257 barrel life

[Thayley]

What kind of barrel life is everyone getting out of their 257 weatherby? I have a mark V accumark and I love shooting it. I just found what hand load it likes. I keep thinking in the back of my mind not to shoot it too much.

[224KING]

I've seen throat erosion in a chrome moly barrel with 400 rounds fired.The guy that owned it always shot it at max or over powder charges and would hammer on it at the range pretty hard.The next one he had built had a stainless barrel.He moved away and I don't know how long that one lasted.The weird thing about the chrome moly barrel was it still shot about an inch with real bad throat erosion.

[BB340]

Well that depends a lot on how you treat your gun. If you shoot it lots at the range without letting the barrel cool down and if you don't clean it then you will have a very short lived rifle. How ever if you look after it then there would be no problems getting at least 1500-2000 rounds out of it.
The barrel on my .257 was pretty well worn out when I got it and it does need replacing. However she still shoots one inch to one and a half inch groups with either the 110grn Hornady GMX or 115grn Barnes TSX projectiles in my reloads.
So Thayley, I say you go on and continue your love affair with that .257 accumark. But just keep her calm and not get too hot between shots and then give her a good scrub at the end of a shoot and she will see you stay happy for a long time yet...
 

[Thayley]

Sounds good. That gives me a little relief.

[rogerinalberta]

I put a new bbl on after 10 years and 100 rounds a year. I didn't have it bore scope or anything and it shot as good as ever.
Had an oppurtunity to put a custom gain twist. I load hot so it wouldn't surprise me it's rough.
With ultra performance comes hi wear, like a dragster vs a Jetta.

[terminator]

We shoot Wby calibers because they are fast and accurate.Shooting them slow to preserve barrell life is a dis serivice.Jus don't get them hot and they will last a long time,.

[dmhiggz]

There is a reason barrels are threaded.

[11 Charlie]

I wholeheartedly agree with your statements Roger and Brett, so simple but true. I just went over 2000 shots on my 300 WBY and it still throws a large majority of sub-moa groups, off the bench. It would probably really shine if I used a lead sled or similar device but I really enjoy shooting more if I hold it myself. I really baby that gun though and it has never gotten any where near hot. Yesterday at the range shots 2013,14,15 made a .191" group.Who knows how long it will hold that level of accuracy but since my new S-2 30-06 is due to arrive tomorrow, the old girl can get a lot more rest!