Possible ring in barrel?

[Boston123]

So, I was looking down the barrel of my smoothbore trade gun with my eye and a flashlight (to look for rust), when I noticed a "ring" most of the way down the barrel, down by the breechplug. This ring moved when I moved my head or the flashlight, and disappeared when viewed from a slightly different angle.

I don't have a boresight (will look for one tomorrow), so I followed the directions of this post

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...if-i-have-a-ringed-barrel.114997/post-1571464
and ran a snug oiled patch down the barrel via a jag. I went nice and slow, and never noticed any difference in the amount of force needed to move the patched jag, either down the barrel or back out.

My bore is nice and clean, essentially a mirror-finish. Bright and shiny all the way down.

If I am not running into resistance or a lack-of-resistance when pushing/pulling a snug patch down the barrel, what could this be? Just a trick of the light down a shiny bore?

All of my roundballs have been firmly set on top of the powder charge: the ball slides down the barrel on its own (.600 in a .62 barrel), and I firmly compress a wadded-up ball of unspun hemp on top of the ball to make sure it is in place, and give the entire thing a few good pumps with the ramrod just to be sure. I am also not walking around with the gun pointed muzzle-down: just loading, stepping to the firing spot at the line and shooting. The last time I was at the range, I did have a failure to fire, but the gun just didn't go off at all. I was able to pull the wad and the ball just rolled out when the barrel was tipped.

Maybe I am overthinking things

 

[jcs266]

Perhaps a slight crud ring is all i can think of.

 

[Boston123]

Perhaps a slight crud ring is all i can think of.

According to the other thread, I should notice the patch getting "stuck" if it encounters a crud-ring. The oiled patches I sent down the barrel never hung up or got stuck. When I load at the range, I never have any problems, but, then again, I don't patch my roundballs.

I looked at it again, and noticed that if I changed how I held the barrel, my head and the flashlight, I could actually see more than one of these "rings", and watch them move up and down the bore as I changed the angle I was was viewing from. It really just looks like a trick of the light shining down the bore. I examined the outside of the barrel just for kicks, both by eye and by running a flat level all across the barrel to see if there were any bulges, and couldn't notice anything.

I'll look for a borescope tomorrow.

 

[jcs266]

Perhaps its just optics then - especially if you now see more than one. Looking down a long tube like that its difficult to accurately "see".

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Fingers are very sensitive and can feel a .001 difference in surface elevation imperfection (slight bulge) run your fingers down the barrel, if it's bulged you'll feel it.

 

[Boston123]

I have a habit of "overthinking" possible issues with my muzzleloader, since I have no one (asides from this forum) to turn to for basic questions. I can't hand the gun to an old salt and ask "does this look alright"?

 

[Woody Morgan]

Fingers are very sensitive and can feel a .001 difference in surface elevation imperfection (slight bulge) run your fingers down the barrel, if it's bulged you'll feel it.

If his fingers are that long I can imagine how popular he is with the ladies...oh.....the outside of the barrel. Sorry.

wm

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

hmmm, clarity of thought does not transfer to the fingers..........

assumed

 

[Treestalker]

If his fingers are that long I can imagine how popular he is with the ladies...oh.....the outside of the barrel. Sorry.

wm

You Dirty little boy! LOL!

 

[painter]

I have a habit of "overthinking" possible issues with my muzzleloader, since I have no one (asides from this forum) to turn to for basic questions. I can't hand the gun to an old salt and ask "does this look alright"?

Those rings are normal. If you look down the interior of a straight polished unmentionable tube you'll see the same thing.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I saw the same thing in my Gustomsky trade gun, turned out to be a reflection from the outer edge of the breech plug.

 

[muzzlecap]

Depending on how I hold any of my double barrels up to a light when looking down the bores, I can see or visualize rings.

 

[oldwood]

UH-OH........bad woody !! Any way, A bulged barrel will feel like a loose spot when the test ramrod is inserted , while a dinged barrel will feel like a tight spot when the test rod is inserted. Been there , seen that.

 

[oldwood]

OOPS , forgot the other possible "ring" in a double barrel shotgun. This has no bearing on a single barrel problem. Ya can check the condition of the soldering job on a SBS if you , # 1. Take the barrels out of the stock. , Suspend them so there not touching anything to dampen sound. #2. Tap on the barrels very gently w/metal object , and see if the set of barrels ring like a bell. If the sound emitted is a thud, the solder job connecting the barrels might be compromised. ( Read this in an old gunsmith manual 40+ years ago.)...oldwood

 

[Woody Morgan]

UH-OH........bad woody !! Any way, A bulged barrel will feel like a loose spot when the test ramrod is inserted , while a dinged barrel will feel like a tight spot when the test rod is inserted. Been there , seen that.

Henh. Henh. He said "bad woody". Henh.

 

[Zonie]

I agree with those that say it's an optical illusion.

 

[chix2111]

If you want to really see what's in there take a look at the "Teslong Professional Borescope". You will be amazed at the price, and when you get it you will be amazed what you can see in all of your bores, clear down to .22.

 

[chix2111]

I looked it up....$45.99!

 

[Master Blaster]

Snap gauge set from Harbor freight less than $20. Useful for other stuff, too. Make sure the set includes one small enough to fit your bore. Slip the handle into a length of vinyl tubing to run the gauge down the bore.

 

[chix2111]

Example of a Winchester .22 bore that I was saved from buying!