I thought I remembered a Bore Scope at Cabela's. Sure enough they have one for $50.

Has anybody tried one of these?

Yes, I have one and I like it. It is like a loupe with a extension. I can see profiles in the barrel. Big draw back is the short length (I believe 12"). You have to come in from both ends and have the action out of the stock to get your head close enough to the eye piece for a looksy at the the throat end on in. Also you have to have light at the opposite end. Just takes a little creativness but for the money it is worth it.

OH NO, HC is gonna buy a "thingy". My idol has feet of clay.

I nearly bought one of those. I was saved at the last minute by toolsource.com who sells these:
http://www.toolsource.com/visual-optics-m-28002.html


I sent the URL that shows all the visual optics products because there are new video inspection tools that have come on the market since I bought my fiberoptic borescope. VO makes scopes of various diameter and you should choose the one you want based on the smallest bore you want to inspect. I wanted to inspect as small as .17 caliber, but that was not available at the time. I got a 4.8mm diameter fiber optic scope that gives as good or better picture than a Hawkeye that I once looked through. At the time, the Hawkeye cost about 3 times what the VO cost me--and did not come with the 90 degree side inspection mirror.

After having used the scope for a year or so, I am very happy with it and also very happy that I paid no more to get the mirror, since I have not had much use for it. I could see a use for the mirror in the hands of a gunsmith who is inspecting unknown problems in barrels belonging to customers who have done gawd-knows-what-to them over years and years.--pitting is readily revealed with the mirror. It seems to me that all other problems affecting accuracy, such as fouling and really egregious tool marks are very apparent using the straight ahead lens.

The smallest diameter probe works fine for me since the largest cartridge I inspect is a 30BR. However, I lent it to a friend who shoots blackpowder matches with a .45-70 and he had some trouble getting a good stable look the bore with the fiber flopping around in the tube. A few turns of masking tape around it just behind the lens head solved the problem.

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
OH NO, HC is gonna buy a "thingy". My idol has feet of clay.

Haven't decided - yet!
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Hey Amamnn, When I looked at the Cabelas' Bore Scope, I was wondering about it moving around in the Bore. I'd thought "maybe" an O-Ring or two added to the shaft might help stabilize it and for sure keep it off the Lands.

Glad to hear the Masking Tape works to resolve the issue. Plus, the Tape would be fully adjustable for diameter.

HC, you will need that movement inside the bore to utilize the scope.

Thanks Rae.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Thanks Rae.

Hey little buddy,

Visit the Medium Bore Rifles thread titled

"Hot Core's Elk Hunting Experience???????"

Hey amamnn,

Those scopes look pretty good.

Is this the one you have? It looks like it's the one to get.

18" long, mirrors, 4.3mm.....

http://www.toolsource.com/fibe...6v5ihe2f1nf5301f6472

Just ordered it. They say 3 weeks.

Will post back with review.

Got the VT fiberoptic borescope yesterday.

4.3mm 18"

Totally sucks...

It's going back ASAP

quote:

Originally posted by rcamuglia:
Got the VT fiberoptic borescope yesterday.

4.3mm 18"

Totally sucks...

It's going back ASAP

What is wrong with it or what do you not like?

Poor visibility as compared to the Hawkeye.

You really can't see $hit with this thing.
The price was tempting and you get what you pay for!
The "mirror" which is nothing more than a shiny metal disc glued on to a spring that you thread onto the end of the optic came off before I got it threaded on!

The visibility sucks. If it isn't the perfect distance from what you want to see it's blurry.

You really won't be able to see the bore, carbon, copper well enough to tell much.

Worthless for what I want it for. My gunsmith's Hawkeye has spoiled me.

Hey R, Thanks for the report. You just saved me from trying one.

Sounds like it would have been a disaster even if you had not seen a Hawkeye.

Yeah, and this one was $288 that was suggested here.

Check out the link.

I have no idea what $50 at Cabela's will buy!

I have a Hawkeye and i've been using it a lot lately. Its a wonderful tool that teaches you a lot when you use it properly. It was however, extremely expensive. It was also worth it. I tried one of those cheapies from sportsmans guide or something. Worthless. I think i was only able to see anything in a couple barrels and they are not usually clear enough etc etc etc. If you find a cheap on that works ok, let me know. I'd like to hear about it, but you get what you pay for.

Hey R, I had missed that link. Sure looks like it would have worked.
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Just shined the old LED in a few barrels yesterday. All looked like a hall of "pristine clean totally spotless mirrors".

Still needed to wipe them with Moly Grease and a couple of clean patches.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

Just shined the old LED in a few barrels yesterday. All looked like a hall of "pristine clean totally spotless mirrors".

They all look perfect when viewed that way from either end.

What's amazing is how they look from the perspective as if your head is in the bore and you are looking toward the side 90 degrees. With the Hawkeye copper and carbon fouling is easily spotted as well as any imperfections in the bore, wear on the lands at the throat, or damage at the crown or in the chamber.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Hey R, I had missed that link. Sure looks like it would have worked.
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Just shined the old LED in a few barrels yesterday. All looked like a hall of "pristine clean totally spotless mirrors".

Still needed to wipe them with Moly Grease and a couple of clean patches.

Are you kidding or are you that gullible?

Not kidding - may be BAD gullible. So far(over 5 decades) it has worked very well mixed with a healthy dose of Barrel Scrubbing when the firearm gets shot and sometimes when they have just set for awhile. No Pits!!!

I'm in no way saying a nice Bore Scope is a bad thing to have though.