Bore scope marks

[fattybinz]

Cleaned my Ruger American Predator 6.5 creedmoor and noticed the below marks/gashes in the barrel. Any cause for concern? I know...if it shoots then who cares? Getting the rifle ready for a deer tag my 13 y/o daughter drew, so this weekend I'm going to foul the barrel and test 4 kinds of ammo, so I guess we'll find out.

 

[swd]

Pitting. There's only one way to find out, go shoot it. My guess is it will still shoot minute of deer.. Clean and use some preservative like RIG a little sooner before you put it away.

 

[Yote Hunter]

Cold Hammer Forged barrels are known for rifling flaking out over time. The process of hammering the barrel results in the interior lands being “smeared” into the final dimensions which in return is prone to flaking out. Had a darn good shooting Remington 700 22-250 from the 80’s that quit shooting like it used to and had a spot half way down the barrel I just couldn’t remove by cleaning so I took it to the local gunsmith and it looked just like some of those same blemishes. This was the explanation that was given to me

 

[JMayo]

Quit cleaning it so much. Let those places stay covered.
Ppl think it's supposed to look new all the time. Doing more damage than good imo.

 

[Clancy]

Looks like most factory barrels. I wouldn’t worry about it.

There’s nothin wrong with cleaning regularly. I suggest lock eaze after cleaning. It’ll help both new and old bores with that first round.

I’d shoot a fouler shot or two and then a group or two. Clean before changing ammo if you can.

 

[ELR LVR]

Cleaned my Ruger American Predator 6.5 creedmoor and noticed the below marks/gashes in the barrel. Any cause for concern? I know...if it shoots then who cares? Getting the rifle ready for a deer tag my 13 y/o daughter drew, so this weekend I'm going to foul the barrel and test 4 kinds of ammo, so I guess we'll find out.

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This could also be what is called "Inclusions"
Things like Sulphur are added to steel to make it machineable
When they gather in molecules, they burn out leaving voids
--------------------
One reason for using custom barrels as the ones I know and like
Spec out their own proprietary steel
and will reject batches of steel that look like that after rifling them.
I have had 1 bad barrel once
and when getting with the barrel maker he readily admitted
'Yeah, I got a batch of bad steel awhile back and that may have slipped out"
I got a new barrel no problem just because he knew what happened and backed his stuff.
------------------
When I say bad barrel, i mean to say it would not shoot better than 1.5 inches @100 yds
and was custom chambered and using handloads, mcmillan bedded stock etc.
The new barrel would put 5 shots into 1/2" no problem right off the bat
------------------
If your barrel doesnt shoot well, I'd suggest rebarreling to a known reputeable custom

 

[ChrisNZ]

Those borescope pics are a classic example of a rifle that's been stored with significant areas of fouling and has ended up with corrosion under the fouling. Have seen it -many- times.

Once it's happened, there's no retrieving it but as has been said, it may still shoot half reasonably. Dealt with a 788 .308 with a similar looking bore and it still shot surprisingly well. Suck it and see as they say.

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

hah, i have a factory 223 rem 700 that looks far worse and on more days than not will shoot 1/2 moa off my tailgate out to 600 yards.

if that gun doesn't shoot sub 1moa, its not from the pitting

 

[K22]

A deer rifle, right? Assuming shot opportunities for your daughter will be at reasonable distances and within her capability and the rifle shoots at least 2 moa consistently, you will be well within the vital area of a deer.

Also, don't use any aggressive copper removing solvents. Just clean the bore with a simple solvent to remove the carbon. Let the bore re-plate with copper and it should shoot fine for your purposes regarding this issue you discovered.

The only way to tell if an ugly bore is capable is to shoot it. In the final analysis, that's all that counts.

 

[Mark W]

Those borescope pics are a classic example of a rifle that's been stored with significant areas of fouling and has ended up with corrosion under the fouling. Have seen it -many- times.

Once it's happened, there's no retrieving it but as has been said, it may still shoot half reasonably. Dealt with a 788 .308 with a similar looking bore and it still shot surprisingly well. Suck it and see as they say.

