Borescope isn't giving me good vibes on a new barrel.

[atblis]

Would you guys contact the maker and ask some questions? Shoot it and see what happens?

and yes, I am well aware that borescopes have the effect of making things looks worse than they are with the amount they magnify.

Background: This a custom barrel I just received. I borescoped it out of curiosity, and man, there's some things that worry me. For starters, the coppering seems excessive (yes they test fired it). Though that doesn't necessarily mean a barrel doesn't shoot well. Though based on the cost of the barrel, I was expecting something that was at least hand lapped but likely button rifled. The chamfering on the chamber end looks a bit rough. The crown is a bit suspect. It looks like perhaps the tooling was dull and folded the crown in.

It's an AR15 barrel in 350 legend for reference.

I am no longer using YouTube because they deleted a whole bunch of my videos that were completely innocuous and never even notified me. It was very odd. Went looking for them, and was informed my account had been terminated, but they only deleted some of my videos.

So let's try Bitchute

Video of crown

Borescope of Crown on new custom barrel

This is a Teslong borescope video of the crown of a new custom rifle barrel I just received.

www.bitchute.com

Video showing chambering and some of the rifling

Teslong Borescope AR15 Barrel Chambering and Throating

This is a borescope video taken with a Teslong USB borescope. The barrel is a new custom barrel I just received. This video concentrates on the throat/chamber area.

www.bitchute.com

Video showing chamfering on breech

Borescope of new custom AR15 barrel No mirror

Teslong borescope video of a new custom AR barrel I received.

www.bitchute.com

 

[GenePoole]

I've had a "waiting" barber-pole for 20 minutes now.

 

[atblis]

All the videos?

 

[atblis]

So that's not copper. Remnants from heat treat? It's an unfinished stainless barrel. Going to shoot it. With the naked eye, it doesn't look all that bad.

 

[tobnpr]

Leade looks pretty damn good/concentric to me, and no ragged edges.
Crown, certainly seen worse.
JMO, I don't see anything of concern to justify a call/complaint to the barrelmaker.

 

[Gargoyle]

Not terrible. What manufacturer?

 

[BoydAllen]

It looks like the barrel was crowned with a dull piloted reamer. If I got a barrel that coppered that bad, it would go back the same day. FY I button barrels can be lapped or not. I am surprised you didn’t ask. I would not expect it for that price.

 

[LVLAaron]

Is it chrome lined? That's certainly an interesting color.

Chamber looks like chips weren't cleared often enough or the reamer was run too hard. But it does look like it was chambered straight. Crown could be better.

You've got the videos... put some rounds through it and see how it does. If it shoots like crap, send it back. If not... Keep shooting it.

 

[atblis]

I have no clue what the gold/copper coloring is. I got a single patch with copper and then no more (patch out /wipeout). JB on a tight patch didn’t seem to touch the copper colored stuff. No clue what it is.

 

[Ggmac]

Some manufacturing processes use copper as a lube for the button rifling

sorry , no coffee yet

 

[atblis]

Leade looks pretty damn good/concentric to me, and no ragged edges.
Crown, certainly seen worse.
JMO, I don't see anything of concern to justify a call/complaint to the barrelmaker.

Yeah, I thought the leade looked pretty decent too.

 

[atblis]

Some manufacturing processes use copper as a lube for the button rifling

sorry , no coffee yet

Wouldn’t a copper solvent get that? I got one mildly blue patch, and then not a single more.

 

[DaveTooley]

You get what you pay for. Mass produced barrels aren't normally chambered with the same reamers we use. There is nothing delicate about making AR barrels.

 

[Gargoyle]

Wouldn’t a copper solvent get that? I got one mildly blue patch, and then not a single more.

I found copper solvents do best if let set in the bore for at least one hour. (Wipeout, Hoppes, Outers. Sweets or strong stuff much less, but I've not used strong stuff like Sweets) I Follow up each set with a carbon cleaner and bronze brush to scratch open the top surface of remaining copper layers. Usually 2-3 of this type process will get 98% of the copper out.

 

[atblis]

You get what you pay for. Mass produced barrels aren't normally chambered with the same reamers we use. There is nothing delicate about making AR barrels.

Depends. There certainly are "delicately" crafted AR barrels.

Jury is still out about this barrel, but it doesn't look to be in the same league as my other delicate barrels. Perhaps it'll shoot lights out. In hind-sight, the fact that the blank maker wasn't specified was likely an indicator.

 

[Gargoyle]

Don't let me show you a borescope of a Kimber 84M Hunter. Sublime!

 

[DaveTooley]

Depends. There certainly are "delicately" crafted AR barrels.

Jury is still out about this barrel, but it doesn't look to be in the same league as my other delicate barrels. Perhaps it'll shoot lights out. In hind-sight, the fact that the blank maker wasn't specified was likely an indicator.

I don't disagree with you. I do some OEM work. A premium blank and I time the gas port to fall in the groove. I've critiqued the processes for several manufacturers. While they know what to do, and try in most cases, time spent is always their down fall. When the accuracy requirement is 2 MOA delicate doesn't enter the picture.