A few questions about rifle barrel heating

Big Chief

Specifically on my older Ruger Ranch Rifle. I noticed the other day it was getting hot real fast when I was testing my new 20 and 30 round magazines. What gives? I know that the newer "580" models have solved some of the barrel heating/ stringing shots when hot issues the older rifles have. I wasn't shooting real fast, aimed shots and it's not allowed anyhow on the post range (real fast/rapid fire).


AR -15/M-16 type rifles don't seem to suffer as much from the heat effects. Are the Mini bbls that much thinner? Do the ARs cool better from the vents? In general what have y'all learned about bbl heating?

Some say you can damage a Mini bbl by shooting it until it gets too hot?

Thanks.

1965Jeff

My personal mini-14 suffers wandering hits after 2-3 shots. First couple group pretty well then the rest fly every direction willy nilly which I attributed to barrel heating or reasonance problems. I have seen a weight that is attached to the barrel and is moved up and down to settle down groups can't remember what its called but watched a couple you tube videos about it. Just type in mini14 videos I believe it will pop up for you.

breamfisher

Problem with the Mini-14, from what I understand, is how the gas system attaches to the barrel and stock. The AR system is less affected by the wood stock, and when the AR barrel heats up it doesn't move as much stuff around as a Mini-14.

Of course your problem could also be that you're in Texas, and its 2 degrees cooler than the sun at the moment...

Gene L

You're going to get barrel heat if you shoot 20 rounds quickly with an AR as well. Your hands are protected better than a Mini, but the heat transfer will be about the same...the AR just deals with it better.

The mini is not a combat rifle, it's a plinker.

robert38-55

Same here big Chief..My mini-14 gets hot too if I put too much ammo through it to fast. My mini-14 has a synthetic stock but never the less.

30 cal. carbine on the left, mini-14 on the right

I usually start with the 5rnd mags,for warm up, then shoot a couple of 20rnds mags.

Gene L wrote:

The mini is not a combat rifle, it's a plinker.

Good point Gene, but I feel the mini-14 is a good urban type rifle... I was informed by others who owned mini-14's before I bought mine,there is a possibility of rounds cooking off if the chamber got too hot.. I have never had this to happen, if I think mine is getting too hot during a shooting session, I just put it aside and let it cool down.

Big Chief

I understand the new models have fixed some of the "Stringing" issues after the barrel gets hot and added thicker/more heavy barrels, plus made other corrections to enhance them. There are some aftermarket stuff one can buy to stabilize the barrels too. My Ranch Rifle is very handy and reliable as sin.

I have heard some folks say you can damage a Mini's/Ranch 14 bbl if you keep shooting it while it is hot. I don't think so and all that happens is accuracy gets worse as the pencil thin barrel gets hot.

Besides, their AC-556 model is select fire.