Overheated Barrel

[Bill Amsden]

After sighting in my scope on my DPMS AR15 I began to play which ended up in my opinion overheating the barrel. It has the slide fire stock on it but really thought I was being careful. Well the last mag I shot the barrel turned almost white and now has cooled to a dull grey. Didn't and don't see any cracks in the barrel and after it cooled I shot it again in semi auto and no issues. Most certain the finish has been damaged but what about the barrel? Thinking I want to put a better barrel on it before I shoot it again, one that would tolerate the heat more. Chrome lined?? Something different? Just not sure. The slide fire is basically a novelty and something to play with and very rarely use it but......someday I may need or want it, one never knows. Any suggestions on barrels?

 

[gunnerbob]

After sighting in my scope on my DPMS AR15 I began to play which ended up in my opinion overheating the barrel. It has the slide fire stock on it but really thought I was being careful. Well the last mag I shot the barrel turned almost white and now has cooled to a dull grey. Didn't and don't see any cracks in the barrel and after it cooled I shot it again in semi auto and no issues. Most certain the finish has been damaged but what about the barrel? Thinking I want to put a better barrel on it before I shoot it again, one that would tolerate the heat more. Chrome lined?? Something different? Just not sure. The slide fire is basically a novelty and something to play with and very rarely use it but......someday I may need or want it, one never knows. Any suggestions on barrels?

How many rounds did you shoot?! Thousands? Your gas tube would have melted before you damaged the barrel. If the weapon shoots true and operates fine, why get a new barrel? Who cares if the finish isn't pristine anymore?

 

[Bill Amsden]

How many rounds did you shoot?! Thousands? Your gas tube would have melted before you damaged the barrel. If the weapon shoots true and operates fine, why get a new barrel? Who cares if the finish isn't pristine anymore?

You're absolutely right, I don't care if the gun is pristine or not. I am guilty of listening to others that stated this could be an issue. Just wanted to make sure from the more experienced before I continued to fire it for safety reasons. I'll replace the barrel if needed but doesn't sound like there is an issue. Gunner, after it cooled down I sighted in on a 50 yd target and dead nuts, again at 100 yds, then again at 150 yds, it was off by about a half inch. I was on a hog hunt and sighting in rifles for this. Took my first hog at 150+ that night with one shot in south Georgia this weekend with this same gun. Happy I got the hog and happy that I didn't cause any real damage to my gun. Regards.

 

[wolf_fire]

After sighting in my scope on my DPMS AR15 I began to play which ended up in my opinion overheating the barrel. It has the slide fire stock on it but really thought I was being careful. Well the last mag I shot the barrel turned almost white and now has cooled to a dull grey. Didn't and don't see any cracks in the barrel and after it cooled I shot it again in semi auto and no issues. Most certain the finish has been damaged but what about the barrel? Thinking I want to put a better barrel on it before I shoot it again, one that would tolerate the heat more. Chrome lined?? Something different? Just not sure. The slide fire is basically a novelty and something to play with and very rarely use it but......someday I may need or want it, one never knows. Any suggestions on barrels?

At the very least I would put a bore scope down there and see what the INSIDE of the barrel looks like. More than likely its fine and you just ruined the finish.

At most I would have it checked out by a professional and see if there are microscopic cracks that have started that you wouldn't discern with the naked eye. Depending on how much that would cost, a new barrel could be had for $150.

How much do you value safety?

 

[Rocketgeezer]

Bill a friend and I did almost the same thing thing, I guess he had money to piss away on ammo so I though what the hell I'l have some fun to he had two beta mags and several 30 rounders, and we shot that gun till we were tired of loading the mags poss 2000 rds or more the barrel was so hot I was waiting for it to start drooping, but the gas tube burnt a hole in itself, and we were done for the day, went home and after a long cool down put in another tube cleaned the gun up and put 30 rounds in a tennis ball size group @ 100 yds, but I will say afterward the outside of the barrel looked like the dogs behind, inside looked fine, maybe just a bit discolored,

 

[gunnerbob]

Bill, if you wanted to be sure... you could use a bore scope or take it to a gunsmith. However, I think you're good to go. A well made barrel that's put on a carbine such as an AR or AK, etc is made to be shot, A LOT! Unless you are going to make it a weekly habit of burning through thousands of rounds at a cyclic rate of 800 rounds per minute... you're barrel is going to be serviceable longer than you're going to be alive. I have never seen an M4 barrel have to be changed downrange (except one damaged from a rocket attack), the only barrels we changed were those of the M240B... I'm sure you understand why.

Happy hunting!

 

[Bill Amsden]

Thanks for the input fella's, you all have confirmed my suspicions.

 

[Stengun]

Howdy,

Like gunnerbob said, you didn't hurt anything.

I've fired a half dozen 30rd mags on full-auto just as fast as I could change mags plus another 6-30rd mags that were fired in 3-4 round burst with all the mags being fired in way under 10 minutes on an old M-16A1 and it didn't hurt anything.

I had the armor check it out afterward and with a go no go gauge it was fine. The only area you really have to worry about hurting is the throat area where the chamber ends and the rifling begins.

Paul