Barrel pitting

[von_klitzing]

I have purchased a second hand rifle (ruger m77 mkii varmint 223) from a dealer and trusted them when they said it was in very good condition, the barrel was great and action smooth. When I finally got the PTA and picked up the rifle, I noticed rust on the sling mounts. So when I got home I fully stripped the rifle and found serious rust around the action, the magazine housing, firing pin and numerous other places. Also found a pit in the bore close to the chamber, say 40mm in, around maybe 1.5-2mm wide x .75mm long. It doesn't look like the lands have been affected. I used solvent, jags, brushes, and pulled dry cloth through probably 40 odd times and still getting fouling out! Silly me, but I think it'll end up being better than learning on a brand new rifle





Not bad for an iPhone piccy eh?! Left side and bottom dark patches are pieces of cloth. You can see the pit further down on the right hand side.

How bad does barrel pitting need to get before it actually effects bullet ballistics?

TIA

[ebr love]

Wow...

Think I'd have to take that back on principle if that was described as 'very good'

That floor plate rust is terrible...

[Fujix]

A pitted barrel can still shoot well, it's not an immediate write-off.

Only one way to tell though, get down to the range and do some shooting...

[Press]

It could still shoot fine, but you definitely want to make sure all traces of rust are gone or the pits will just get worse.

I'd plug the barrel and give it a soak with a penetrating oil, Kroil or whatever your preference is and leave it for a day or two.

Then give it a serious clean to maker sure it's all out.

Not the end of the world though, get it to the range

[Blackened]

An isolated spot of pitting usually isn't too bad. Depending on the accuracy you're after it may not make any difference to you at all.

When a barrel has been neglected for a long time and is pitted throughout, then it's definitely one to rebarrel.

[Warrigul]

Even stainless needs attention, blood is especially agressive, worse than salt water.

[von_klitzing]

Ok thanks guys. I've contacted the dealer and they said the gunsmith will do what he can. I'll drop it into the shop and see what the results are. Will update the thread when I get it back and again after I take it out for a shoot cheers

[von_klitzing]

Ah, well the smith offered repairs but also offered a full refund so I went with the refund. I won't be shooting this rifle at all unfortunately. Thanks for the advice

[Press]

No worries.

[DaleH]

Looks like the smith did the right thing by you on this occasion.

[Antie]

Looks like the smith did the right thing by you on this occasion.

Except for selling such a lemon in the first place... They mustn't have even looked at it at all before selling it if they labelled that as "very good".

Gratz on your refund though, that was the way to go IMO.

[Ade]

That's another incident that's highlights the one good part of WA firearms laws.

The fact that you can't buy or transfer a firearm without a firearms serviceability certificate from a registered gunsmith.

The rest of WA's gun laws blow.

[Granting]

Good to hear you got your refund.

Free lesson learned in the end I guess. Next time you buy a second hand rifle be sure to inspect in an out.

I tell you though, I'd have been in a seriously black mood if I opened the box and found that...

[von_klitzing]

Free lesson learned in the end I guess. Next time you buy a second hand rifle be sure to inspect in an out.

Very true. A valuable lesson indeed.

Today I dropped the scope off and the staff were completely happy to fully refund and acknowledged that it was not VGC.

They also mentioned the gunsmith had cleaned it up and that it turned out really good. I just had the pits on the action in my head, and that huge pit in the barrel and asked about it, staff member replied something like "ah that's nothing, it cleaned right up". But seriously, that's a large pit, and they don't clean up...

Anyway, They offered repairs, and they offered a refund, so I went for the refund and they wrote out a cheque as I mentioned I was still in the market for a .223.

A minute later another staff comes out with a Browning A-Bolt in .223. He says it's a mates and they haven't displayed it yet, but it's in great nick and I can pay $200 difference and they'll foot the cost of a new PTA for the earlier stuff-around. So I put the rifle under careful scrutiny

The wood stock was so clean without a scratch it looked like new fiberglass. The action was flawless - not a scratch. The bolt was smooth as silk and when shouldered, the scope rose straight up to my eye, not my eye to the scope. I then looked down the barrel and saw rubbish lol.

So I told the staff if I could go out the back and have the smith clean it in front of me and have an inspection then I'd make a decision. So to the back I went and watched the smith use a brush twice, jag thrice and follow up with dry cloth a few times. I looked down the bore from both ends. It was immaculate. Not a spot on it, shiny as a mirror with sharp lands.

Well, call me a sucker, but this rifle looked pretty neat. I was also surprised to see a barrel tuner on it. The scope was a 10 x 40, couldn't find a brand name, but it was clean and clear. So I bought it. Opportunity only knocks once, and I believe this would have sold after a minute on the shelf.

All in all, no love lost with the shop. They did the righty by the customer and offered repairs, a refund and also a replacement. Got to be happy with that... Now I'm a new owner of a Browning A-Bolt just as soon as the PTA arrives

(Please note I was already looking for an x-bolt in .243 but I figured a cheaper, but still quality browning a-bolt would be just as good a purchase).

