NIB Gun with damaged crown

[Branch68]

Looking for some advice.

For xmas, my (incredible) wife gave me a brand new rifle in 6.5 prc. I've been shooting/reloading AR-15s but this is my first real bolt-action.

Upon borescoping it, the crown seems messed up...but I'm not sure how big a deal to make out of it. For transparency, all I've done with this gun is unboxed it (ie no hap-hazard cleaning). I just e-mailed the manufacturer today to see what they say. But was curious what I should be pushing them to do here (new rifle, recrown the barrel)?

Video https://drive.google.com/file/d/14tEOC0mso9rYzHLf02i_QYWbwEtfyY5T/view?usp=sharing

 

[whatsupdoc]

Should be no big deal for them to replace the barrel.

 

[FeMan]

I would definitely seek a replacement. That looks pretty ugly.

 

[DirtySteve]

I would test fire it... It may shoot just fine.. They may ask how it shoots.. Bore scopes are not always your friend..

 

[Danoh]

I definitely couldn't live with that. Let us know what the manufacturer says.

 

[Old Navy]

That is not a new barrel. Not even close.

 

[Old Navy]

Here is the barrel I just chopped on my table saw. Over 900 rounds down it. The barrel has not been crowned or cleaned up in any way.

 

[Old Navy]

I would definitely seek a replacement. That looks pretty ugly.

The complete rifle.

 

[Branch68]

That is not a new barrel. Not even close.

At first I thought the same thing, but there is no way someone mounted a scope before I got it. I am assuming the copper there was from proofing/test-firing.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Don't assume anything. My thought is the it used. test firing a new undamaged barrel would never leave that much copper fouling. The mouth of the barrel is deformed. Is there copper anywhere else in the barrel? At the very least, it will have to be shortened at the muzzle and recrowned.

Another thing, This looks like the breach of the barrel to me. It also looks as if there is firecraking involved here. I have never seen anything like that on any rifle at the muzzle end. And after viewing the video, Way too much copper to have only been test fired. The rifling is very clean in some parts. Looks like it was hand lapped. Other places are horrible.

 

[Branch68]

Don't assume anything. My thought is the it used. test firing a new undamaged barrel would never leave that much copper fouling. The mouth of the barrel is deformed. Is there copper anywhere else in the barrel? At the very least, it will have to be shortened at the muzzle and recrowned.

 

[Branch68]

Most of the copper that is there is towards the muzzle. A few other spots (the video above tells the tale). Sounds like I need to push em for a new rifle. Will let everyone know how it plays out.

 

[SmokinJoe]

I have scoped quite a few barrels, both custom and factory, and that one looks pretty rough to me. Don't see how the crown damage could have occurred. But there were some other bad looking places in the barrel that showed up on the video. Mind telling us what rifle this is?

 

[Branch68]

It's a Winchester m70 long range

 

[jackieschmidt]

That barrel is cr-p.
But here is your problem. They mght hit you with the old “it’s within manufacturing tolerance” line.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

That is a copper mine. Id bet its within their tolerance. But hey at least its got rifling! Gotta send back a brand new lever action 22mag that cant launch a bullet straight with forgotten rifling.

 

[CJ6]

Man Dusty.....My Rem 41 Targetmaster smooth bore is WAY better than that......

 

[tsyarnall]

I would strongly insist on a new barrel. Of course, you will end up sending it back to the factory for no telling how long to get it re-barreled.
If they were to tell me that the barrel is ok, I would think very hard about telling them that I will paste the pictures of their “acceptable” barrel on every shooting forum and all over the web. You folks paid good, hard-earned money for a quality Winchester rifle and deserve to have one. But, that’s just me. Sorry this happened.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I would strongly insist on a new barrel. Of course, you will end up sending it back to the factory for no telling how long to get it re-barreled.
If they were to tell me that the barrel is ok, I would think very hard about telling them that I will paste the pictures of their “acceptable” barrel on every shooting forum and all over the web. You folks paid good, hard-earned money for a quality Winchester rifle and deserve to have one. But, that’s just me. Sorry this happened.

Yep, 61,000 members here could give Winchester a bad name!

 

[RegionRat]

That isn't what I would want to see on a brand new rig. Sorry to see this.

I have seen some rough hammer forged bbls that still shot well, but they fouled fast and required hard cleaning to remove the copper.

Curious, was this from a gun store where it was out of the box for display, or from an unopened box?

I have watched in horror while some unsupervised counter help mishandled guns while putting them out for display by jamming all manner of things into the muzzle to make them stay up on a rack.

It is possible the damage was done after it was tested at the factory by retail dealerships rather than made that way, that is, if it was ever out of the box for display.

It is hard to say without seeing it in person, but that damage may have been after the testing. In any case, I hope they trade it out for you.

Your wife still makes The Nice List in my book, so good luck with the rig.

Happy New Year!!!