This is mostly intended for Folks not on the ML Forum.
I doubt many riflemen would happily sell a deadly Accurate rifle.
Reasons for selling a rifle:
Have a more accurate rifle
Cannot get accuracy out of this rifle
Reasons for no Accuracy:
Ignorance of any idea what is required to produce any good performance
Barrel ruined because of ignorance
Barrel ruined by carelessness
Bulged barrel caused by not seating a patched ball before firing
Fastest way to ruin a barrel?
See line above.
What is a slower way to ruin a barrel?
Not cleaning at the end of any firing and letting corrosion prosper.
What is the usual reason for selling a rifle?
Can't get any accuracy for the above variety of reasons.
And there you are. "Boy, I have gotten a great deal on a Whizzer Bang Bang .50 Super Deer Killer hunting Rifle. made by an unknown gunsmith.
HOW TO PREVENT JOINING THE PARADE OF FOLKS TRY TO ACHIEVE ACCURACY OUT OF THIS GREAT DEAL.
All a rifle is is the barrel. Nothing more. Nothing less
All the rest is just an apparatus to make it fire and to hold itsteady while aiming.
Pretty appearance is nice and frequently inspiring but is most appreciated about wall hangers.
A good unbelted barrel is about al you need. It can handle a surprising amount of pitting from old uncorrected corrosion created by the prior owner. It CANNOT handle a bulged barrel. There is seldom any sign of the bulge on the outside of the barrel so how do we check the inside of the barrel?
Place a couple of patches on the Jag end of the ramrod or thick enough to keep the patched ramrod sliding effortlesslydown the length of the barrel.. Preferably it will slowly slide down the length of the bore with just the weight of your arm.
Observe closely. Does it slide down at the same even speed the entire length OR at one point speeds up fore 2 or more inches and then slows down again?No speedup you might very well have a good barrel. if it does speed up you may have the greater part of a crowbar. It will never shoot accurately. Don't buy that rifle. If the person selling won't allow this test just walk away. He knows what's wrong and doesn't want the buyer to find out. He is a thief. Never buy anything from him.
I have had too many people come to me with a "Great deals" that urn very sour when the hidden bulge is discovered. Wonderful as you are you can't work around this. If you can please let me know how you did it.
Having been married I assume everything that goes wrong is my fault..
I wanted to warn members of the congregation about one BIG risk in buying a used rifle and a test to make sure you don't buy a damaged one.
I mediately get a load of responses giving me a large number of reasons fo selling a rifle. I never sold one. It would be like selling Old Red the family dog.I always gave mine away.I even got a post saying you could still get accuracy out of a bulged barrel/
I know you people can read or you would be troubled fo walking into the Ladies room.
Why do I mislead folks in the wrong direction?
I had just wanted to show hem a simple method of buying a gun with a ruined barrel and one would think Ihad come out against barrels or the act of selling. Does anyone know what the simple test actually is o does the Hindenburg Disaster somehow get in there and confuse things..
I have thought I was reasonably clear buI apparently am not.
My apology to one and all.I can't read what I write (Makes you jealous/) I have my computer read my posts and yours and everything seems clear and then the responses come inland I begin to doubt my ability.
If I write that it is not a good practice to tie the laces of shoe number one to the laces of shoe number two I will get a post saying I am against Shoes
or waling or exercise or Why the Hinderburg crashed.
If you read, please try to decipher the hidden message cleverly hidden right up front.
It has to be my fault and I apologize to all who I have misled,
Dutch