Borescope Pictures & Question

[mercerbear]

Alright guys, I used to be a Ballistol & Bore Snake guy.

Recently, I have discovered that my rifles could all use a deeper cleaning so I have tried a few different products and have gravitated to Bore Tech [Eliminator, Carbon Remover & Copper Remover] & Wipe-Out.

I bought a couple of the Tipton Deluxe 1 piece carbon fiber rods and am using Bore-Tech Proof Positive Cleaning Jags & Nylon Brushes.

When I use the rods, I use a Possum Hollow bore guide and push from chamber to muzzle, then remove the jag or brush before pulling the rod back through.

All that said, I just finished cleaning a fairly new rifle for the first time and took a look at the barrel with my bore scope. Somehow, there is some gouging on 2 of the lands that begin about 1/8" from the chamber and extend no more than an inch down the barrel.

I do not see how the soft jags I am using could gouge barrel steel and want to get your thoughts on how this sort of damage could occur.

Please see the photos and let me know what you guys think is going on here. The 2 affected lands are near 3 o'clock, as you look down the barrel.

This is a Barrett Fieldcraft in 30-06 and I am not the first owner. The rest of the barrel and rifle, in general, are in like new shape. It appears to be very low round count and did have copper and powder residue in the barrel, so I don't think it had been scrubbed.

 

[co_nucleus]

Those look like tool chatter marks from something left in the chamber and/or improper removal. Strange it matches the spacing of the lands. It suggests it was the person who made the barrel. Nylon brushes would not do that to steel.

 

[mercerbear]

Those look like tool chatter marks from something left in the chamber and/or improper removal. Strange it matches the spacing of the lands. It suggests it was the person who made the barrel. Nylon brushes would not do that to steel.

I was wondering if those marks could be from the factory.

I also can't imagine a scenario where a smooth edged cleaning jag or nylon brushes, both guided by a bore guide, could leave marks in steel.

 

[adam32+P]

Factory tool marks from the button...how does it shoot? Borescopes sometimes create more problems than they solve.

 

[26Reload]

The little spots on the other lands look to have been created at the same time.....definitely tooling...

 

[mercerbear]

Factory tool marks from the button...how does it shoot? Borescopes sometimes create more problems than they solve.

This is a "new to me" rifle so I haven't gotten that far yet. I just picked up the transfer from my FFL 2 days ago and wanted to give it a thorough cleaning before scoping it up and taking it to the range.

The rest of the 24" barrel and crown are 100% clean so I am hopeful that the chattering on the first 1/2" of 2 lands won't ruin accuracy.

 

[mercerbear]

The little spots on the other lands look to have been created at the same time.....definitely tooling...

I appreciate your input. I am not a gunsmith and have no experience with machining or installing barrels.

It's good to hear that these marks came from the factory and not my best efforts to safely clean the rifle with proper cleaning tools.

 

[javman]

Wonder if maybe some type stainless steel media was being used by former owner and loaded and shot some rounds where cases weren't fully inspected?

 

[mercerbear]

Wonder if maybe some type stainless steel media was being used by former owner and loaded and shot some rounds where cases weren't fully inspected?

I can't really speak to that. The guy that I bought the rifle from is a member of this forum and a stand up guy whose word I don't question. He said it was shooting sub-minute for him.

As long as I didn't somehow manage to gouge those lands with a bore-guided cleaning jag, I am thinking this probably happened at the factory somewhere along the manufacturing process. If they don't borescope their barrels as part of the QC inspection, they probably wouldn't have noticed.

I will say that the first cleaning patch I tried to run with the .308 cleaning jag was too tight, so I had to back the jag out from where the lands begin and swap to a 7MM jag, which was a nice tight fit with the cleaning patches I was using.

It makes me wonder if getting a patch stuck at the chamber end of the barrel and pulling the .308 jag back to swap out to 7MM could have caused the damage.

It doesn't make sense though because the jag is well designed with soft metal and very rounded edges in all directions. The jag should deform before the lands would and I checked both jags...no damage to either.

 

[adam32+P]

You didn't cause it with a jag. Not possible.

 

[jdyoung]

Did you happen to scope the bore before you did the cleaning ? If so, was the mark noticeable then ?

 

[tobnpr]

Looks to me like the chamber may have been cut with a reamer past it's prime.
Appears to me the lands at the throat are gouged. This is why many of us pre-bore chambers and/or use roughing reamers- the throat section of the reamer does the most cutting of any section on it, and is also the most critical part- while it dulls the fastest.

 

[mercerbear]

Did you happen to scope the bore before you did the cleaning ? If so, was the mark noticeable then ?

Unfortunately, I did not. I only inspected the crown and end of the barrel with a bore light.

I only used the bore scope after finishing the cleaning to make sure I had removed all fouling and to see how the bore looked.

 

[mercerbear]

Looks to me like the chamber may have been cut with a reamer past it's prime.
Appears to me the lands at the throat are gouged. This is why many of us pre-bore chambers and/or use roughing reamers- the throat section of the reamer does the most cutting of any section on it, and is also the most critical part- while it dulls the fastest.

It certainly makes sense to me that these marks had to have been caused by tool steel. If it doesn't shoot well, I may contact Barrett to show them the pictures and see what they think.

It's really just two of the lands at 3 o'clock that have the significant gouging. The other lands look good. I think there may be a little lint or reflection from the light in my photos that make the other lands look nicked.

If it still shoots well, it's not something that will bother me.