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


"The very acme of duck shooting is a big 10, taking ducks in pass shooting only." - Charles Askins