I bought a borescope. Probably not a good idea.…

[urbanrifleman]

Take a look under your finger nails with about 7X to 10X magnification. Then you will not stress about your barrel so much..

I need to post this on Facebook... This is BRILLIANT. No one would get it...

But this is WISDOM!!!

True wisdom, on a much higher level than rifle barrels.

 

[muleman69]

Factory bores can be pretty bad no doubt. I've seen some awful factory chamber jobs and ungodly tooling marks. It will iron out a bit as the barrel breaks in, but will probably take a LOT of rounds before it starts looking 'smooth'.

I use my Lyman Borecam all the time to inspect my cleaning regimen and lands condition. Use it a lot for myself, friends, and family when they claim to have trouble finding accuracy. Found things like a crooked chamber cut on a custom barrel, fire cracking, worn out lands, bad carbon/copper build up, etc...A borescope can save you a lot of wasted time and money shooting at the range with a bad barrel or cleaning job. Definitely an invaluable tool to have in your inventory.

Just curious, how did you spot chamber being crooked? Thinking I need a scope,Is the Lyman a decent tool?

 

[muleman69]

I agree, and have seen the same thing. The important part to remember, as posted several times by different guys is that no matter how it looks don't loose sight of the ball. That is to say, if it shoots like it is supposed to but looks really bad then roll on.
I have a Kimber Mountain Ascent in 280AI that I bought for hunting in the mountains. The chamber was so bad that it had to be set back and rechambered just to get the rifle to reliably extract!!!! Kimber was using Douglas barrels at one time {no proof here, just what I have read and been told numerous times}. They got into making their own barrels within the last few years and they are cut rifled. It appears that they also went with a Sunnen hone too. The top flats of the lands in this barrel are perfect and the bore does not copper at all. The grooves look atrocious and if there is a way to cut a more rough pitiful looking groove in a barrel I don't know how...cutting torch maybe, chain saw?? The point to all this is that the rifle always puts the first cold bore shot dead on dead nuts perfect zero. This being a "big game" hunting rifle, I have no complaints. I can shoot one shot and let the rifle set and completely cool off, shoot another and no matter how many times I do this they just about go into the same hole. But, sit down at the bench and try to see how good a group it will shoot in the typical way, shooting one after another until it gets hot and I am lucky to shoot a 2 1/2" group. I have to say, I was very frustrated with this rifle when I first got it and sighted it in. Then one of my hunting buddies pointed out, "you know, it does put the round that counts right where it needs to go everytime!!"
Bore scopes are a very useful tool, just don't dismiss a rifle for the way the bore looks until you shoot it the way it is intended to be shot.

Having problems with the very same rifle as we speak, some very strange things going on. Feeding , extraction, pressure signs ,you name it. Won't be the first Kimber I have had to send back. I really like the rifle but a bit over rated and priced(hopefully we will get it back on track)

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Just curious, how did you spot chamber being crooked? Thinking I need a scope,Is the Lyman a decent tool?

It easy to see at the lands. In extreme cases that I have found with my borescope (one on a factory barrel, one on a custom barrel) You will see NO rifling or lands angle on one side close to the chamber neck area and the opposite side will have rifling all the way down to chamber neck cut. Slightly crooked chambers may have a trace of rifling left below the lands on one side.

I really like the Lyman for the money. Very easy to use and provides plenty of detail to understand exactly what you are looking at. Nice to snap and save pictures as well if you want to keep an active record of a barrel's life and lands condition on your computer. The borescope rod also has measuring marks on it so you can make note of the area you are looking at, then pull it out and see how far down the barrel is worn or where issue is happening. The LED light works very well and the monitor can be easily powered from any USB port, like a portable cell phone power pack, if you don't want to use the 120v USB adapter.

I've used various Hawkeye borescopes. They give nice view of the bore as well. More difficult to use because you have to have your eye directly behind them. They make light kits and video add on for the Hawkeye but thats extra. The smaller diameter Hawkeye doesn't have a very long rod either.

Having looked through and used both, I personally wouldn't trade my Lyman for a Hawkeye even if the deal was straight up borescope for borescope. The Lyman is just so much more convenient and user friendly in my opinion and shows me everything a Hawkeye will

 

[msinc]

.....More difficult to use because you have to have your eye directly behind them. They make light kits and video add on for the Hawkeye but thats extra.......

Not exactly...Hawkeye makes a 90 degree eyepiece that quick connects to the scope. But, like every other thing they make they sure don't give it away. Back when I got my scope the 90 degree eyepiece was something like another $350 some odd dollars. I lucked out because back then ebay actually had a few auctions instead of just idiots selling things. I think I got it for like $75.00 and am still glad it went that way {extremely rare for me!!!} Mine came with the light.
I have looked into their camera setup to photograph bores and it is over $3000. I'd love to post some pictures of various bores, chambers, throats and issues, etc. I really like all you guys, but I don't love any of you! 3K is a new Swarovski, just sayin'....a picture might be worth a thousand words, but it aint worth $3000 unless it involves a divorce settlement.

 

[msinc]

.......Consistently shot .3" groups off a bipod. But then I got a Lyman BS...........Somebody presented the question, if I was to have those areas re-cut, did I think it would get to .2" ??.......IDK, but I think I might just leave it alone.....

