I need some advice on what to look for with regard to the quality of the bore on older rifles. Big bores especially, but really any older rifle that I might want as a "shooter". I have found used rifles from time to time in out of the way places, pawn shops for example, but often I am reluctant to buy because, other than is it clean, I honestly don't know exactly what to look for, or how.

Thanks, John

As far as big bores go, except for those shot by our resident 'recoil sponges', few are shot often enough or rapidly enough to damage the bore. If the bore is clean and the rifling is sharp, chances are good that it's okay (feeding problems, trigger malfunctions, and cracked stocks are another matter entirely.

Carry a bore-light when you visit gun/pawn shops, and check the bore and chamber as well as you can. Look for hairline cracks in the stock (behind the tang, between the action screws). Check the condition of the crown. Look for buggered screws.

George

you are looking for a couple things
is it of consistent finish from one end to the other of the barrel?

it is SHINNY, frosted, dark gray, looks like it has rust, is there what i see as a "blood stain" in it, which can be a rust spot cleaned.

Look into the chamber, are the corners clean (you can see this with a little practice and a bent plastic bore light)

the james bond movie intro, where they are intimating that you are looking down a barrel at bond is a good example. You should clearly see the lands and grooves, and that they are CONSISTENT in condition, from one end to another.

However, all that being said, I've seen dark bored, OBVIOUSLY "bad" bore 8mm mausers that are 1.5 MOA guns, with any ammo in the world, and finiky as hell, will only shoot ONE load well, "perfect" bores.

and so has anyone with any expereince. Its a crap shoot, but, to me, rough spots, rust, uncared for guns are going to be an issue for me. Though, in pawn shops, remember that gun has sat in uncared for storage, for AT LEAST 90 days. Their opinion is that "someone will buy it"

Oh, here's a funny.
I was in a local pawn shop, that is not known for carrying ANY quality firearms. There as a badly sporterized enfield 1917 winchester on the rack. High gloss sanded military stock, mirror polished metal, hot blued (not a bad blue, btw) and a good job of installing a one piece scope base.

Now, I was just in the mood to buy an enfield for an action, and asked to see it.

I looked at the rifle before the price (as i nearly always do) and inspected it. A reasonablely sound enfield, to be sure, action would be okay, the barrel was bright, but nothing i wanted to keep.

So, I look at the tag, and thought, wow, type.
$2499.00 .. I was thinking, oh, someone has double tapped the 9, and ask the owner of the shop if he'll take $175 for it.

He looks at me like I am an idiot, puffs up his chest and says
"Sir, i will not take less than TWO THOUSAND for this minty condition pre-64 Winchester"

I stood there and blinked, as what am I to say? He's right, its a "pre-64" winchester. In fact, about 40 years "pre-64". I eventually responded,
"you do understand that "pre-64" only applies to commercial, not milsurp guns, right?"

Which the genius replied
"Look at the finish on that rifle, it's OBVIOUSLY not a military rifle"

I handed him the rifle back, told him he was right, and left the store, wondering at the condition of the world.

That was in 2005, and a couple weeks ago, that rifle was still in the rack, "Reduced" to $1650, with "Pre_64 winchester" on the tag.

George & Jeffe,

Thanks for the advice, I'm not really worried about the barrel being "shot out", that is very rare, more concerned about problems due to neglect that might be glossed over.

If you're concerned about rust or bore erosion, carry a cleaning rod, some bore brushes and patches in your car.

If the shopowner consents to it, wrap a single drypatch of appropriate size around the correct bore brush and push it through the bore. If the bore is rusted, you should see evidence on the patch. If you find a loose spot or a tight spot within the bore, ask the shopowner for an adjustment in price (you may have to rebarrel).

George

JPenn,I would check the rifling from the muzzle,with my eye.You want that rifling to be FULL,and SHARP or really STICKING OUT.What you don't want is something that looks like a shotgun bore.

I am pretty picky about the throat on most big game rifles and I want crisp edges ont he lands and a shiney bore...

Double rifles and old Winchester are a whole nuther ball game as these slow bullets don't seem to be bothered much by a bad bore..I have seen too many of them with bores like a tramp steamers pipe that shot really well..

Bottom line is you have to shoot them to be able to tell what they will do, but that also applies to a brand new barrel, so there ya go....you roll the dice and see how they land.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I am pretty picky about the throat on most big game rifles and I want crisp edges ont he lands and a shiney bore...

Double rifles and old Winchester are a whole nuther ball game as these slow bullets don't seem to be bothered much by a bad bore..I have seen too many of them with bores like a tramp steamers pipe that shot really well..

Bottom line is you have to shoot them to be able to tell what they will do, but that also applies to a brand new barrel, so there ya go....you roll the dice and see how they land.

When I bought my first big bore rifle I thought that the throat would be an indicator just like it has been on my medium bore rifles.This was not the case with my Lott and 458WM.Both these rifles had the bore rifling shotout and their throats seemed OK.

Like I said the final proof is at the target range, even with a mint barrel..