This rifle is about 70 years old. The bore appears smooth and shiny just looking down the barrel. I don't have a bore scope. The photo was taken with a bright light from the side of the muzzle Pitting? Frosting? More cleaning needed? I should mention that I have thoroughly cleaned the barrel (wipe out, CFP bore foam, penetrating oil, careful scrubbing).

It could be pitting. But it looks more like someone gave the bore a good coating of sand and then fired it, which impressed the grains of sand into the steel. Ive seen that a lot, but usually it's accompanied by a slight bulge.

Here is a better question; how does it shoot? If it shoots to your satisfaction, ignore what the bore looks like. If not, replace it; it's that simple. You don't need a bore scope to determine it's usefulness.
Oh, it's rust/pitting. Just like Speer said.

Rod,
There are no bulges anywhere from what I can see.

DPCD,
I haven't had a chance to really test this out yet. One range trip so far. I think it is going to be a very good shooter. And yes, that's what counts.

Biggest lemon barrel I ever bought looked fantastic with a bore scope. Looked more like a pattern than a group.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Biggest lemon barrel I ever bought looked fantastic with a bore scope. Looked more like a pattern than a group.

Paul,
I understand. I bought a German 88 commission rifle for $50 because it had a cocking piece peep sight. Had to shoot it before taking it apart though. It shot very well. Better than some new guns of mine. A little upsetting, considering the difference in cost!

Doesn't surprise me that it shoots well. I've seen awful barrels that do okay, and really rough ones that shot excellent.

One of my favorite rifles is a .450-3 1/4" that spent 70 years of it's life killing seals in the arctic. The bore on it has pits that are 1/16" deep. A few hundred of them. It will group under 2 inches at 30 yards (sights are regulated there). It's really hard to clean, though. Patches come out black forever.

The Savage .223 CM barrel I recently used on CA ground squirrels looks like seven miles of bad road with the borescope. Tool marks the whole way through and rust pits from the previous owner from about two inches in front of the chamber to the muzzle. Shoots three shots into 3/8" when clean and 1/2" after 330 rounds in the field. Actually doesn't foul as bad as it should, but I shoot moly bullets. You never know. I recommend NOT looking in the bore of a rifle that shoots well. The resulting vision in your head could affect the barrel's accuracy more than the bore damage.

quote:

Originally posted by speerchucker30x378:
But it looks more like someone gave the bore a good coating of sand and then fired it, which impressed the grains of sand into the steel.

I don't suppose it's a Husqvarna? When I was a boy I heard that Remington put two or three projectiles ahead of a cartridge and fired the rifle to prove how strong it was. The Swedes then filled a barrel with sand, tamped it down and fired theirs. Maybe this is the rifle

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
I don't suppose it's a Husqvarna? When I was a boy I heard that Remington put two or three projectiles ahead of a cartridge and fired the rifle to prove how strong it was. The Swedes then filled a barrel with sand, tamped it down and fired theirs. Maybe this is the rifle

I wonder how many rifles were lost! No, not a Husky. It's an old Winchester.