Gents: Decided to turn to my favorite chat room to ask a question about rifles. I was in a Cabelas Gun Room the other night peddling several guns and looking at another. I asked to borrow a bore light to check the condition of the bore and, as I stared down the barrel, I again realized that, aside from obvious pitting, almost invisible rifling, and bulges, I don't really know how to judge the condition of a barrel. I know that, perhaps even more than with shotguns, it's all about the barrel, but I don't think I can look down the bore of a Winchester, for instance, and have the faintest idea if the rifling is "fine" or just "good." Sometimes I think the bore light is so bright that it makes it harder to see what's really going on. Any helpful hints as to what I should look for? Height of the lands? Sharpness of their corners? Distorted reflections that suggest something less than a perfectly smooth surface? Maybe if the problem isn't screaming at me I shouldn't worry about it. Looking for guidance. Thanks in advance. TT

TT,
A bore scope is the best way. I just had a put together Stevens 44 1/2, probably no 2 parts came from the same gun. The 25 rimfire barrel looked pretty good by eye, but a close look with the hawk eye scope show what looked like the surface of the moon.

You might have bet that it would scatter shots all over the place. The barrel was rechambered to 25-20 wcf and surprisingly it shot well! So, which is better, scope or eye?

Regards,
Ron

Shiney bores are nice but the proof is in shooting. I've seen mediocre shooting from appearently like new barrels and one inch groups from "shot out" bores. Same shooter and everything.

With kind regards,
Jani

I have two different rifles with bores that look completely rough and dark.
They both shoot quite well, and seem to always hit whatever I point them at.

The proof is definitely in the shooting.
Dark, rough bores will however affect resale value, no matter how well they shoot.




Cheers
Tinker

Gents: That has been my experience as well. Bottom line, I guess, is that buying a rifle (especially used) can be a bit of a crap shoot. Thanks. TT

Just an update. I took the rifle I was worrying about -- my "new" 1936 Winchester Model 64 in .30-30 with a questionable bore -- out to my buddy's ranch this weekend and dropped six rounds inside a six-inch circle at 75 yards. That should do the trick, and I'll stop worrying about that bore now. TT