Best 10-22 Accuracy Let Barrel Cool or Not

[mickeyboat]

In striving for best accuracy in stock barrel 10-22 TD, should you let barrel cool between shots or does it really matter?

 

[captainkirk]

It really should not matter with a 22LR. There is just not that much heat generated.

captainkirk

PS you could try it though, would sure make your ammo last longer...

 

[APEXDUCK]

Most dia hard rimfire folks will tell you that a cold barrel will shoot to a different POI than a warm or hot barrel. Ideally for the most consistant accuracy I have found that a dirty barrel (couple of dozen rounds down a clean barrel) gets my rimfires shooting at optimum accuracy. Rapid fire of a 10/22 will heat up the barrel quite a bit and will have a significant affect on group size. Steady regular shots with a little cooling time in between will give you the best groups out of any rimfire gun. For more information than you want on this topic visit the rimfireforum.com and they will sent you away with your head spinning, but there are a lot of very knowledgable folks over there on maximizing accuracy of your rimfire guns.

Net/Net: Warm barrel, not hot , not cold will yeild the best results.

APEXDUCK

 

[Snake45]

Most dia hard rimfire folks will tell you that a cold barrel will shoot to a different POI than a warm or hot barrel. Ideally for the most consistant accuracy I have found that a dirty barrel (couple of dozen rounds down a clean barrel) gets my rimfires shooting at optimum accuracy. Rapid fire of a 10/22 will heat up the barrel quite a bit and will have a significant affect on group size. Steady regular shots with a little cooling time in between will give you the best groups out of any rimfire gun. For more information than you want on this topic visit the rimfireforum.com and they will sent you away with your head spinning, but there are a lot of very knowledgable folks over there on maximizing accuracy of your rimfire guns.

Net/Net: Warm barrel, not hot , not cold will yeild the best results.

APEXDUCK

Good post. :wink:

Also, when testing for accuracy, IMHO you shoot the gun as you will shoot it "in real life." In other words, if groups are cut in half by letting the barrel cool for 15 minutes between shots, but you never actually shoot the gun that way, what good is that accuracy?

 

[BlkHawk73]

If you are shooting for the utmost in accuracy, the TD isn't the platform to go to and if you're shooting in such rapid progression to generate thst much heat, careful aim and technique isn't being used. That said, every barrel is different as is how differnt ammo is effected by temperature conditions.
I certainly wouldn't have it be a concern unless it was a more serious platform.

 

[wwb]

In striving for best accuracy in stock barrel 10-22 TD, should you let barrel cool between shots or does it really matter?

Nothing is ever certain, but I have a strong hunch that, as noted above, accuracy is not the strong point of the takedown model. I doubt that barrel temp will have much of a noticable effect unless it's darn near hot enough to cook off a shot.

 

[mohavesam]

I concur the TD model is just not built for accuracy. Minute-of-basketball maybe, but it's a plinker, not a first choice for bunny headshots at 60 yards.

Still you have to dance with who-ya-brung, so start eliminating variables in ammo and mechanicals, and barrel heating with that variable-tightness of the collar is certainly a factor to consider. The chamber being so close to the barrel nut would be a concern for changing stiffness if/when it gets hot enough to make a blister.

 

[98_1LE]

Yeah a cold barrel is not ideal. I always pump a few into the backstop before ever putting a hole in paper when trying for groups.

 

[dakota1911]

I think the only way to find out is to test YOUR rifle and see what happens with your ammo of choice.