Thread: Good barrel or bad barrel?

Originally Posted by Grunta

Very true, but I get the feeling Kiwijames has hit the nail on the head on how it would shoot. Plus - why would I now waste $$ on ammo for it? I'm just stoked that I didn't end up buying reloading dies and projectiles for like I was going to. I did buy some powder though. I'll find another caliber thats suitable for that though.

Thats all theory. Put a box through it. It may surprise you

Trust me pointer - it did surprise me! Anyhow, its irrelevant on the shooting side if things. My point is that this was sold as a great/good bore and I specifically asked if there were any bad points in the barrel and when then this pitted to hell tomato steak turns up then im rather disapointed. The whole dealing with this guy was disapointing, but I'll get to that at a later date if we cant come to an agreement of some sort.

Originally Posted by Grunta

Anyhow, its irrelevant on the shooting side if things.

That's my point, it isn't irrelevant at all. It's how it performs that matters. It's an 8x57, so I'm guessing a Mauser variant? Even if it is a commercial FN, parker hale/ midland or Husqvarna variant, that still makes it at best 60 years old. Again being a 8mm Mauser I can't imagine you brought it for F-class duties. I have guns of similar vintage and bore quality that still shoot perfectly acceptable group sizes for hunting in NZ conditions.

My point is that this was sold as a great/good bore and I specifically asked if there were any bad points in the barrel and when then this pitted to hell tomato steak turns up then im rather disapointed

Now that I can understand. If you had brought this old girl as a collectable piece I'd be dissapointed too. Consider it a learning curve for buying things sight unseen. I've been burned too, hence I have a price limit on what I'll purchase sight unseen in TM. Therefore I'm not too put out if it doesn't meet my expectations

Originally Posted by Grunta

Trust me pointer - it did surprise me! Anyhow, its irrelevant on the shooting side if things. My point is that this was sold as a great/good bore and I specifically asked if there were any bad points in the barrel and when then this pitted to hell tomato steak turns up then im rather disapointed. The whole dealing with this guy was disapointing, but I'll get to that at a later date if we cant come to an agreement of some sort.

Um.....uh you were using Trademe were you not. I use it from time to time but regard it as a "waste disposal" site. In my experience a lot of "creative licence" is used for both questions but most especially descriptions and answers. I would not think to get a good s/h hand rifle with a tip top barrel "as described" would be unusual.
Most people might have only fired a "few shots" as they say but then ficked the barrel by cleaning it or not cleaning it as the case may be.

Not to mention give 20 people an accurate rifle and ammo and most will struggle to shoot the magic and legendry 1 inch or less, (me included) even from prone with front rest and rear bag

Advertise it as a billy hook.

This was an 85 sako 243 about a year old. A local guy tried to sell me as in top condition. It shot ok for a couple of groups then not so. You would need a 16oz bottle of boretec eliminator per box of ammo. Pushing a patch through gave a nice sandpaper feel.

Get some copper into those pits to smooth it all out, and don't clean too much.
Its only an 8x47, it might just surprise you with how well it throws!

Depending upon the exact description and how far the reality of the barrel condition is from that description you have grounds to ask/request a refund. What is the seller's feedback score like, will he wish to preserve that? I suspect from one of your postings that a return action may be under way. I got caught in exactly the same manner with a rifle - barrel was poked, and I didn't need to put my bore scope in it to see that. Yours is the same, patently visible to the eye. I was able to get a refund - quietly shit myself waiting for the money to come back though, took a couple of weeks. Then made a rule that I would never again buy off TM unless I could collect the rifle, and reject if necessary. Also never consider anything now unless they have perfect or near perfect feedback. Good luck.

