Bent Barrel

Demonical

Demonical

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Whitecourt, Alberta
Today we went out for a ride on the ATV's and my buddy flipped his Grizzly 700; stood it right on the end, on a steep little hill. It came straight backwards and slammed down hard. On the right side he had a Weatherby Vanguard .22-250, in a gun-boot.
After righting the quad everything seemed okay but because the thing took such a big hit, we set up a target at 90 yards and tried to double-check the rifles zero. Everything was a foot to the left. We adjusted the scope and it didn't help. Then my buddy noticed the left fore-end of the stock was splintered about 6".
We decided to make bigger adjustments to the scope (Bushnell 3200 3-9X), but it made no difference. Still 6" left.

So he made certain the gun was empty and then eye-balled the barrel and the damn thing is bent. I wouldn't have believed a barrel could bend like that! :eek:


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Fore-end splintered.

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Nasty! I think you can see the bend better in this pic then the one below.

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Yes the gun is unloaded! And yes, the barrel is bent!!


So what do you do with it? Can a barrel be straightened or does he have to replace it?


P.S. I think that rifle might be 2 weeks old... :eek:
 
Good smith could probably straighten that tube if he has the equipment. I would talk to Bevan King, or possibly Bill Leeper about it. Regards, Eagleye.
 
It can be straightened, but will likely walk bullets as it heats up. I have straightened one barrel, and it worked fine. It was a 99 Savage in 300 Savage. In the bush, and won't tell you how crudely we did it, but we had the rifle going again in about ten minutes.

That was more than 20 years ago, and it is still shooting just fine. :D

Ted
 
Demonical said:
So what do you do with it? Can a barrel be straightened or does he have to replace it?
P.S. I think that rifle might be 2 weeks old... :eek:
Click to expand...

Time for a custom.

1) Remove barrel/stock and build a new custom in the caliber of your choice,

2) or sell bare action and by a new vanguard...

3) Learn to ride a bike better...:)


manbearpig said:
Ellwood Epps has barrel straightening in their list of smithing services, 'starting at $50'.
doesnt sound like itll be too expensive.
Click to expand...

Likely shotgun prices, rifle would be more...
 
Just bend it back until it looks straight... don't kink it in the opposite direction...

In the picture is the person looking through the bore? The rifle is on the right shoulder but he is using his left eye...??

Or is he just looking away from the rifle..??
 
guntech said:
Just bend it back until it looks straight... don't kink it in the opposite direction...

In the picture is the person looking through the bore? The rifle is on the right shoulder but he is using his left eye...??

Or is he just looking away from the rifle..??
Click to expand...

The gun isn't on his shoulder. He's just holding it up reasonably straight and looking at something else.
 
The bent barrel is not your problem. The shattered stock notwithstanding, once the bullet leaves the bore it still will shoot it a straight line, it doesn't know the bore wasn't straight. It's not like the bullet will travel in a big circle and hit you in the back of the head!

If the scope adjustment didn't move the POI, then it is the SCOPE that is causing the problem, not the barrel.
 
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One of the fairly common services in the gunsmith shop is straightening out bent barrels like yours. I have looked at factory new barrels that looked like bannanas when spun on rollers.

Also, it is not unusual to have a bore that is banana shaped inside the barrel structure.

Get it strightened, buy a new stock and get on with it.

First shooting session should test the scope. 3 shots. left 20 clicks. 3 shots, up 20 clicks, 3 shots, etc and see if it returns to start. I regard the scope as the wink link, so if the barrel is wacked, the scope might be pooched, too.

The barrel might not respond to heat very well, but in a hunting rifle that should not be a problem, so long as you rememebr that when zeroing it.

If a barrel maker straightens it for you, he could throw it in the heat treat oven with the next batch of barrels. Would not hurt.
 
The reason it took Ted 10 minutes to straighten the barrel, was because in the Yukon they had to walk 8 minutes before they found two trees large enough and close enough together!
 
H4831 said:
The reason it took Ted 10 minutes to straighten the barrel, was because in the Yukon they had to walk 8 minutes before they found two trees large enough and close enough together!
Click to expand...

Now, now, Bruce, be nice! :D

Actually, ended up having two guys sit on the receiver while I bent the barrel over a board with a heavy coat folded over it. Did it a bit at a time until it was hitting right on again. :cool:

Ted
 
Demo I will let you look at my Parker Hale. Dad parked his truck on it 20 years ago. The BBL is noticeably bent and has never been straightened. The stock had the identical crack at the for end. That gun still shoots good even with a hot bbl.


Check the scope & mounts are not bent too. Check action is not shifted crooked in stock.

Is there is enough adjustment on the scope to get the bullets hitting center?
If the scope is good but won't compensate I would just bend the bbl back until it shoots straight. Then test for accuracy.
 
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