barrel heat and accuracy

[briflemn762]

Heat is the biggest reason for heavy barrels, I think. They tend not to spread groups around as much as lighter contours after long strings.  Same rational for free floated barrels - when a barrel begins to distort as it heats up, if it's pressing against the fore end of the stock, the bullets POI will change unpredictably. I say 'unpredictably' because too many variables come into play. ambient temp, stock construction, rate of fire ,,,,,  I've heard having a barreled action cryo'ed helps with this but have never tried it to be able to know for sure.  All that being said, since I no longer do any match or varmint shooting, just big game hunting, know where that first shot out of a cold barrel is going is what matters to me.  :sniper: