Putting away a hot gun?

[BlackRyder]

so the other day I was at the range for a quick lunch break shoot. Ended up putting around 150 rounds down the pipe of my rifle, which caused it to heat up pretty good. I was in a hurry to get back to work so I just threw it in the case and left- my question is whether or not I should have waited for it to cool down before putting it away? Would putting a hot gun in its case cause any problems like condensation or whatever? When I got home in the evening I took it out and let it air out but by then it had already cooled down, obviously. I did notice that the foam in the case around where the barrel rests seemed to look slightly singed. What do you guys do when you are finished shooting a gun that has heated up to the point where it is uncomfortable to touch the barrel?

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[PaulB47]

It's not like putting a horse away wet. However I always wonder about people who run that number of rounds through in a short period of time. Your barrel won't last long, seems to me. Not a huge deal, just get another barrel I suppose.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

My best advice is to NEVER get your rifle barrel that hot. Take more rifles or pistols to the range and rotate them in when one starts getting warm. I'll generally shoot a 5 shot group, walk downrange and set up a new target (if I'm shooting by myself), then grab another gun and shoot again. Repeat this with about 4 or 5 different rifles and your barrels will thank you. Trust me on this...

 

[Certaindeaf]

Line your case with ceramic fire bricks. duh


















lol

 

[Joe13]

I take multiples and rotate.

 

[edslhead]

 

[BlackRyder]

Yeah I could definitely learn some restraint when it comes to shooting semi-automatic rifles- in my defense, I've had this one for about 5 months and had yet to do a mag dump! I finally popped that cherry. This is my first ak so I have a lot to figure out...
you all have warned that high volume shooting will prematurely wear out the barrel, is that from the amount of heat that it generates, or just from the amount of lead flying down the pipe?
Or both?

 

[BDA.45]

Yeah don't end up like me.....can't hit a 3x5 card at 100 yds....new barrel DEFINITELY needed. It's well past it's life time but still goes. Got an 18" Odin Works 223 wylde on order....

 

[BDA.45]

Mines got hundreds of 30rd mag dumps plus about a hundred or so 60-100rd dumps through it....all shot with a can......DON'T DO THAT......I've seriously beat the F-ing pizz out of my rifle. On the other hand my bushy only has a few hundred rounds through it and it's 15 yrs old....

 

[thorborg]

I generally baby my hunting rifles since one, maybe two shots is all they ever see each season making what happens then, the specks I'm wanting to maintain.,
Defense though, If it can't take the heat from hundred fifty rounds, It's definitely not my SHTF tool.
I wouldn't be putting it on or in anything that will melt for a while.

 

[Quartermaster]

Line your case with ceramic fire bricks. duh


















lol

Shuttle reentry tiles are on eBay, aren't they?

 

[Stomper]

Hot rifles don't condensate moisture, they evaporate it. A cold rifle can condensate moisture if the rifle is colder than the dew point of the surrounding air.

That's what those electric dehumidifiers (i.e. Goldenrods) for gun safes do, they ever so slightly keep the internal temps (and contents) warmer than the outside of the safe thus mitigating/eliminating the threat of condensation.

It's physics, speedy.... just physics!

 

[Koda]

left handed AR?

I wonder if the rapid decrease in temperature would have some ill effect on the barrel?

 

[Member 5605]

Yeah I could definitely learn some restraint when it comes to shooting semi-automatic rifles- in my defense, I've had this one for about 5 months and had yet to do a mag dump! I finally popped that cherry. This is my first ak so I have a lot to figure out...
you all have warned that high volume shooting will prematurely wear out the barrel, is that from the amount of heat that it generates, or just from the amount of lead flying down the pipe?
Or both?

Heat weakens the barrel making the next round do more damage that it would have had it not been hot.

The biggest issue of a hot barrel is putting it in a case and having it melt and stick to the inside. I saw that happen to a friend. It was ugly.

 

[Stomper]

But also funny, because it wasn't YOUR gun... RIGHT?!

 

[PaulB47]

It's the heat and being blasted by burning particles of powder. Look at pictures of rifle throats that have been shot out.

It's not really a big deal, just something to be aware of. Your barrel, so you control what happens to it. Nothing wrong about it either way.

Here's an article:
Practical Tips to Extend Barrel Life

 

[Joe13]

Hot rifles don't condensate moisture, they evaporate it. A cold rifle can condensate moisture if the rifle is colder than the dew point of the surrounding air.

That's what those electric dehumidifiers (i.e. Goldenrods) for gun safes do, they ever so slightly keep the internal temps (and contents) warmer than the outside of the safe thus mitigating/eliminating the threat of condensation.

It's physics, speedy.... just physics!

Oh yea. Never put a cold gun in a case and seal it in a warm car for the ride home - depending on conditions you'll be unhappy for sure.

I always leave the case cracked or partially unzipped on the way home and then open the case all the way when I get home and let it get to room temperature before cleaning it or locking it up.

 

[Koda]

It's the heat and being blasted by burning particles of powder. Look at pictures of rifle throats that have been shot out.

It's not really a big deal, just something to be aware of. Your barrel, so you control what happens to it. Nothing wrong about it either way.

Here's an article:
Practical Tips to Extend Barrel Life

thats a really great article, the borescop video was cool and informative...

 

[mjbskwim]

I lay the gun on something the barrel won't melt and wait for it to cool down.
I'm never in that big a hurry

 

[Brutus57]

Yeah I could definitely learn some restraint when it comes to shooting semi-automatic rifles- in my defense, I've had this one for about 5 months and had yet to do a mag dump! I finally popped that cherry. This is my first ak so I have a lot to figure out...
you all have warned that high volume shooting will prematurely wear out the barrel, is that from the amount of heat that it generates, or just from the amount of lead flying down the pipe?
Or both?

It's an AK, that's pretty mild abuse. Look at how much sustained fire people do to ARs. Sure, you don't want to abuse a match barreled or a hunting rifle but 150 rounds is not a lot IMHO for Kalashnikov.

Brutus out