Testing and Evaluation of DRACOS 6.5 Grendel barrel

[grayfox]

Excellent job. I appreciate the time and effort you are putting into documenting the testing.

grayfox, I watched a couple of the other Dracos barrel tests. There big selling point is that their barrels don't get as hot inside and hence remain more stable, hence retaining accuracy, right?

This video confused me. They dumped 60 rounds of .223 (2 mags) and the shooter held on to the outside of the barrel and noted that it was still didn't feel hot (120 degrees). They noted that the barrel sleeve was drawing out the heat from the inside. Now, here is what I don't understand. If the heat isn't transferring to the exterior, then the heat must be retained within, yes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me6B30c-tJE
Maybe somebody can school me on thermodynamics.

In terms of thermo, there are actually 2 ways the outside could be cooler than a different barrel, 1) the heat is trapped inside (the mid-layer in effect acting as an insulator) so the outside feels cooler. 2) The overall heat transfer is faster than a traditional barrel (the mid-layer and aluminum acting as a faster conductor) so the outside would be cooler and the inside would be cooler. In #2 the heat is removed from the barrel so it won't feel as hot. Aluminum is a faster heat transfer material so it would depend on whether the mid layer is faster or slower at the Xfer...

I've never dumped 2 mags of 223 (60 rounds) that fast so I don't have any personal knowledge of the final temp of said barrel, I'm sure it's really hot...... BUT in my shooting scenarios I don't expect to do so, thus any advantage offered there is not much of a draw for me. If I had $650 for my barrel, like earlier I'd probably get a fluted Lilja or something, which would also be super stiff plus faster cooling than a std barrel -- not to mention embarrassingly accurate. "Embarrassing" in that I wouldn't have any more excuses for Stonehendges or scatter-prints!!! ROTFL!!!

But that's just me. I am glad someone is trying out new designs and letting real shooters test them in the real world -- that's how progress is made.