Does spray paint delay barrel cooldown?

[opngrnd]

As a rust prevention measure, I tend to spray paint barrels under the handguard. For running and gunning, it hardly matters to me. But for applications where you may be waiting for the barrel to cool, such as a prairie dog town, it'd be practical not to do things that cause heat retention. What say ye?

[SilentRecon]

As a rust prevention measure, I tend to spray paint barrels under the handguard. For running and gunning, it hardly matters to me. But for applications where you may be waiting for the barrel to cool, such as a prairie dog town, it'd be practical not to do things that cause heat retention. What say ye?

When I think of barrel cooling down, I think of a rapid ROF mag dumps or FA. Barrels perform a little better when heated up than a cold barrel from what I remeber. Coatings (like suppressor covers) IMO can be like a double edged sword. They can help with outside temps so you don't bacon strip your leg, but with even semi- rapid fire, its harnessing that core heat and can easily damage some suppressors. I would think a heat coating on a barrel would be subjective to the same principles of a suppressor cover, header wrap, and temp coatings. They will help with lowering ambient temps but will also lesson the life of what it's applied too.

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[crosseyedshooter]

It sounds like a basic heat transfer problem where you’re removing heat from the barrel through conduction, convection and radiation. The primary mechanism for barrel cooling is likely free convection unless it’s glowing red hot.

Depending on what actual paint you’re using, there are thermal paints that have higher conductivity and emissivity than the base metal and can increase heat transfer compared to bare metal. In general, I think typical paints tend to be less conductive than metal but I’m not sure how measurable a difference a thin coat would make.

[labeef]

It sounds like a basic heat transfer problem where you’re removing heat from the barrel through conduction, convection and radiation. The primary mechanism for barrel cooling is likely free convection unless it’s glowing red hot.

Depending on what actual paint you’re using, there are thermal paints that have higher conductivity and emissivity than the base metal and can increase heat transfer compared to bare metal. In general, I think typical paints tend to be less conductive than metal but I’m not sure how measurable a difference a thin coat would make.

He's spot on. I'd would wager that leaving your bolt locked open has a greater effect than barrel coating.

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[RHINOWSO]

Some of the online guys doing tests have used these devices to speed up cooling.

Basically lock the bolt back and stick this in to circulate air through the barrel, cooling it faster.

https://www.chamberchiller.com/

[opngrnd]

I appreciate the feedback. At this point, I'm just considering whether I'm spray painting the next barrel or doing a specialized coating, like Cerakote.

[Clint]

What kind of base barrel finish are you having rust problems with?

[GH41]

Some of the online guys doing tests have used these devices to speed up cooling.

Basically lock the bolt back and stick this in to circulate air through the barrel, cooling it faster.

https://www.chamberchiller.com/

I have now seen it all!!