Need help with barrels.

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dragonfly22588	Need help with barrels.	Lead	[-]
Posts: 22 (08/05/08 09:58 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None Hey, I am pretty new to C & R weapons and firearms in general. I do own a M24/47 and I'm getting more interested the more I learn about these fine weapons. Question is, how do I really identify a good barrel? I know funny question but seeing that no one in my family has ever owned a firearm I've never had anyone to teach me these things. I do know some basics, like bright barrels are usually a good sign, we well as well defined rifling but I don't really have a source of comparison besides comparing it to my M24 which a gun dealer said was in almost unused condition. Anyway, I'm looking for websites, pictures, books or any other source I can actually look at that can describe to me what I am looking for when I'm looking down that black hole. Thanks.
high speed cruise		#1	[-]
Posts: 2369 (08/06/08 02:00 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I will try to help. Sometimes it's a crap shoot......if you can see rifling.....if it looks NON rounded.....lands (opposite of grooves) are more important than the grooves anyway. Right on about the "shine".........the crown should be uniform and without dents. Nice if you can see the sharp edges of the grooves at the muzzle. (If the crown is dented, you can have it "recrowned" if you don't mind the alteration). You really won't know until you shoot your guns if they really are accurate (although bore condition is most important for accuracy). Even a dark bore can shoot well, and experimentation with different loads and bullets can really make a difference. I'm sure someone on here will give you some pics but that's not a bad start what I've typed. I first look at the bore, if it looks pretty good (or even so-so sometimes) then I'll look for matching numbers. Try the trigger pull.....smooth and clean pulls are #2 for accuracy after bore condition. Is the gun complete....or missing things? Has the stock been sanded? How's the gun's finish? Are there any particular markings I'm looking for on it or wild figures in the wood? Is it over-priced? *If you can find things wrong with it, it'll aid you in haggling over the price. Good luck! Enjoy what you have man and we are glad you have found us and our hobby! GREG
mauserand9mm		#2	[-]
Posts: 1079 (08/06/08 02:43 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I agree, if the lands are sharp there's a good chance it'll shoot. I had a 6.5 with pitting in the grooves but good lands and it shot really good. My Columbian has "roundish" lands (more evident in close up photos) but still shoots well. The muzzle is critical - if the lands are washed out at this end, it likely won't group at all. Counterboring is an acceptable "modification" to fix this problem but you want to make sure you do it properly - not difficult but need the right gear.
beanstrung		#3	[-]
Posts: 4630 (08/06/08 06:00 AM) Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Insert an unfired military surplus cartridge, of the correct caliber, bullet-first into the muzzle until it stops. The more space you see between the muzzle and the brass, the better. 1/4" of space generally indicates a nearly "new" barrel. If it goes in all the way, until the brass touches the muzzle, it's got excessive wear. This photo shows a barrel about halfway between "new" and "worn-out". --------------------------------------------------------------------------- What part of "shall not be infringed" don't you understand? Joel 3:9-10 Last Edited By: beanstrung 08/06/08 06:06 AM. Edited 3 times.
Vladymere gr		#4	[-]
Posts: 2396 (08/06/08 06:29 AM) Forum Co-host Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The bore is only important if you are a shooter. If you are a collector you need not even look at the bore. (Isn't that right Vis?) Vlad Looking for Gew.88 based sporting rifles Looking for a Lyman #22 sight for the Gew.88/Mannlicher
m1 talker		#5	[-]
Posts: 5998 (08/06/08 06:49 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	If it is the M24/47 that you are concerned about, I think most of them on the surplus market have brand new barrels. Re-barrelling them was part of the rearsenal job they went thru and they were stored away in event of another war, but that never happened, so they were released as surplus. I have five of them and everyone has a mint condition barrel on it. Curt
dragonfly22588		#6	[-]
Posts: 23 (08/06/08 12:47 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	That's a neat trick bean, thanks for the tip and yes I would like to find a piece that would also make a decent shooter, not that I would use it much in that capacity but I just like to have the option to do so.
JTB1967		#7	[-]
Posts: 611 (08/06/08 01:34 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	m1 talker wrote: If it is the M24/47 that you are concerned about, I think most of them on the surplus market have brand new barrels. Re-barrelling them was part of the rearsenal job they went thru and they were stored away in event of another war, but that never happened, so they were released as surplus. I have five of them and everyone has a mint condition barrel on it. Curt A lot of the rifles come in this country with nice bores, but Bubba shoots it with corrosive ammo and puts it in the closet without cleaning it, then before you know it the bores ruined
mauserand9mm		#8	[-]
Posts: 1080 (08/08/08 08:09 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	This is what the end of a barrel looks like on a rifle that won't shoot at all: http://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/19e2587be772e09765f5669b754f1a88e29eae7.jpg Notice how the rifling disappears before it reaches the end of the muzzle and how rounded the transition is at the end.