You have some shit luck buying guns mate lol.

well...um....Ive seen worse.

you take a wild punt buying ex-military rifles sight unseen or anything for that matter . . . and i understand the disappointment when you saw the condition of this barrel. The value to you is now much reduced to compared to what you thought it was.
But it maybe its not all bad, take a few shots and see how you feel afterwards.
i bought a .223 off TM from this really polite old gentleman, he was selling his sons hunting rifle, only used a couple of times . . . trouble is i reckon he just put the rifle back in the safe butt down without oiling the bore, the first 8'' forward of the chamber was just this huge pitted mess without any rifling visible, moisture had run down and rusted it out. Long story short, took it to the range after the hell clean with steel wool etc . .. absolute tack driver, still got it. After about 70 shots the groups go to hell and the copper fouling is something to behold . . . but until then its a reliable performer and plenty good enough for goat culling. Got a new barrel waiting to screw on but until this one dies it stays on.
and then there's the .303 stories . .. man i have shot some with ugly barrels, you would swear they are totally fckd . .. but no they are good to go.
My mate plays with the old stuff, sniders, all kinds of relics etc ... with care and attention to detail they can be made to shoot, so don't give up, you may have a keeper there.

good luck

The only way it would be a keeper for me is if it has historical/ex military value where a bad barrel may diminish the value but depending upon the rifle not destroy the value entirely as a collectable. As far a shooter goes you cannot make a silk purse out of it once it has become a sow's ear. No amount of cleaning and coppering it up will fix it now. The ole 30s for example that shot great with buggered barrels are just good stories/folklaw. I have seen 30s with claims like that (and similar condition barrels to the photos posted) where once the owner was pressed to demonstrate claimed accuracy the rifle couldn't hit a target at 100yd or if he did the projectiles went thru sideways. Once upon a time there used to be a 30 hanging on the back of every wash house door at farmhouses - never cleaned after firing. (@rossi.45 I have no idea of the degree of buggerdness of your example) If the desire in this case was to buy a shooter the time to get rid of it is as soon as possible. Messing around firing it will just delay the inevitable and add further expense with money wasted on ammo. The only amazing thing is the crown appears relatively intact so it may initially fire some shots into a reasonable (large) group b4 it spits the dummy.

Originally Posted by tui_man2

You have some shit luck buying guns mate lol.

Tell me about it mate!!! I'm starting to think I'm not cynical enough!hahaha

I understand people saying I should shoot this and give it a run, but I'm inclined to agree with zimmer. I've owned enough bad rifles now to know that it's just not worth the money, my time (young family) and the mental stress. From the outside it looks great and the action is in really good nick so it really is a question of whether I head down the disputes path again, or just tick this one up again the the old learning curve.

The cost of the rifle wasn't huge at all - $600 plus postage and I felt it was a good enough deal for a sporterised mauser and I was looking forward to having an 8x57 in the cupboard and take it out, but now it's just going to end up staying in the gun cabinet until I can afford to rebarrel it. As above, I'm just friggin glad I hadn't quite got round to doing an order for dies and projectiles.

Another thing that has annoyed me about this process was the complete dealing from start to finish with this guy. It took 17 days to get the rifle and I had to chase him up in the end because of the 2 times he had said it's in the post it wasn't. And still to the very end he was bullshiting about it. And to top it of - he said he only gives refunds on rifles if they're not in the condition they're in yet he's not prepared to come to some sort of arrangment. Typical of this guy.

He is a small business owner and I want to name and shame but not sure how that would go down here? I know some will say do it, others will be like - is it worth it? I'm on the fence but at the same time would hate anyone else to be ripped by this guy.

Originally Posted by sneeze

This was an 85 sako 243 about a year old. A local guy tried to sell me as in top condition. It shot ok for a couple of groups then not so. You would need a 16oz bottle of boretec eliminator per box of ammo. Pushing a patch through gave a nice sandpaper feel.
Attachment 39770

That is nasty!!!! put it away!!!!

Hey @Grunta, I found your rifle on Trade Mutant. Definitely says "This one is in very good condition with excellent bore" I would be going nuts at him as he seems to be someone in the trade. Also since its's a hunting rifle it's not worth much with a pitted barrel.