Shot out barrel

[TexiKan]

Back in the ooooold days, I could recall hearing the phrase, "My barrel is shot out!" and it was used to blame more poor shots than ever! I haven't heard anyone proclaim "shot out barrels" for some time and I am sure that has something to do with better barrel materials, etc.

So, exactly what is the criteria for a bone-fide "shot out barrel?" And which manufacturers are considered the first to make barrels not likely to deteriorate? Can a Large barrel be considered "shot out?" or is that too late because of the better material. Does anybody truly have a "shot out" barrel in their possession?

TexiKan
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If you continue to do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got!

 

[horkeye]

Does anybody truly have a "shot out" barrel in their possession?

Yes, I have one from the first firearm I purchased back in 1995; a DP .50 Frontier percussion.

The story that goes with it is too long to post here (again), but briefly:
1 - The firearm shot very well for approx 5 years & approx 4,000 rounds (I have details at home).
2 - Firearm started going-off; I was astounded!!! Was it me??? I tried various new combinations of powder, patch, lube and ball size all to no avail.
3 - I eventually sent rifle to my gunsmith who immediately asked why I wanted to replace a good barrel; I insisted there was something wrong, and upon further inspection advised that he could see a very minor prob with it, and that lapping would fix it, which he did.
4 - I tried the rifle when I got it back; very minor improvement.
5 - Sent rifle back; new GM .50 barrel fitted.
6 - Got rifle back: Unbelievable accuracy!!!!! have set Club records with it, and have won the Class 2 Championship (PRB) for the last 3 years (hope to make it 4 in a row this year).
Yes they do exist, and I have one to prove it!
:m2c:
:redthumb:

 

[Slamfire]

My Granddad had an old Remington pump action .32-20 that he used for varmints too big for his .22. I'd seen my Dad and Uncle make some pretty amazin' shots with it. When Granddad died, I took it to the local smith and had him mount a cheap scope on it. I couldn't hit doodly with it. I got a good light and examined the bore, it had very little rifling and some big patches of rust flakin' off. I guess you could say it was shot out, more likely somebody used some corrosive primers in it and didn't do a proper cleaning. :cry: It made them amazin' shots even more amazin' though. :master:

 

[Tahquamenon]

I've got a second hand CVA 54 cal with a barrel that is on it's way out.

The guy I bought it from said he put at least 3000 rounds through it.

I would also say that his maintenance procedures were less than ideal as the barrel was rusty and pitted when I bought it.
I cleaned and lapped the barrel and it still shoots pretty decent. Good enough for hunting.

I've put at least 1500 rounds through it, beat the manure out of it through rough use and it's still fairly accurate, but grouping is starting to open up a bit.

So although it not "shot out" it is on it's way to becoming wall furniture.

 

[musketman]

Back in days of old, when a barrel was shot out it was drilled and rifled to the next larger caliber that the barrel's walls would allow...

This would make use of the existing hardware and keep the gun in service for a much longer time...

:imo: This is why there were thick barrels with small calibers, the gunsmith was allowing ample room for future refreshening of the barrel...

 

[TexiKan]

Interesting. Now the challenge is to determine if the loss of accuracy is barrel or human error........

Unlike autos, with an odometer, a "shot out" gun could be sold and the new owner wouldn't know!

I have heard of the reboring of the barrel when it was determined it wasn't shooting accurately as a result of wear.

Dang. Now I will be wondering about my gun!

TexiKan
---------------
If you continue to do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always got!

 

[PaulN/KS]

Hey Texikan,
After reading your tavern posts maybe the shooter has had too many "shots",not the barrel.... ::

 

[MikeChapin]

I've had two guns that behaved as if they were "shot out". On examination both guns, a .36 Sharon bbl and a .50 CVA Mountain Rifle, did not look bad. I could not replace the Sharon and really did not want to replace the CVA barrel if I didn't have to. Both barrels had good rifling as far as I could tell. But both had been shot heavily for about five years and accuracy had deteriorated.

I thought that maybe the problem could be some ramrod wear on the crown. Nothing I could see but I thought recrowning would be easier on the pocketbook than new barrels and I could do it myself. If it didn't work then I could get new barrels.

I ended up taking an eighth of an inch off the end of the barrels and put in a shallow crown. Both rifles came right back. I now use a range rod with a muzzle protecter unless I'm hunting.