Dark bore w/ good rifling or bright bore w/ average rifling

KLRANGL · October 13, 2009, 11:00 PM

So I'm pretty new to this whole milsurp thing. I bought the Mauser, and just picked up a Mosin, and plan on expanding the collection to all the bolt rifles of WWII.

When I was looking at all the Mosins this one dealer had at the last gun show, I noticed they all either hard dark bores with good rifling, or bright bores with average rifling. I couldn't really decide which one was better, and being a Mosin I didn't really care all that much about accuracy, so I just went with the bright bore. What's the general consensus on bore condition, and is there anything else I should really look for?

mp25ds4 · October 13, 2009, 11:07 PM

i would go with the bright bore, i personally dont know which is better

the rifleer · October 13, 2009, 11:43 PM

thats the funny thing about them, you really never know until you shoot them. I have heard of some with what look like horrible rifling and lots of pitting that shoot really well, while others look new and cant group at all.

Personally i would go with the shinny one.

jsmaye · October 14, 2009, 07:40 AM

Muzzle condition counts, too. Good barrel + good rifling + bad crown = inconsistent POI.

To address the original question, I'd rather have good rifling than a shiny bore.

KLRANGL · October 14, 2009, 11:48 AM

Yeah, I should have mentioned that I did check first for good crown.

Quote:

I'd rather have good rifling than a shiny bore.

Any reasoning behind that, or just personal preference?

jsmaye · October 14, 2009, 03:06 PM

My answer above made it sound like I'd rather have good rifling and and dark bore. More precisely, I'd rather the rifling be good and the bore be dark than have a shiny bore and bad rifling.

Mainly it's just a gut feeling, but imho shiny versus dark bore (not pitted, though) will have no effect on the accuracy of the shot. Rifling does.

Old Grump · October 14, 2009, 03:27 PM

Rifling first, bore can be cleaned if its dirty. Proof is in the pudding, how does it shoot. Made the mistake of buying a .17 cleaning brush and rod and cleaned my Gamo Air Rifle. Accuracy went right out the window and after several hundred shots is just now beginning to get its old accuracy back. Lesson learned. Shiny barrels look nice and are proof of good maintenance but not necessarily a good shooter.

October 13, 2009, 11:00 PM	#1
KLRANGL Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 958	Dark bore w/ good rifling or bright bore w/ average rifling So I'm pretty new to this whole milsurp thing. I bought the Mauser, and just picked up a Mosin, and plan on expanding the collection to all the bolt rifles of WWII. When I was looking at all the Mosins this one dealer had at the last gun show, I noticed they all either hard dark bores with good rifling, or bright bores with average rifling. I couldn't really decide which one was better, and being a Mosin I didn't really care all that much about accuracy, so I just went with the bright bore. What's the general consensus on bore condition, and is there anything else I should really look for? __________________ And it's Killer Angel... as in the book

October 13, 2009, 11:07 PM	#2
mp25ds4 Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2009 Posts: 392	i would go with the bright bore, i personally dont know which is better __________________ Liberal Newscaster Katie Couric, while interviewing a Marine sniper, asked: 'What do you feel.....when you shoot a Terrorist?' The Marine shrugged and replied, "A Slight Recoil."

October 14, 2009, 07:40 AM	#4
jsmaye Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Location: Amarillo, Tx Posts: 616	Muzzle condition counts, too. Good barrel + good rifling + bad crown = inconsistent POI. To address the original question, I'd rather have good rifling than a shiny bore. __________________ No matter how big and tough you are, when a two-year-old hands you a toy phone you'll answer it.

October 14, 2009, 03:06 PM	#6
jsmaye Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Location: Amarillo, Tx Posts: 616	My answer above made it sound like I'd rather have good rifling and and dark bore. More precisely, I'd rather the rifling be good and the bore be dark than have a shiny bore and bad rifling. Mainly it's just a gut feeling, but imho shiny versus dark bore (not pitted, though) will have no effect on the accuracy of the shot. Rifling does. __________________ No matter how big and tough you are, when a two-year-old hands you a toy phone you'll answer it.

October 14, 2009, 03:27 PM	#7
Old Grump Member in memoriam Join Date: April 9, 2009 Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in Posts: 3,144	Rifling first, bore can be cleaned if its dirty. Proof is in the pudding, how does it shoot. Made the mistake of buying a .17 cleaning brush and rod and cleaned my Gamo Air Rifle. Accuracy went right out the window and after several hundred shots is just now beginning to get its old accuracy back. Lesson learned. Shiny barrels look nice and are proof of good maintenance but not necessarily a good shooter. __________________ Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. --Daniel Webster--

October 13, 2009, 11:43 PM	#3
the rifleer Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2008 Location: Sunny California Posts: 1,281	thats the funny thing about them, you really never know until you shoot them. I have heard of some with what look like horrible rifling and lots of pitting that shoot really well, while others look new and cant group at all. Personally i would go with the shinny one.