Heat applied to barrel

[wyshadow]

I got a slug stuck in my barrel on my .257 texan about a month ago and I decided to remove the slug tonight. I wasn't looking forward to removing the slug because I thought I double loaded two slugs and was thinking I had my work cut out for me. I removed the barrel and started hitting the cleaning rod hoping but I couldn't knock the slug out. I then started to carefully heat up the area where the slug was stuck but still the slug would not move. I had to applied a lot of heat to the barrel and I was finally able to remove one slug. I thought there were two slugs but was surprised there was only one. My question is: with the amount of heat I applied, did I just ruin my barrel? I don't think I did because these barrels are also used for PB's and they go through extreme heats with every shot.

 

[Odoyle]

I wouldn't worry about it especially if it cooled down naturally.

 

[JimNM]

To remove the temper from your barrel, you would have to heat it to nearly glowing hot. As stated, allow it it air cool naturally. If in doubt, apply additional heat to slow the cooling. It is best to heat a large area to spread the heat out rather than blast just the small area where the slug was stuck. Keep the heat gradient gentle.

Why did the slug get stuck? Bad casting or low air pressure? 

 

[wyshadow]

Low air pressure. I was testing how many shots I could in one fill. Ok great. I didn't heat the barrel to glowing red but I did heat it enough to feel heat coming off the barrel though. That bugger was stuck really good in the barrel.

 

[JimNM]

IIRC, pure lead melts at 760-ish degrees. To soften the slug it does take considerable amount of heat. I guess it stuck near the choke.

 

[TheIceman]

Most steels would need to be around 1500 degrees Fahrenheit or more to have any annealing effect. Pure lead melts at 621.5. So, it wouldn't harm your barrel any, and at that low of a temp, I doubt any oxidation would occur that would cause trouble.

James 

 

[Lewis]

Looking at the removed slug, it doesn't look like you got anywhere near the melting point. My guess is that you only warmed up the steel enough for it to expand enough to let the slug be driven out. You should be more than safe. Also if you have to melt out a slug you are left with a mess of lead to clean up in the lands and grooves. Your slug looks great.

 

[JimNM]

The idea to heat a larger area than just the slug, in part, was to mitigate the extraneous fouling in lands and grooves. Heat the barrel and tilt so that the molten material will travel the shortest distance before liberation from the barrel. The liquid lead will stay together due to surface tension rather than stick to the barrel, given enough angle to the slide.