Gentlemen,

We have 6 rifles of various makes - BRNO, Remington, Winchester, Sauer, Parker Hale - all in 243 Winchester.

These rifles we got in part exchange, and although they have not been shot that much, they have seen quite a bit of neglect.

All of them have corrusion in the barrels. Some with quite extensive pitting.

As we usually do with any rifle we get here. We clean the barrels thoroughly, check them with our video bore scope - looking at the inside of the barrel on a 17 inch monitor is quite an eye opener.

We then develop loads for them.

The amazing thing is all rifles shot reasonable well, despite all the damage in the barrels.

In fact, I am not so sure that they would have shot any better had the barrels been spotless. THis is from past experience with brand new rifles of similar makes and models, and similar results.

The groups shot varried from half and inch to three quarters.

Just goes to show how inherently accurate the 243 round is.

I've had more than a few rifles with sewer pipe barrels that were pefectly accurate for everyday hunting, and, I still have some of them. Looking like shit does not neccessarily mean they will shoot like shit.

That just goes to show that the only way to PROVE the accuracy of a barrel is to shoot it not look at it.

I think it goes to shows that how straight your barrel and ammo are is more important than the surface finish inside the barrel..........DJ

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
I think it goes to shows that how straight your barrel and ammo are is more important than the surface finish inside the barrel..........DJ

Exactly.......DJ


I've said this a hundred times, but I'll say it again....

Tight Chambers.....Concentric Chambers......Tight Headspace......and a square and concentric crown have more to do with an accurate rifle than all the best barrels money can buy.

Smooth finished barrels are great for easy cleanup, but until you're far past what is necessary for hunting accuracy, or even varmint hunting, they mean little to nothing on the group size.

Hammer forged barrels with good chambering and crown work will shoot the socks off of a custom barrel that lacks those attributes.

If the headspace is excessive, and I don't mean out of the NO-GO limits, you'll have a hard time shooting anything accurately with it, even with a good concentric chamber.

If you hold tight headspace, you can shoot an oversize chamber very well, providing that it's concentric and you're reloading rounds, performing only a neck-sizing operation.

If you've held everything right on the money, you can still screw it up with a bad crown.

I got a Remington Hepburn years ago in 38-55 as I wanted to try Schuetzen shooting. It was about the only one of its type that I could get as nothing like it was being made back then. The barrel has many shallow pits in it but as you did I cleaned it.

I used that rifle for many years and won many matches with it. All of the matches were fired with irons offhand except for one four position match.

One I was at the club shooting it and I admit it was sighted in and all at 200 yds and a member shows up with his new Weatherby 257 with a Weatherby scope on it. He shows off the rifle and puts a target up at 200 yds near mine on the frames.

Along the way I can't help myself and I challange him to a match at 200 from the benches. My old Hepburn shooting only cast bullets of course was right in the X ring. Now my group was not any record or anything but it made the 257 Weatherby look really bad. I cut the center of the target out with my knife and kept it on my desk for a long time.

Saeed,
I have had the same experience with Mauser barrels. Some looked awful and shot well. Some looked about as awful and keyholed.
I have also had a used rifle that looked mint perfect and shot 18" groups. It had a tight spot at the sling swivel band. The maker replaced the barrel at no charge.

You fellows are welcome to "my share" of the pitted barrels. I'll take mine without the pits - and keep them that way.

I have to snicker when we have a thread about brand X barrel compared to brand Y.....as both are likely excellent barrels.

I've always wondered just how much the barrel contributes to accuracy after seeing the accuracy from Savage bolt actions and the Remington 788 ...two of the cheapest rifles ever made.....and in many cases bought at retail for less than the price of some barrel blanks alone!

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
You fellows are welcome to "my share" of the pitted barrels. I'll take mine without the pits - and keep them that way.

Maybe we should start a new topic, "Preferred Pit Rate?"

quote:

Originally posted by malm:
Just goes to show how inherently accurate the 243 round is.

You were one of my heros till you made that statement. roger

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
You fellows are welcome to "my share" of the pitted barrels. I'll take mine without the pits - and keep them that way.

It is all educational. You would be amazed at how accuate a stock Mauser can be. Even more amazed when a pitted one that you planned to discard shoots well.

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

quote:

Originally posted by malm:
Just goes to show how inherently accurate the 243 round is.

You were one of my heros till you made that statement. roger

Okay, I take it back.