Thinking of cutting down my heat sensitive 308...

[JBradley500]

So I go back and forth on cutting down one of my rifles. I have a 308 bergara hunter. It has a 22 inch barrel and shoots ok groups for up to 5 shots then it comes apart until i let it cool down. For that reason, it's in the back of the safe and I always find myself trying to to trade it off, which is annoying because the action, trigger, and stock all are quite decent.

I'm wondering if I could see a win win to cut it to 16 inches, get a handier rifle, and possibly see hot barrel accuracy improvements? I'm not sure if that's a long shot but I'm wondering of people have seen that type of improvement. I assume it depends on where the stresses are in the barrel, but still would be interested to hear other people's thoughts.

 

[eric1115]

Nothing to lose! $150ish to at worst see no change, at best turn it into a real shooter?

Chop chop baby!

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

Chop it. Hog out the barrel channel. Torque the action screws. Don’t shoot paper with it and you won’t notice haha.

 

[robtattoo]

 

[Bugger]

Are you gonna be ok with the expected velocity at 16”? If so, chop away and if it works get it threaded for a can. If it shoots like shit then you’ve still got a good rem 700 clone stock and action

 

[hereinaz]

Chop chop chop

 

[wildwilderness]

Cut it down or sell it off.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Cut it down, I get ~ 2740fps with a 165g accubond out of my 18” 308

 

[fishdart]

Cut it down, I get ~ 2740fps with a 165g accubond out of my 18” 308

Care to share some load data? I am considering same length + suppressor.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Care to share some load data? I am considering same length + suppressor.

I’d have to double check but it’s like 45.5g varget with lapua brass, I backed down from the max load of 46g because I was getting some pressure signs.

 

[sdupontjr]

Sell it and start over. I have several sporter barrels as well as some heavier contours. I have shot my plain Jane rwm 700 ADL 308 to where the barrel heat has a mirage and still shoots fine. My tikka t3 lite will do the same. Both will shoot sub moa after lots of shots. You have something else going on. Either the barrel heating up is touching off on stock or the ammo loads you have are in consistant. Normally if you can find the node where it shoots best, it should still shoot good if barrel is hot.

 

[JBradley500]

@Formidilosus I'm sure you love getting tagged, and I'm sorry for that, but do you have an opinion on this? Wondering if cutting 6 inches off of the end of a year sensitive barrel is likely to make a difference for the better... Thanks.

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus I'm sure you love getting tagged, and I'm sorry for that, but do you have an opinion on this? Wondering if cutting 6 inches off of the end of a year sensitive barrel is likely to make a difference for the better... Thanks.

It isn’t going to hurt, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it still has issues.

Frankly, I would chop it with a hacksaw and see if it still did it. If it shot significantly better and corrected the issues, then take it to a gunsmith and have them cut/crown (or just shoot it as is).

 

[JBradley500]

It isn’t going to hurt, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it still has issues.

Frankly, I would chop it with a hacksaw and see if it still did it. If it shot significantly better and corrected the issues, then take it to a gunsmith and have them cut/crown (or just shoot it as is).

Thank you. I think I am more fishing for this type of answer. I was thinking of going 16.5" with a hacksaw, polishing it up, and making a little crown with a screw head or whatever and a drill and just rolling with it.

 

[Formidilosus]

Thank you. I think I am more fishing for this type of answer. I was thinking of going 16.5" with a hacksaw, polishing it up, and making a little crown with a screw head or whatever and a drill and just rolling with it.

That is exactly what I would, and have done.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

That would be an unacceptable rifle for me personally these days.

I have a buddy with a 6.5 CM Bergara that had similar symptoms about 3 years ago. We did everything we could to get that gun to shoot better than 2.5-3 MOA. Stock contact relieved, action screws torqued at different specs, took the Leupold VX6 off and properly installed a SWFA 3-9, factory ammo, hand loads, Shaen chopped and threaded the barrel…

It was all in vain, unfortunately.

 

[JBradley500]

It's not really acceptable for me either. Luckily I have a few Tikkas that I rely on. It's not worth the effort for me to sell the Bergara and I had no luck trading for anything I needed. I was hoping making it a stumpy little tree stand gun that I could beat on or let my dad use would make it worth keeping around.

 

[JBradley500]

Got everything around to do it including the barrel vise, metal saw blades, etc.... can't find my hacksaw I'll update when I get it done and have some results. Might load some 175 TMKs first.

 

[General RE LEE]

Have you tried bedding the stock? That might help. I bedded a Bergara HMR and it improved groupings.

Personally I’d keep it at 22” for the extra velocity. 22” barrel can get ~ 2550 FPS with 178 ELDX which makes the rifle good for long range.

 

[JBradley500]

I haven't. Bedding is something I've never dipped my toes into.