Anyway, that's closure to the thread. Something good came from something bad.

[Warrigul]

Very few dealers or gunshops clean secondhand rifle barrels when they come in, just seems to be the norm.

I usually offer to clean the barrel of anything I am interested in and any of the three shops I haunt are willing to let me.

I won't buy a rifle unless have passed a cleaning rod and jag dow it as that is one of the best way to check for problems.

[Kelix]

I looked down the bore from both ends. It was immaculate. Not a spot on it, shiny as a mirror with sharp lands.

Well, call me a sucker, but this rifle looked pretty neat. I was also surprised to see a barrel tuner on it. The scope was a 10 x 40, couldn't find a brand name, but it was clean and clear. So I bought it. Opportunity only knocks once, and I believe this would have sold after a minute on the shelf.

Good stuff.

Glad to hear it all panned out after the rocky start.

Good that you did have the dealer to fall back on too and get it sorted. You get the occasional story-gone-wrong where someone buys a "good condition" rifle second hand from interstate etc. and it turns up with a shot out barrel and whatever else problems

You got a result though, so winner.

[Mark TAC]

Ade,

The serviceability certificate in WA would not prevent the issue encountered here. It simply means the gun is safe - if the stock is good and the trigger pull/safety is fine that's the end of the story.

Could still have a bad bbl.

I think this thread is a great story, we've all seen so many where the shop would not come to the party so wherever von_klitzing purchased deserves a big congrats!!!

It also highlights how bad WA is with having to apply for a particular firearm. If you had the gun in your hand and it was no good you would have to go through the WHOLE damn procedure again to apply for same calibre but different serial no, with property letters etc, and wait 12 weeks or so, just to basically swap for a gun with a different serial number.

Ridiculous.

[von_klitzing]

The staff also mentioned (and this is for QLD) that they don't put the serial # of the rifle in the PTA applications for situations just like this... That way, you can simply swap the rifle for another without having to submit/wait for another PTA.

I thought that was a handy hint for the future. Although, you would want to ensure the shop is handing over the rifle you inspected!

Take note of the serial # anyway.

[Bark]

The staff also mentioned (and this is for QLD) that they don't put the serial # of the rifle in the PTA applications for situations just like this... That way, you can simply swap the rifle for another without having to submit/wait for another PTA.

At the time of the PTA you don't have to do that in VIC either. Just calibre, action etc...

When you pick up the rifle though I was pretty sure everything - serial included - goes off immediately.

After you've taken the rifle home you still have a few days before the serial is committed do you?

[Chronos]

Great result in the end.

FYI my first rifle flat out refused to feed from the magazine. It stove piped rounds, failed to pick up rounds etc. the Sydney store took the rifle back and changed it to another rifle of my choice.

When I asked about the PTA I was told they could simply change the PTA to the new rifle within the first twelve months for a warrantee claim. No need for a new PTA

Chronos

[Ade]

Fair enough marktac. I just presumed they would do more for a serviceability certificate. Didn't really know.

[FourFingersof Death]

The gunshops get a lot of rifles through their hands and usually just eyeball them. Probably looked ok. At least he gave you a refund, which is good. I'd be keeping him.

Ruger had some corrosion with 'salt wood' stocks slipped in by shonky suppliers, but I think that was pre SS days.

[ebr love]

For the 2 minutes it would take you'd think they'd at least take it out of the action, remove the bolt and take a look down the barrel.

For the dealers own benefit if nothing else. However much they spend buying this thing second hand they just flushed down the toilet. No one will buy that from them like that obviously...

[MeccaOz]

That's another incident that's highlights the one good part of WA firearms laws.

The fact that you can't buy or transfer a firearm without a firearms serviceability certificate from a registered gunsmith.

The rest of WA's gun laws blow.

Mate I can yell you that serviceability certificate is not always what it's cracked up to be. And It doesnt have to be a smith that fills it out either. It's just a way to have all the particulars written down and using the business to do it, instead of themselves.

[bigfellascott]

I wonder if that rifle was the victim of flooding? certainly got some heavy rusting going on!

[Bourt]

Looks like somebody went for a surf with it

[Warrigul]

Looks like somebody went for a surf with it

I have seen a few firearms kept on small commercial fishing boats and they can be in atrocious condition.

I remember one cray fisherman bemoaning the fact that his stainless winchester pump shotty had a steel firing pin which had rusted solid.

[riggee]

What do they have a rifle on board for? In case a shark ends up on deck?

[Warrigul]

What do they have a rifle on board for? In case a shark ends up on deck?

Yep, also rogue seals (birdscare or cattle crackers), the odd roo on shore (some were cray fishermen).

And just because.

[huccl]

Man, you'd want your shot placement to be f***ing spot on shooting a shark on your deck wouldn't you?

I wonder if anyone's sunk a boat doing that...