Bulged barrel in 22lr

[Zhillsauditor]

I purchased a stevens crackshot recently, took it home and ran a patch through it and found it had three bulges in it. Now that I know there there, you can see them from the outside in the right light when looking down the sights.

I foolishly shot it yesterday anyway, with standard velocity LRN, and it was pretty darn accurate. The bulges are all toward the muzzle end, and one is fairly close to the muzzle (two inches?). However, cutting and recowning the barrel would not leave enough barrel.

I was thinking of getting the barrel relined. Would a barrel reline be sufficient to prevent a barrel failure, or is a new barrel called for? The rifle is only rated for standard velocity 22 already.

Thanks,
Brian

[PetahW]

I foolishly shot it yesterday anyway, with standard velocity LRN, and it was pretty darn accurate.

I was thinking of getting the barrel relined.




WHY ? :confused::confused::confused::confused: The bulges evidently have no effect on accuracy, and I would seriously doubt they make the rifle unsafe to use.

However, if they bother YOU, then (since it's your rifle) by all means go to it.


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[Sport45]

Now that I know there there, you can see them from the outside in the right light when looking down the sights.



Relining the barrel won't help that. You'll still know they're there and see them every time you pick it up.

Just shoot the thing.

[Jim Watson]

Agree with PetahW.
It is not going to blow up just because the barrel is ringed.
If it is adequately accurate, save your money.

I don't know if there is anybody offering the service now but there used to be a shop that would roll the bulges out and reline the bore for a pristine appearance. It wasn't cheap enough to do to an inexpensive single shot.

[wachtelhund1]

An option would be relined to .17 Mach II. These liners are sold by Brownell's and are epoxied in, then chambered. My gunsmith did a Marlin 25 for me for $65.00.

[Pahoo]

It's like having a beautiful girlfriend that has a wart on her nose. She may be beautiful but that wart is still there .... :rolleyes:

These are called barrel rings and I've been bit twice on these. Both times, I bought "in-heat" and it backfired. Both rifles were .22LR and the one I have left, is a tack driver. I have a sample target and if I ever sell it, the buyer will know what he has and the target will prove how accurate it is. They are safe to shoot. I do have room to cut the barrel but for now, will just enjoy it as is. .... ;)

As you noted, you can spot these rings, from the outside, by looking down the barrel. Sometimes, feel them by sliding your your fingers up and down the barrel. Whenever I check a rifle, I look down the barrel as well as the bore .. ;)

Enjoy and;
Be Safe !!!

[Zhillsauditor]

An option would be relined to .17 Mach II. These liners are sold by Brownell's and are epoxied in, then chambered. I'd like that, but the rifle is marked for standard velocity only from the factory, 70 years ago. Even without the barrel bulges, I'd not trust it with 17m2.

[Sevens]

Got a buddy that has a Ruger Mark I, likely from the very early 1980s. It's got a ringed barrel. You can't "see" it when looking at the pistol, but you can easily feel it when you have a patch in the bore to swab it.

Doesn't affect accuracy whatsoever. Certainly doesn't affect safety. We know it's there, but that's the sum total of it.

[solocam72]

What would likely have been the initial cause for the bulges? I have personally never seen this? I had a really old winchester single shot .22 (don't remember the model?) It had a bad spot in the barrel that you could feel when you ran a patch thru it, it looked to me like maybe rust/water damage? I didn't keep the gun so have no idea if it shot well or not? It went to a an ole boy that had the exact same rifle as a kid, I told him and showed him the bad spot so he was totally aware of it, he didn't plan to use it, he wanted it for the trip down memory lane keepsake.

[Sevens]

The bulge in a barrel is almost always cause by something that was blocking the barrel when a round was discharge behind it. Typically, it's a stuck bullet.

The bulge is really the result of a long column of air being forcibly squeezed in to a VERY small space as the moving (just fired) bullet swiftly approaches the one that is stuck. Both often exit and the ring is left behind.

[PetahW]

Why if, a shot "sounds funny" (not normal, even if only a little), it's REALLY a good idea to stop firing & check the bore before resuming fire.



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