Did I ruin the value of my revolver?

[cote_b]

Well, I have (had) a nice Colt Trooper, 60's vintage with a 6" barrel and original box and test target. I was shooting someone else's hand loads last spring and ended up squibbing the barrel. I looked for 6 months to find a replacement 6" barrel, but no luck. Finally, I gave in and had the barrel professionally shortened to 4.2. This was enough to keep it legal, and remove the barrel bulge. Just wondering if I hurt the value of my revolver? Its in VG condition. No pics on hand.

 

[Dsiwy]

Ummm yeah big time...

In my professional opinion that barrel should be replace and never fired ever. Even shortening the barrel is dangerous as there could be stress fractures naked to the human eye.

Its like buying a used car that was involved in a crash and repaired, its a gamble.

 

[pcvando]

Yea... its worth a lot less now. However, somebody may be willing to pay more, because they like the look. I probably would have kept it original. But if its a professional job, there should be no problem shooting it.

 

[gdawg]

too bad. as you describe it, that revolver would have appealed to collectors and fetched a premium.

 

[cote_b]

Even with the bulged barrel?

 

[tiriaq]

Sure the value is affected, whether the barrel is bulged or shortened.
I would slug the barrel to insure that all the bulge has been eliminated.

 

[pcvando]

If it had a bulged barrel, not many people would touch it TBH, however, I do think its more appealing now than a bulge. Especially to those who want "on the margin" guns. (Ie: barely legal barrel lengths.)

 

[johnl]

Slap the tard that trusted the other tard's reloads

 

[plinker 777]

Bummer. A collectors item, turned to shooter with the pull of the trigger (and that's if the barrel is ok. If not, it's not even a shooter). That squib cost you $1000 or more.

 

[Boomer]

I'm curios to know how the squib bulged the barrel, did you fired a round behind it? The Trooper barrels weren't tapered, and it would take wicked pressure pressure to cause a bulge, but firing a full powered .357 into a plugged bore would probably qualify.

 

[Canadian_Zuk]

I'm curios to know how the squib bulged the barrel, did you fired a round behind it? The Trooper barrels weren't tapered, and it would take wicked pressure pressure to cause a bulge, but firing a full powered .357 into a plugged bore would probably qualify.

No way a squib bulged the barrel on it own. The OP not paying attention to what is going on and firing a second round into an obstructed barrel is what caused his bulge.

Edit: I know you already know this too.

 

[cote_b]

Yeah. I was firing really light 38spl reloads and didn't notice that particular one felt slightly lighter. Fired another. Didn't notice until I was home cleaning it. Saw the tell tale squib ring. Ran my hand down the barrel and could feel the bulge, about an inch from the muzzle. Not too happy about what happened.