Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Double barrel, side by side, over-under, semi-automatic, straight-pull and lever action shotguns.

Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by subatom » 29 Dec 2014, 9:19 am

Hi guys,

So heat from sustained firing of a rifle effects the accuracy... Does the same happen with patterns from a shotgun if you're shooting for a while?

Won't make a difference to hunters I'm sure but at a clay comp with sustained shooting do things change as it continues?

:?:
Remington VTR .308 Winchester. Marlin 336 .35 Remington. Mossberg 185 20 gauge.
User avatar
subatom
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 110
South Australia

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by Chronos » 29 Dec 2014, 9:36 am

I'll be interested in this too.

I would guess the thin barrel walls would cool quite quickly between shots, if you were shooting and reloading as quickly as possible you could fire maybe 12-16 shots a minute. That'd heat them up pretty quick, common sense would suggest some POI drift but I don't know.

Chronos
User avatar
Chronos
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2082
New South Wales

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by Gregg » 30 Dec 2014, 2:40 pm

Hmm, interesting question.

This is hardly conclusive but in my day to day usage I would say no, effectively.

Perhaps the pattern does change... whether that's stringing out more or scattering more though I'm still hitting the target after putting a few dozen cartridges.

I can say there is definitely not a obvious decline in performance.
Howa 1500 .270 WInchester
Savage Model 10/110 Predator .204 Ruger
User avatar
Gregg
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 378
South Australia

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by Mich » 01 Jan 2015, 10:05 am

Chronos wrote:I would guess the thin barrel walls would cool quite quickly between shots


Just thinking here, not testing, but yep... Common sense would dictate it will be nothing like the heat a rifle generates.

Lower velocity. Plastic wad loosely contacting the barrel, not metal been driven hard through it. And much greater surface area inside and out for cooling.

I've never really done sustained firing as I only hunt, not shoot clays, but 3-4 shots in quick succession is still perfectly fine to touch a 12 gauge barrel. It's warm but not hot. 4 rounds through your .30 and you know it when you touch the barrel.
User avatar
Mich
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 182
United States of America

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by Korkt » 01 Jan 2015, 10:09 am

Without intentionally trying to cause problems I don't think you can shoot a shotgun fast enough to damage it or cause performance problems.

They don't fire them out that fast in a skeet shoot, even though the quantity is high.
User avatar
Korkt
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 265
New South Wales

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by Old Fart » 01 Jan 2015, 11:12 am

The problem with shotgun heat comes from the haze rising off the barrel distorting your vision and obscuring the clay, not with it effecting the patterning.

Shoot a few dozen cartridges on a hot day, or a few hundred in a long event and you'll know all about it.

Some will wipe their barrels with a damp cool clothe every dozen cartridges or so to keep it down. Others aren't so fond of pulling water on their steel for obvious reasons.
Winchester Model 70 Featherweight - .270 Winchester Short Magnum
Uberti 1873 Short Rifle - .45 Colt
Winchester Model 70 Coyote Varmint - .22-250 Remington
User avatar
Old Fart
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 261
South Australia

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by Tiiger » 05 Jan 2015, 5:52 pm

Old Fart wrote:Some will wipe their barrels with a damp cool clothe every dozen cartridges or so to keep it down. Others aren't so fond of pulling water on their steel for obvious reasons.


Fair enough given the huge cash some of these blokes spend on their trap guns.
User avatar
Tiiger
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 347
Queensland

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by subatom » 05 Jan 2015, 5:53 pm

Old Fart wrote:The problem with shotgun heat comes from the haze rising off the barrel distorting your vision and obscuring the clay, not with it effecting the patterning.


Cool, thanks OF.
Remington VTR .308 Winchester. Marlin 336 .35 Remington. Mossberg 185 20 gauge.
User avatar
subatom
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 110
South Australia

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by Streamline » 21 Jan 2015, 10:38 am

A mate picked up the Akkar 3 recently and went pretty gung-ho at the range breaking it on :lol:

Put through 50 or 60 shots in about 20 minutes I reckon. Nothing changes that we noticed.
Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker 30-06SPR
Sako M591 .243WIN
CZ ZKM 452 .22LR
User avatar
Streamline
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
New South Wales

Re: Shotgun patterning, heat and consistency

Post by subatom » 23 Jan 2015, 2:22 pm

I love one of the Akkars.

$1,800 though :(

Just not in the budget these days.
Remington VTR .308 Winchester. Marlin 336 .35 Remington. Mossberg 185 20 gauge.
User avatar
subatom
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 110
South Australia


Back to top
 
Return to Shotguns - 12 gauge, 28 gauge, 410 bore etc.