Guidance on choosing a new barrel or new rifle

[std7mag]

Haven't made any moves yet, and won't for some time. This thread is mostly about planning/budgeting for the future.

What questions do you have?

What is it about the rifle that makes you think the barrel is no good?
Are you using factory ammo, or reloading?

Did you tune the action screw
torque?

 

[yakimanoob]

I've generally been unhappy with the accuracy, and the pencil barrel heats up to the point it's painful to the touch after only 10 rounds or so, which limits my ability to practice and test ammo (for reference, I was testing some handloads—to answer your section question—and between 5-shot groups I had to wait at least 5 minutes for the barrel to cool down, otherwise I risk over-pressure).

I have tried tuning the action screws, to no effect.

As of right now my best options are the factory 140gr Nosler 3-tips, which consistently shoot great (1/2–3/4 MOA 5-shot groups, within the range where I can no longer blame the equipment for the variance ), and a promising-but-needs-further-verification handload with the 139gr CX bullets over IMR 4064 (single 5-shot group at 0.6 MOA). Just about everything else I've sent downrange prints north of 1.5 MOA, and I've tried a lot of combinations over the 7 years I've had the rifle.

 

[std7mag]

@yakimanoob,

Well, when you do rebarrel the rifle, let me know.
I'm interested in the take off barrel.
Please.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I've generally been unhappy with the accuracy, and the pencil barrel heats up to the point it's painful to the touch after only 10 rounds or so, which limits my ability to practice and test ammo (for reference, I was testing some handloads—to answer your section question—and between 5-shot groups I had to wait at least 5 minutes for the barrel to cool down, otherwise I risk over-pressure).

I have tried tuning the action screws, to no effect.

As of right now my best options are the factory 140gr Nosler 3-tips, which consistently shoot great (1/2–3/4 MOA 5-shot groups, within the range where I can no longer blame the equipment for the variance ), and a promising-but-needs-further-verification handload with the 139gr CX bullets over IMR 4064 (single 5-shot group at 0.6 MOA). Just about everything else I've sent downrange prints north of 1.5 MOA, and I've tried a lot of combinations over the 7 years I've had the rifle.

Risk over-pressure from a hot barrel? Have you observed issues with that from rounds cooking in the chamber?

Depending on how many rounds you're wanting to shoot, heavier barrels heat up slower but they also cool down slower.

 

[yakimanoob]

Risk over-pressure from a hot barrel? Have you observed issues with that from rounds cooking in the chamber?

Depending on how many rounds you're wanting to shoot, heavier barrels heat up slower but they also cool down slower.

I have indeed. There's been enough recent articles encouraging shooters to actually test whether or not a hot barrel causes groups to open up for POIs to shift, so I decided to try it a few weeks ago. I was shooting 10 shot groups and didn't make it all the way through the second group before my bolt lift stiffened and started "clicking", and the barrel was literally scalding to the touch. So, I'll never really know what happens to accuracy with my setup because other factors limit how hot I can get it.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I have indeed. There's been enough recent articles encouraging shooters to actually test whether or not a hot barrel causes groups to open up for POIs to shift, so I decided to try it a few weeks ago. I was shooting 10 shot groups and didn't make it all the way through the second group before my bolt lift stiffened and started "clicking", and the barrel was literally scalding to the touch. So, I'll never really know what happens to accuracy with my setup because other factors limit how hot I can get it.

Using a double based or ball powder on those loads?

I haven't had it happen but I primarily use pretty temp stable powders and dont usually have rounds sitting in a hot chamber for too long. Makes sense that it could happen!

 

[yakimanoob]

That particular load was H4350, and I was intentionally shooting without regard to timing (i.e., just taking whatever time I needed to cycle the action and re-settle my scope on target). Rounds didn't sit in the chamber for long but that sucker got HOT.

 

[yakimanoob]

To be fair Savage obviously didn't build the lightweight hunter model for that kind of shooting .

Anyway I'm leaning towards just letting this rifle be the somewhat budget lightweight hunting rifle that it is and saving my money for a new gun that's more conducive to range practice.