G'day experts,

The 3rd last time i took my Sako A3 out, i noticed it wasnt grouping as well as expected (usually 1-2" at 100m cloverleafs not uncommon).
I noticed after much head scratching and checking that the rear scope mount had snapped off from fatigue, so got new mounts and remounted scope, but it never really regained a tight zero on the 2nd last time it went out, so i took it home, dissapointed, gave it the barrel clean of it's life, retightened everything, went out again, and still was out to about 12" at 100m, so thought the scope might have been an issue, as it was looking pretty old, so switched it for the leupold from another rifle that was shooting well, rezeroed both rifles, and the old scope performed as well as expected for a good weaver scope, but the "once accurate leupold" was still about 8" at 100m, so it isnt the scope. and for the re-zero's i went back to factory ammo.

the rifle has probably seen about 8-9000 rnds, it's almost a smoothbore, and is also now having a fair bit of laxity in the bolt, and tight spots when trying to work the bolt forward.

so i'll put it out to my favourite expert opinion;- any thoughts as to what the probs may be, and would it be worth geting a gunsmith to repair and/ or rebarrel or should it be traded/ sold for scrap. has the sentimentality of being my oldest rifle, and has taken a lot of game. but i dont have rifles to look pretty, i like them to work.

Cheers,

I've never seen barrel wear take a 1-2" rifle to an 8-12" rifle overnight.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
I've never seen barrel wear take a 1-2" rifle to an 8-12" rifle overnight.

true, and bedding looks ok (to the untrained eye) no rattles or feelings of looseness...

What do you mean by "out about 12". Smooth bores don't particularly groups worth a crap. 8-9000 rounds is a lot to ask of a sporting barrel. It might be worth it to let a gunsmith examine the action to make sure it is well enough to take a new barrel. If so, then do that. While you are thinking about it, examine the bore for a bulge or a ring near the muzzle.

Take it to someone with a borescope. I would be willing to bet that after that many rounds the throat is worn all the way to the muzzle.

IT NEEDS A NEW BARREL, GET IT?

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
Take it to someone with a borescope. I would be willing to bet that after that many rounds the throat is worn all the way to the muzzle.

IT NEEDS A NEW BARREL, GET IT?

I would be willing to bet that after that many rounds you wouldn't need a borescope to see it.

quote:

Originally posted by Westpac:

I would be willing to bet that after that many rounds you wouldn't need a borescope to see it.

yeah, it's got some good barrelwear and craters, but still seemed accurate. (suprisingly)

but can a smith "fix" action/ bolt sticking, feed/ extraction problems?

quote:

Originally posted by Westpac:

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
Take it to someone with a borescope. I would be willing to bet that after that many rounds the throat is worn all the way to the muzzle.

IT NEEDS A NEW BARREL, GET IT?

I would be willing to bet that after that many rounds you wouldn't need a borescope to see it.

What about my glasses, can I use them?

My wife's shooting went to blazes with her .270 Wby -- until she neck shot a "doe" at 200 yards with her old 6mm Rem cut down ADL. Not the girl, it's the gun! My handload shot 6" apart after who knows how many rounds -- third owner.

"That's probably the most shot out barrel I've seen", says Dave at Hill Country Rifles. A new barrel and fully accurized by HCR, wifey's .270 Wby is back to shooting 1 MOA. Of course, the old handload is now junk, but three others ain't half bad.

What Jim Kobe said...

quote:

Originally posted by greggus:
but can a smith "fix" action/ bolt sticking, feed/ extraction problems?

He would have to see it to determine that. But I would suspect the answer could be yes, having seen some pretty hammered actions go on to live another life.