Warming up guns?

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Dingoboyx

New member
Another question. Some folks at my club (practical, pistol/wheel) like to fire their guns before a comp (to warm them up) not for practice purposes, just to heat up the barrel.

Others like me, just shoot 'em from cold.

What do you guys think? Is warming up a barrel before a comp REALLY a help, or is it just being finnicky? Is the difference in accuracy in the barrel warmers head? or does cold barrel/warm barrel actually change the accuracy enough to notice?

Intrigueing, does anyone else warm up their guns? (I do, when I start the comp):D They warm up quick too :eek:

Next time I go to the range, I am going to shoot some groups cold.... then hot, to try and see if it makes a difference;)

What do you guys think?:confused:
 
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Glasstream15

New member
Never really noticed a difference with a pistol. I used to do a lot of target shooting with a .243 Win and cold barrel was 0.5 MOA, hot barrel was 5.0+ MOA.
 
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Doyle

New member
Are you sure they aren't just firing "fouling shots". Many guns don't shoot well on a freshly cleaned barrel (especially if there is oil residue left in the barrel). Rifle shooters will frequently waste a couple of fouling shots before getting down to business.
 
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bluetopper

New member
What was the name of that Finnish sniper who killed many Russians in that Winter war from incredible distances in the late 30's? Ask him.
 
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bluetopper

New member
Yes, Simo Hayha, in the Winter War of 1939-1940. He was in the war for 100 days and had 500 kills in northern Finland in bitter cold. Most kills at very long distances.


No, I don't think a warm barrel is necessary.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
Warm? never noticed any difference

But clean? Thats another story. Most noticable with rifles, but the first shot from a clean bore usually goes in a different place than shots from a "fouled" bore. This has been accepted practice for (literally) centuries.

Can't say I've ever noticed it with handguns, but compared to rifles, the ranges are short, and the accuracy standards are much looser.

Warming up guns makes sense in arctic tempratures, as it reduces breakage. Not usually an issue with sporting firearms, but a serious one with military weapons. We were taught that we were to fire single rounds, or very, very short bursts for the first few shots, to warm up the gun. Going from sub-zero temps to sustained full auto fire usually meant something broke.

I think that your friends warming up the guns before a match isn't so much for the gun's sake as it is for their sake.
 
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Tom2

New member
I thought that guns with bedding problems maybe changed POI as they warmed up. I have heard of fouling shots to sort of get ready for a recorded shoot, but if you have to heat the barrel up, maybe there is a problem besides bore fouling? Of course maybe the heavy barrels used for varmint guns take longer heating up and keep more accurate that way? Might be some microscopic change from the heat I suppose.
 
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grymster2007

New member
It might help. Most metals will distort considerably with temperature change. An 8" steel barrel will grow by ~.0025" when heated by 50 degrees. Stresses in the steel could well result in the growth not being merely linear. Also might consider that aluminum's coefficient of thermal expansion is about double that for steels. Grips, frame, barrel of different materials make for lots of potential movement there.

I only warm up my GLOCK when it starts shooting funny. Twenty minutes, center rack, 220 degree oven, water quench. :)
 
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skyflyer

New member
I have got to shoot with a few guys who are way above my skill level. After practicing they will clean the guns.

They will then shoot a couple rounds to "warm the barrel" but its really just to make sure no oil or cleaning agents are left in the barrel for match day.

I dont know if its just superstitions but they dont want any chance a foreign material left in the barrel might change the point of impact.

You know that one flyer you always get in the first couple of rounds?
 
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tipoc

New member
I never noticed a difference in my guns. I have noticed a difference with myself. I'm better after a few warm up shots (I'm not speaking of booze here either, though that might help if it was cold as Finland). Settles the gun in my hand and gets my mind right.

tipoc
 
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