Yep, and if it helps any I have to say that I have a couple rifles right now that have a pristine, perfect looking, flawless smooth custom barrel with a perfect cut chamber to go with it. I would happily take a long punch and hammer and gunch up the chamber and bore both if I thought it would get either one of them to shoot in the .300's!!!!!

 

[biggen0_8]

I just today picked up one of my rifles from having a new Krieger tube screwed on it. I have debated with myself all evening whether I should stick my Lyman scope down it or not.

I know that in the end I'm going to have to look, but part of me says clean it, break it in and let sleeping dogs lie. BUT I WON'T. maybe

 

[jonbearman]

In the end "How does it shoot?" I don't care what I see in a factory mass produced barrel, if it shoots , great and if it doesn't get a good aftermarket barrel and don't look back. I have one barrel that doesn't look so good but the paper tells the truth for a factory rifle. Some of the streaks you see is just copper build up and in your chamber it is brass. Just polish the chamber with Iosso and same for the barrel then clean it up with your favorite solvent to look again.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Not exactly...Hawkeye makes a 90 degree eyepiece that quick connects to the scope. But, like every other thing they make they sure don't give it away. Back when I got my scope the 90 degree eyepiece was something like another $350 some odd dollars. I lucked out because back then ebay actually had a few auctions instead of just idiots selling things. I think I got it for like $75.00 and am still glad it went that way {extremely rare for me!!!} Mine came with the light.
I have looked into their camera setup to photograph bores and it is over $3000. I'd love to post some pictures of various bores, chambers, throats and issues, etc. I really like all you guys, but I don't love any of you! 3K is a new Swarovski, just sayin'....a picture might be worth a thousand words, but it aint worth $3000 unless it involves a divorce settlement.

LOL! No doubt! Hawkeye makes a great scope and adapters, I just can't justify the money for a lot of it either. $3K for a video setup is absolute insanity!

 

[muleman69]

It easy to see at the lands. In extreme cases that I have found with my borescope (one on a factory barrel, one on a custom barrel) You will see NO rifling or lands angle on one side close to the chamber neck area and the opposite side will have rifling all the way down to chamber neck cut. Slightly crooked chambers may have a trace of rifling left below the lands on one side.

I really like the Lyman for the money. Very easy to use and provides plenty of detail to understand exactly what you are looking at. Nice to snap and save pictures as well if you want to keep an active record of a barrel's life and lands condition on your computer. The borescope rod also has measuring marks on it so you can make note of the area you are looking at, then pull it out and see how far down the barrel is worn or where issue is happening. The LED light works very well and the monitor can be easily powered from any USB port, like a portable cell phone power pack, if you don't want to use the 120v USB adapter.

I've used various Hawkeye borescopes. They give nice view of the bore as well. More difficult to use because you have to have your eye directly behind them. They make light kits and video add on for the Hawkeye but thats extra. The smaller diameter Hawkeye doesn't have a very long rod either.

Having looked through and used both, I personally wouldn't trade my Lyman for a Hawkeye even if the deal was straight up borescope for borescope. The Lyman is just so much more convenient and user friendly in my opinion and shows me everything a Hawkeye will

I was really happy to here you like your Lyman,did'nt really want to shell out the $3000 + for the Hawkeye as I'm just a one horse show

 

[muleman69]

In the end "How does it shoot?" I don't care what I see in a factory mass produced barrel, if it shoots , great and if it doesn't get a good aftermarket barrel and don't look back. I have one barrel that doesn't look so good but the paper tells the truth for a factory rifle. Some of the streaks you see is just copper build up and in your chamber it is brass. Just polish the chamber with Iosso and same for the barrel then clean it up with your favorite solvent to look again.

How do you go about cleaning barrel and chamber with Iosso? What are your Methods?

 

[6MMsteve]

the Lyman is a good scope to see the obvious things like cleaning, but a well trained eye with the Lyman will see minute things, and a well trained eye with a Hawkeye can see even better, but the Lyman is fun, Cheap and it's all I need. It has confirmed what it takes to clean a barrel for me and the carbon ring, and the crown.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

I use a borescope just to check on how well I've cleaned the bore up after shooting. Several years ago, I borrowed my friend's Hawkeye to check the bore on a Krieger barrel chambered in 7mm RSAUM. It had over 1,300 rounds on it at the time, and was generally shot at around 3,000 fps, depending on temperature and elevation, with 180 grain Hybrids using H4350. I almost fainted from what I saw! Heat cracking/checking at the chamber mouth and between the lans and stretches of missing rifling here and there up the bore, but the rifle was shooting well. As it was crossing the 1,500 round mark, it shot the first 200-15x national record on the first individual 20-shot 1000 at the 2011 SWN at Ben Avery. Then it was used in the 20-shot team match. Next day, on the 5th and final individual 20-shot 1000, finishing up at around 1,600 rounds on the barrel, it shot a second 200-15x. Soooo, I just use the borescope to check cleanness. Something else will tell me when the barrel is shot out.

Dan

 

[Someoldguy]

Soooo, I just use the borescope to check cleanness. Something else will tell me when the barrel is shot out.

Dan

Ditto