Borescoped my new barrel blank before machining
- Thread starter Budweiser360
- Start date
Ya barrels and bore scopes can be a learning curve. Look down a new in box Savage model 12 308. Yikes. So I broke it in and did the load development.
Low and behold it sent 9 of 15 into a 3" circle at 800 yards. Ya just don't know till you try it. Oh it also sent 15 0f 22 in a 20" spread at 1 mile.
Low and behold it sent 9 of 15 into a 3" circle at 800 yards. Ya just don't know till you try it. Oh it also sent 15 0f 22 in a 20" spread at 1 mile.
You shot a 20" group at 1765 yds with a 308? That is VERY impressive.
Borescopes are better at telling the average user what condition an older bore is in. It's usually very difficult to tell much that's especially useful about a new bore.
In many of the images the unexpected "things" are debris of some kind introduced into the bore after it was made. Borescope images are such that they can easily make it hard to tell whether something is an actual blemish or something like debris.
Run a wet patch and a dry one down the bore are take another look. The artifacts will likely be gone or have moved elsewhere.
In many of the images the unexpected "things" are debris of some kind introduced into the bore after it was made. Borescope images are such that they can easily make it hard to tell whether something is an actual blemish or something like debris.
Run a wet patch and a dry one down the bore are take another look. The artifacts will likely be gone or have moved elsewhere.
To be fair, sometimes new barrels have significant defects. I have bore scoped a brand new "air gauged" Green mountain barrel blank and found a large defect. A big pit that cut across two grooves and one land. You could feel it with a patch. Gunsmithing is expensive. It costs me a fair bit more to get a barrel fitted than the price of the barrel itself. No point building a rifle starting with a potentially poor barrel. Shooting well requires confidence in yourself and your equipment.
Chris.
Chris.
I've installed dozens of Green Mountain barrels and I have had one that was bad enough it had to be sent back. I've had similar issues with HART, SHILEN and DOUGLAS barrels. Never had an issue with RON SMITH BARRELS.
I know people feel they should be getting "something flawless" when they purchase an after market barrel. That might happen when purchasing high end barrels, but GM barrels are not high end barrels.
They're very good barrels but they are "commercial grade" even their air gauged products. That's why they're reasonably priced.
If you purchased your barrel from Barry at Bit's of Pieces, you should get him to do the install as well. Often, he will include the barrel at his cost if you're a return customer or he likes you. Barry does excellent work and turn around time is quicker than most.
LOL, he took 10 months to fix a trigger for me, which I discovered in the end was simply him replacing the entire thing, which I could have done myself. Wasn't overly impressed by that experience.
What did you do or say to Pisz him off? Barry doesn't do unchecked "attitude" well.
I've had several dealings with him, all very professional, and timely.
Not a GD thing. I had no contact with him for the first 9 months. Then I got tired of waiting and called to find out status of my rifle. I got ignored and the run around and every communication took several goes. Hell, I even had to email and call twice just to get him to process the CC payment, days after I gave him payment info. Like WTF?
Not once did I give him attitude or express what I really thought or wanted to. It just went on and on and on and on.
I know there are lots of people who like Barry. He has had one of my rifles for literally years. Every time I talk to him he tells me the same lies about how it's going to be the very next thing he works on.
I concur on Ron Smith's barrels. I have a few of them and they are all great. I have one sitting on my bench that I need to have put on a highwall or maybe a CPA.
Chris.
I concur on Ron Smith's barrels. I have a few of them and they are all great. I have one sitting on my bench that I need to have put on a highwall or maybe a CPA.
Chris.
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
One of my projects (with another smith) has literally been there for 20 years...a friend is in the same situation with the same 'smith.
Too bad the guy is an absolute artist...
Yeah I think he has a lot of skill and is a very interesting person to talk to. He just needs to refuse work that he never intends on starting. I don't understand why he'd take on jobs that he clearly doesn't want to do, when he has tons of straight forward work.
Chris.
Chris.
You mean a magician, because he makes time disappear.
OK, just going by you posts.
If I were you, I would go and get my firearm, then look for another smith.
Weber&Markin out of Kelowna are an excellent place to start.
Weber & Markin Gunshop & Gunsmiths
4-1691 Powick Rd, Kelowna BC V1X4L1 · 44 km
(250) 762-7575
They do excellent work on everything from antiques to F Class
