'll likely be attempting to reduce my ignorance with your collective knowledge in the very near future.

 

[Sled]

Awesome. Everything I need. Thanks for the info. SS Tikka Tx3 308 it is then.

It'll be my first hunting rifle so I'll likely be attempting to reduce my ignorance with your collective knowledge in the very near future.

You'll be fine with it as long as you're not doing multiple mag dumps. I don't hesitate to send 3 in a row but I usually let it cool after that. It's not a target barrel but it's accurate enough to outshoot my needs.

 

[SlimTim]

You'll be fine with it as long as you're not doing multiple mag dumps. I don't hesitate to send 3 in a row but I usually let it cool after that. It's not a target barrel but it's accurate enough to outshoot my needs.

How long in general would it take for it to cool down? I plan on doing a fair bit of practice prior to any hunting so knowing if the barrel is too hot or if I'm just missing at the range may be a good idea.

 

[roosiebull]

Awesome. Everything I need. Thanks for the info. SS Tikka Tx3 308 it is then.

It'll be my first hunting rifle so I'll likely be attempting to reduce my ignorance with your collective knowledge in the very near future.

Good choice

 

[roosiebull]

How long in general would it take for it to cool down? I plan on doing a fair bit of practice prior to any hunting so knowing if the barrel is too hot or if I'm just missing at the range may be a good idea.

You’ll be able to tell… if your groups start to open up a little, let it cool… if it’s too hot to touch, let it cool for awhile.

The tikkas I have owned have not been temperamental to heat (within reason)

Go shoot 3, take a couple minute break to mark your hits on the target, go shoot another 3, rinse and repeat and keep tabs on how hot the barrel is, that will tell you

Practice quality shots rather than quantity of shots, I promise it’s easy and straightforward. I like shooting in the cooler part of the day so it cools things down quicker between shots, and leave my bolt open between groups to dissipate heat faster (not sure how much that helps but it’s intuitive)

I generally bring more than one gun when shooting and let one cool while shooting the others… a rim fire is great for that drilling shot mechanics between groups with my bigger rifles

 

[Ryan Avery]

@SlimTim

That is a great selection for a first rifle.

A POI shift from a "barrel heating up" is rarely a barrel issue. People do love to blame it on that though.

 

[EdP]

I think a lot of folks shoot 3 in fairly rapid succession, and then let the barrel cool until it is "cold" again, but I prefer to wait 3 minutes between shots and shoot as long as I need to. With overbore cartridges like 7mm Rem mag, I might wait a bit longer, with a .222 Rem, 3 minutes seems longer than needed.

 

[SlimTim]

You’ll be able to tell… if your groups start to open up a little, let it cool… if it’s too hot to touch, let it cool for awhile.

The tikkas I have owned have not been temperamental to heat (within reason)

Go shoot 3, take a couple minute break to mark your hits on the target, go shoot another 3, rinse and repeat and keep tabs on how hot the barrel is, that will tell you

Practice quality shots rather than quantity of shots, I promise it’s easy and straightforward. I like shooting in the cooler part of the day so it cools things down quicker between shots, and leave my bolt open between groups to dissipate heat faster (not sure how much that helps but it’s intuitive)

I generally bring more than one gun when shooting and let one cool while shooting the others… a rim fire is great for that drilling shot mechanics between groups with my bigger rifles

Beauty. Will do. Sounds like I've made (or at least will be making) a good choice.

 

[roosiebull]

Beauty. Will do. Sounds like I've made (or at least will be making) a good choice.

100%, and I have seen lots and lots of 308 ammo on the shelves, far more than any other rifle cartridge besides 556/223…. Almost like there is no ammo shortage if you shoot a 308.

I’m getting a 308 soon, I never really appreciated it much, but in practical terms for the rifle hunting I do, nothing is going to work “better”

Tikkas are a no nonsense lightweight smooth running rifle, and their accuracy consistency is really good.

I also would take Ryan Avery’s advice on heating up barrels, he is far more qualified than me, I just always let rifles cool between groups out of habit. I did have one rifle that went to hell with a hot barrel… unbelievably bad, but it was the only one, and it was a ruger 270 that wasn’t free floated