I know there is no set answer here, but I'm going to ask anyway. How much pitting inside a barrel does it take to degrade cast bullet accuracy? I only cast for 5 calibers and the barrels on those guns are all new, so no problems. I have a chance to buy a decent older gun, but the barrel is lightly pitted (looks like from corrosive primers,not the heavy pitting from black powder). I would be using open sights, and would only want minute-of-deer accuracy to 100yds or so. The rifling is completely visible, although lightly pitted. I plan on only using cast bullets, so I am looking for some "experienced opinions" before I buy or pass on the gun.
Thanks,in advance.

I have shot several lightly to horribly pitted rifles. If the condition is uniform, the throat isn't shot out and the crown is good, then the accuracy was good. I used wheelweights at about 1300 to 1700 fps in these.

Dog, to put it another way, I think it's more important WHERE the pitting is in the barrel than it is how much. If I just have to have a rifle with barrel pitting, put it in the middle of the barrel. But that's just my opinion and you know what that's worth.

Pecos45
The pits are pretty even, thru the whole barrel.

Dog, obviously the bottom line here is just try it and see how it does. I'd be interested in hearing your results. Hopefully some of your "pits" is really rust that may polish out after some shooting.

But if it shoots to the standard needed, not to worry. If it doesn't, rebarrel the devil.

Used to be that a guy could get a like new military take-off barrel for almost nothing. Maybe you can go this route and rebarrel the rifle for something interesting, if not original, and still come out with only a small investment.

Let us know how you do.

Ditto to some of the comments. I used to have a Winchester M92 in 32WCF with a bore that was sewer pipe rough. It would cloverleaf a gas checked Hensley-Gibbs cast bullet at 50 yards. Just have to try them - some will, some won't.

Phil S.