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Ceramic Barrel Coating

3K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  rkittine 
#1 ·
The military was experimenting with Ceramic coatings on M-4's to improve barrel life. The normal barrel replacement was 5,000 rounds and after Ceramic barrel treatment were able to gain another 5000, a substantial cost savings for the military.

We came across this commercial produced ceramic product sold by Dyna Tek. As we all know Remington 700 barrels are not match grade barrels and nor lapped @ Illion. If you used a bore scope, the inside of the barrel has imperfections between the lands.

After I purchased a 700 SPS 24" 223 as a "walking rifle" for varmint hunting cleaned the heck out of the barrel to remove any copper/lead after "proof" testing. You have to have a clean barrel before application. Dyna Tek supplies a cleaner prior to coating the barrel, the coating process is slowly move a wet patch 5x from both ends of the barrel and allow 24 hours to cure. Future cleaning has to done with a nylon brush.

The copper is removed much quicker, less powder residue and less time is spent cleaning the barrel. If the ceramic coating adds more barrel life and few more years of enjoyment, I'll take it.
 
#3 ·
I don't have a bore scope so can't comment on thickness of the ceramic while one load for the 700 5R rifling is .4 below max. I have checked the cases earlier after coating; never any signs of high pressure on the primers or stiffness lifting the bolt.
 
#5 ·
Bob,

I have a little "rifle" experience but not near your level. I'm puzzled on 2000 round barrel life, is Remington 700 factory barrel or retrofit custom match grade barrel that you reference? While throat erosion and barrel life depends on caliber, some calibers are well known "barrel burners" (ie) 22-250, 220 Swift and 6.5's to name a few. The other array of popular calibers considered more moderate barrel life like 204 Ruger, 223's and 7mm's but not 7mm mag while we'll leave the 30's & 300's out of the discussion for now.

I was a fan of "Rifle" magazine; so much as been written on this topic over the years by many Outdoor writers shedding their personal experience. Its amazing how caliber, pressure (PSI) and velocity contributes to a life of a barrel. Maybe that's why a decided to ceramic coat a few barrels as fouling is a leading factor of failing accuracy over time. My motto a "clean" barrel is a "happy" barrel but will not eliminate throat expansion. Even if the throat expands a few thousands the normal observations groups expand over time but application if paper, hunting or steel plates might determine at what level is acceptable?

My favorite 700 is a .223 1-9 twist, loves 60 gr V-Max's powered by Varget. I did coat the barrel before firing, it didn't hurt accuracy by sub MOA groupings. While some rifles during a bench session might loose grouping due to fouling this has never been observed with this 700. I was hoping to achieve 5000 with this 700 and hope I can get there with the factory barrel, its shoots so well.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Mayor,

Barrel life is very subjective, as is levels of accuracy. Most barrel life issues start for sure as erosion of the throat. So lets say that your most accurate load requires 5 thousandths of "JAM". Lose enough throat and you need to seat the projectile out farther effecting ignition and pressure build. So at 1,500 rounds the accuracy may fall off, you can set the barrel back and re-chamber since the rifling does not usually erode as quickly with proper cleaning and fouling.

While hunting accuracy for say a 6.5x284 may allow 2,000 rounds down the tube, for benchrest, akmost universally those that shoot that caliber usually retire their barrels at around 900 rounds. 6.5 of its own is not a barrel burner, nor are .224 projectiles. It all depends on the pressures and temperatures they are being pushed to.

Also when shooting 1,000 yard bench rest, many rather than trying to take time and read the win for each shot, see where there sighters are going, adjust and then thrown 10 rounds down the barrel as soon as possible, much different that sitting at a bench and watching for ground hogs and maybe shooting one round every 20 minutes or so.

My 6PPCs typically will go 3,500 rounds before they need to be replaced, and then they get set back, rechambered with my reamer and are used to fireform brass. For the 6PPC, I am looking for 5 shot groups that need a moving backer to prove that 5 shots actually hit the target. When you are talking sub .18 aggragates.25 MOA is a losing accuracy.

All of my high volume rifles are calibers not available in a stock Remington 700, so I really can't comment too much on Remington Factory barrels other than when the custom shop moved to Dakota Arms they stopped supplying Remington barrels on any custom 700 or 40X. My only STOCK 700 is a .22-250 and it has had so few rounds down the tube it is hard to tell what they life will be or if I will ever reach it and this is considered a barrel burner like the .220 Swift as you pointed out.

Personally I also prefer cut rifled barrels and am not a fan of the Russian 5R rifling.

Bob
 
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