Someone posts this explanation every time pics like this turn up, but the only barrel I have with these types of marks is a factory Savage barrel that was never stored dirty. I don’t know what really caused it, but it definitely didn’t affect its accuracy.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Chrome Moly worms.

 

[DShortt]

Based on my experience, any button rifled barrel may show those types of marks. They're just slightly different than corrosion pits.
I'd not concern myself with it provided the barrel shoots to your expectations.
It will likely copper foul more quickly, but that's just something you'll have to adjust to if you keep that barrel.

 

[Turkeytider]

Someone posts this explanation every time pics like this turn up, but the only barrel I have with these types of marks is a factory Savage barrel that was never stored dirty. I don’t know what really caused it, but it definitely didn’t affect its accuracy.

You look with a bore scope down a Savage barrel at your own psychological risk. They most often look like corrugated drain pipes ( old ones ! ) all the while shooting absolutely dead nuts on target.

 

[DGP4]

More likely impurities in the steel than corrosion. My experience is that it may shoot just as well as a barrel without them. Only shooting will tell.

 

[ToddKS]

You look with a bore scope down a Savage barrel at your own psychological risk. They most often look like corrugated drain pipes ( old ones ! ) all the while shooting absolutely dead nuts on target.

This aligns with my experience.

 

[Gabe22BR]

I see no bore scope marks…

I see pits, grooves , voids, coppers magnets

 

[redrockranger]

This could also be what is called "Inclusions"
Things like Sulphur are added to steel to make it machineable
When they gather in molecules, they burn out leaving voids
--------------------
One reason for using custom barrels as the ones I know and like
Spec out their own proprietary steel
and will reject batches of steel that look like that after rifling them.
I have had 1 bad barrel once
and when getting with the barrel maker he readily admitted
'Yeah, I got a batch of bad steel awhile back and that may have slipped out"
I got a new barrel no problem just because he knew what happened and backed his stuff.
------------------
When I say bad barrel, i mean to say it would not shoot better than 1.5 inches @100 yds
and was custom chambered and using handloads, mcmillan bedded stock etc.
The new barrel would put 5 shots into 1/2" no problem right off the bat
------------------
If your barrel doesnt shoot well, I'd suggest rebarreling to a known reputeable custom

I would not throw good money after bad !

 

[Bill Norris]

You look with a bore scope down a Savage barrel at your own psychological risk. They most often look like corrugated drain pipes ( old ones ! ) all the while shooting absolutely dead nuts on target.

One of my shooting buddies just got his new Savage Model 12 in 6BR. Looking at the bore with my bore scope it appeared as if the bore was "threaded" from chamber to muzzle. Also has abrasions in places down it. Was coppering really bad when I began his load work-up so he decided to lets order some of Tubb's Final Finish 50 rd. Kit. We ran it thru the rifle last week per Tubb's instructions. Although the bore does not look much better we ran two 5-shot strings down it after finishing the process with one group measuring just under 1/2 inch and one at little better than 1/2 inch. I guess we will continue the work-up this week to see if we can find something acceptable to him.

 

[ELR LVR]

I would not throw good money after bad !

I don't understand?
I thought at the end I suggested getting a new custom barrel
How is this throwing Good money after bad?

 

[Turkeytider]

One of my shooting buddies just got his new Savage Model 12 in 6BR. Looking at the bore with my bore scope it appeared as if the bore was "threaded" from chamber to muzzle. Also has abrasions in places down it. Was coppering really bad when I began his load work-up so he decided to lets order some of Tubb's Final Finish 50 rd. Kit. We ran it thru the rifle last week per Tubb's instructions. Although the bore does not look much better we ran two 5-shot strings down it after finishing the process with one group measuring just under 1/2 inch and one at little better than 1/2 inch. I guess we will continue the work-up this week to see if we can find something acceptable to him.

My Model 12 LRPV in .223 is the same and also coppers up. All the while bouncing 3, 4, and 5” gongs at 500 yards when I get the scope doped right for the day and don’t screw up the shot.