Borescope questions

[djtjr]

Is there anyone out there that has done a solid tutorial on a bores cope with pictures of the various findings and different issues as well as helpful hints for usage etc... I think I know what I am seeing when I see it but if someone had pics of carbon rings, fire cracking, copper and lead buildup, etc in one article or post it would be a big help.
If anyone knows where to find that it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[benjie73]

Good question. This would help me also.

 

[LHSmith]

Dan Lilja has a pretty good presentation on his website....riflebarrels.com

 

[KevinThomas]

A serious +1 on Dave's comments. After getting into borescopes, I rapidly came the conclusion that there was no way to say whether or not a barrel would shoot based on appearance alone. Far to often I was left wondering "why this thing won't shoot?," or the opposite, "why is this thing still shooting?"

That said, no, I'd never want to be without one ever again, and I use them extensively.

 

[pdhntr]

This is an interesting question, and observations from guys who have them.

I assumed some "hard core" competitors would order several barrels, scope them, pick the best and sell the others.

If that is the case, what are they looking at, that decides the fate of the barrel?

Jim

 

[johara1]

You can't pick a good barrel by looking at it. I saw good looking barrels that are only good for fire forming and one that came out of a garbage can that looked terrible and shot, and it was a hummer. On a new barrel you look for tooling marks or conditions like the lapp was short of the finish length or heavy metal build up. So you don't waist your money on a chamber job. You loose not the smith,you pay again...... The bore scope will tell you if you are doing a good job cleaning and you can watch your barrel wear out....jim

 

[liljoe]

Wow, some of those shots on the gradient site video look more like a sewer drain pipe than a rifle bore.

I have no regrets of buying my bore scope, I should have done it sooner. I can check my cleaning and leade condition. I also chamber my own barrels and use it when doing that. I check every one before it comes out of the lathe.

It is interesting to line up 5 or so barrels right next to each other and look into each one and see the differences between them knowing how each one shoots on target.

Joe Hynes

 

[STS]

You will learn over time that a bore scope is limited in what it can tell you. Machining quality, lapping, cleaning and wear are things that can be evaluated. What you can't tell is whether a barrel will shoot or not or whether a barrel will foul. I have one barrel, made by one of the big name premium makers, that is the finest looking barrel I have ever seen. It really is impressive to look at. The problem is that barrel fouls so bad that it is impossible to shoot. 10 shots down that beautiful tube and it takes all day to get the copper out. It's junk.

 

[djtjr]

thanks guys