.17 HMR barrel burner?

[Drew 3]

Was told last week during a visit to one of my local RFD’s that the HMR was a barrel burner with quite a short barrel life. Owned one years ago and looking for another at the moment but didn’t know this was the case. Anyone ever needed to re barrel one or had such an issue?

 

[Smellydog]

I don't believe that for a second.
I do however see how many a barrel is ruined through being casually treated like a 22.

 

[Andy RV]

Was he trying to sell you a new rifle?….

 

[Trigger260]

Its a tiny amount of powder compared to the 17cf cartridges! I'd guess alot of people think there barrel is shot out when they buy another lot of ammo and their 1.5moa gun becomes a 3moa gun.
Such a shame about the ammo! I still use mine for rabbits but limit my shots to 100yrds(head shots)
I dont believe the youtubers showing off their .5moa 5 shot groups at 100yrds! Yes it can happen but not consistently! If you get 1moa consistantly youve got a tackdriver hmr and a good batch of ammo.
Tin hat at the ready

 

[grandad of the woods]

Well far as I'm aware I have a .17hornet uses 9.8 grains of powder and have been told that will last practically forever so I can't see that with a .17hmr, my understanding was the bigger the caliber the higher the pressure the more ware on the barrel.
Altho I could be wrong

 

[Cottis]

Definitely not a barrel burner. I have thousands of rounds through mine since new and I don't particularly look after it that well other than a dry patch through after shooting to remove the wet sludge it seems to create (same as in the moderator) and then a proper clean every coupla hundred shots when the accuracy goes west a touch.

Takes the punishment and never missed a beat. The bolt is getting a bit sticky. I should give the bolt raceways some love really and get it back to silky Anschutz smooth again. Never done it on that gun. Testament to how good it is really when you consider how many shots it has taken and in some gnarly conditions as well. Might be a job for over Xmas along with a whole load of other stuff I never seem to get to.

 

[Drew 3]

Yea, thought as much. And he was the gun smith / owner! I was in there looking to buy a CZ457 same as my .22, not a very good salesman .

 

[NP435]

Keep a 17HMR reasonably clean it should last forever.

 

[long_range_rob]

Not a barrel burner as such but often treated like a .22RF and not cleaned which will soon ruin them.

 

[mealiejimmy]

Was told last week during a visit to one of my local RFD’s that the HMR was a barrel burner with quite a short barrel life. Owned one years ago and looking for another at the moment but didn’t know this was the case. Anyone ever needed to re barrel one or had such an issue?

The RFD is full of s**t.
There's less than 3 grains of powder in a 17hmr case
It takes a lot more powder than that to burn a barrel

Chers

Bruce

 

[Smellydog]

The RFD is full of s**t.
There's less than 3 grains of powder in a 17hmr case
It takes a lot more powder than that to burn a barrel

Chers

Bruce

A bit more than 3gn buddy. That's LR weight. 5-6 or there abouts, still not a barrel burner.

 

[andyk]

Broadly 2 things burn barrels, a lot of powder down a narrow one and high pressures.

Being a rimfire it’s low pressure (very low compared to a modern C/F) and while it’s a small barrel, it’s not a lot of powder. I’ve measured about 5gr in the past, so not more than 25% of a 222 - which is one of the easiest on barrels there is.

 

[mealiejimmy]

A bit more than 3gn buddy. That's LR weight. 5-6 or there abouts, still not a barrel burner.

OK, 5-6 grains it is
Burning that much powder simply can't generate enough heat for long enough to damage a chrome moly steel barrel

Cheers

Bruce

 

[6mmAI]

When they say barrel burner in what are they comparing it too? And what round count do they consider bad?

I use a .17 rem, that’s burning 24gr of powder under a 25gr bullet showing around the 4100 fps, so 20gr of powder more, going 1500fps faster, down the same size tube. I’m expecting around the 1200 bullet mark then be a rebarrel. But such is life.

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

Is it a function of just how many rounds the rifle is likely to shoot over it's life?

There can't be many hunting calibrrs that shoot as many rounds as the average HMR every year? 10 years of 1000 bunnies a year- that must hit the barrels to a certain extent ?

Not a barrel burner. But a heavily used HMR must do in a week what a well used target rifle do in a year. That has to add up over the years?

 

[Pedro]

Is it a function of just how many rounds the rifle is likely to shoot over it's life?

There can't be many hunting calibrrs that shoot as many rounds as the average HMR every year? 10 years of 1000 bunnies a year- that must hit the barrels to a certain extent ?

Not a barrel burner. But a heavily used HMR must do in a week what a well used target rifle do in a year. That has to add up over the years?

That'll be it. Although the .17hmr is a fast shooting round, so that will have some effect over a prolonged period, but I wouldn't have thought that much.

 

[andyk]

Just used a barrel life calculator (can’t vouch for it being correct but the figures it comes out with seem about right, probably at the lower end of what you might expect).

It suggests about 42,000 shots before you see a drop off in accuracy, that’s with 5.5gr of fairly hot powder, creating 26,000psi.

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

Just used a barrel life calculator (can’t vouch for it being correct but the figures it comes out with seem about right, probably at the lower end of what you might expect).

It suggests about 42,000 shots before you see a drop off in accuracy, that’s with 5.5gr of fairly hot powder, creating 26,000psi.

Interesting. I wonder if this assuming text book cleaning?

 

[cjm1066]

Barrels are burnt by the burning gases, these are worse on the throat area and increase as pressures and heat increase. It's like giving the barrel a quick blast with a gas cutter on every shot.

HMR has more powder thus heat/preassure than a 22 rimfire but a lot less than a 17 Remington. Hence in comparison with a 22 rimfire it is more of a barrel burner, but in practical use is likely to last a lifetime.

In comparison a PCP airrifle is likely to last many lifetimes until worn out, no powder and so no heat to burn the barrel.

 

[barbel]

rfds over the years they come and go, most try to impress with some info, always smile agree and wave them goodbye,