Does this 20 Cal barrel bore look normal???

[Bachekermooni]

I am not an expert on what custom barrel finishes should look like. So I need your help.
I have attached the pics of a super clean bore - only 8 rounds. I have two other custom barrels - one from Lilja and one from Pac-Nor. Both 6mm, 8 twist. Never seen these types of machining marks perpendicular to the bore line on custom or factory (TC, Ruger, Howa, Kimber, ...) factory rifles.

The marks are all on one of the three grooves.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[Tommie]

PM sent

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Far from the worst I've seen, but no that isn't normal. Or acceptable IMO

 

[L.Sherm]

Appears to be bore reamer marks that weren't pre- lapped out of a button barrel before the button was pulled down the barrel

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Just saw same marks in a Howa today. And the Howa is an accurate rifle.

 

[pintopete]

Far from the worst I've seen, but no that isn't normal. Or acceptable IMO

This is a hammer forged barrel. Is it a Remington?

 

[B23]

If that's a factory barrel I'd say it looked pretty good because factory barrels generally look much worse. Tikka and Sako consistently have the best finish on their barrels of any factory gun I've looked at.

If this is a custom barrel from any of the top tier barrel companies it is not normal and I'd be on the phone with them.

Not all custom barrel companies are created equal which is why I said top tier barrel companies.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

This is a hammer forged barrel. Is it a Remington?

It was on a magnum research bfr 454

 

[Bachekermooni]

If that's a factory barrel I'd say it looked pretty good because factory barrels generally look much worse. Tikka and Sako consistently have the best finish on their barrels of any factory gun I've looked at.

If this is a custom barrel from any of the top tier barrel companies it is not normal and I'd be on the phone with them.

Not all custom barrel companies are created equal which is why I said top tier barrel companies.

I am not sure who you consider top tier. But in earlier posts when I mentioned whom I was considering and eventually ordered from, I was told I made the right choice and they are the best at small caliber barrels.

 

[B23]

I consider Krieger, Bartlein, Brux, Hart, Lilja, Benchmark, PacNor (especially their 17 & 20 cal barrels) all top tier. Broughton too but they are no longer made. There's probably a couple others as well but those mentioned you won't get much argument about them being some of the best.

That doesn't mean any of those still can't have one that slips through QC.

 

[urbanrifleman]

If that's a factory barrel I'd say it looked pretty good because factory barrels generally look much worse. Tikka and Sako consistently have the best finish on their barrels of any factory gun I've looked at.

If this is a custom barrel from any of the top tier barrel companies it is not normal and I'd be on the phone with them.

Not all custom barrel companies are created equal which is why I said top tier barrel companies.

They are squeeze rifled. The entire barrel is squeezed around and mandrel. There is nothing to chatter. Pretty impressive process.

 

[LarryDScott]

The prettiest bores on any barrel I ever owned came from
Anthony @ AMERICAN BARREL Co. They were perfect
inside and out, right out of the box. LDS

 

[Bachekermooni]

I consider Krieger, Bartlein, Brux, Hart, Lilja, Benchmark, PacNor (especially their 17 & 20 cal barrels) all top tier. Broughton too but they are no longer made. There's probably a couple others as well but those mentioned you won't get much argument about them being some of the best.

That doesn't mean any of those still can't have one that slips through QC.

My barrel maker is in your list of top tier.
What now? I hope they would replace it. But what happens to the money I paid my smith?

 

[Jdne5b]

How does it shoot?

 

[Bachekermooni]

How does it shoot?

It can hit a PD at 100 and 200 yards. I literally took all my cleaning gear on my trip to WY since the rifle arrived the afternoon before I had to leave.
It only has 8 rounds through it. I was getting really bad copper fouling, so I stopped and decided to come home and look at the bore. And you see what I saw.

 

[Jdne5b]

My customs don’t stop coppering for 25-30 rds. So I wouldn’t worry about it until it has 100 rds and a proper break—in and load work. 8 rounds is nothing.

Then if there’s still a problem, call the mfr.

 

[B23]

My barrel maker is in your list of top tier.
What now? I hope they would replace it. But what happens to the money I paid my smith?

I'd call the barrel manufacture and talk to them about it before I did anything. Not five alarm fire steam blowing out your ears mad call but just voice your concerns and see what they have to say.

This past spring I had a bunch of Cabelas bucks so I got a wild hair and bought a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 6.5PRC. Brought it home and first thing I did was stick a borescope down the barrel. It was not good, not good at all, and had a good amount of chatter marks throughout the barrel. I called CA up and talked to them about my concerns and they sent me out a prepaid label to return it. Couple months later I got a email saying it was done and that they replaced the barrel and shot it with both 147 ELD-M and 143 ELD-X Hornady ammo and it shot well under .5 MOA. Got it home, unboxed it, and stuck a borescope down the barrel to see if they really did replace it. This barrel was MUCH better so fitted it to the NF NX8 that'd been waiting to go on it and proceeded to shoot it with the same 147 ELD-M ammo. It easily shot well under .5 MOA. In the past you couldn't have given me a CA rifle but not only does the one I have shoot really well but CA was excellent about the whole process.

I have a gunsmith friend that had problems with a Proof Research barrel coppering up like a pig. He contacted Proof and they replaced the barrel and paid him for his time chambering it.

As my wife often tells me, it's not so much what you say but how you say it so like I said I'd either call the barrel maker myself and express your concerns or maybe talk to your gunsmith and have them call on your behalf.

 

[Ned Ludd]

A phone call to the manufacturer at this time isn't going to cause any problems, and might ease your mind. As Jdne5b noted, how does it shoot? There have been plenty of borescope images of Savage factory barrels posted here over the years that looked liked someone drove a tank tread down each land. Nonetheless, they often shot lights out. As also noted, the coppering process can last for a few more than 8 rounds. Certainly you might expect it to continue until at least the edges of those horizontal marks have been lapped smooth(er), even if you can still see the marks.

Don't take me wrong, I wouldn't be happy about receiving a barrel that looked like that from a top manufacturer either. However, the time and effort involved in removing it, sending it back, and getting it replaced needs to be weighed against the possible gain from doing so. If it is currently shooting lights out, I'm not sure I would go through all that.

 

[L.Sherm]

It may clean up after a few more rounds also. I would talk to the manufacturer about it though.

 

[Bachekermooni]

I will send them the pics and talk to them tomorrow. They are a stand up organization.
I will not have to shoot until next wed.