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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Double Rifles

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bonanza
.400 member


Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
Bad bores
      #68973 - 07/01/07 03:04 AM

What is so bad about bad bores other that affecting the value? I have a double that has pretty ugly bores but shoots great.

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DUGABOY1
.400 member


Reged: 02/02/03
Posts: 1340
Loc: TEXAS USA
Re: Bad bores [Re: bonanza]
      #68999 - 07/01/07 10:06 AM

Bonanza, many rifles with worn , or burned bores are good shooters. The reason they effect value so much is, the life of those barrels are almost used up. When you consider a double rifle with a burned bore, that is already 100 yrs old, still shooting well, but if the bore was brite, and sharp, it would shoot well for another 100 yrs. It will not if the the barrels are on their last legs, and the cost to re-barrel a double is quite expensive. The re-barreling of a double rifle also advercely effects the value, though it may actually be a better shooter than it was when new.

--------------------
..........Mac >>>===(x)===>
DUGABOY1, and MacD37 founding member of DRSS www.doublerifleshooterssociety.com
"If I die today, I have had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"


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bonanza
.400 member


Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
Re: Bad bores [Re: DUGABOY1]
      #69220 - 10/01/07 11:40 AM

Dugaboy,

Thanks for the reply. Your points are well taken. I new it affected the value, but I'm not so sure about the longevity. Considering that the single most important attribute of a well functioning double is that it regulates, then the life of a rifle is measured in inches, not years. For all practical purpose, a double rifle that shoots <= 3” at 50 yards is effective despite the condition of the bores. And, if it shoots well after several hundred rounds, the accuracy will deteriorate gradually and should last a life time of safaris.

My personal experience is that steel barrels last a very long time. I have seen AR-15 with 16,000+ rounds shot. I think that today's bullets do an excellent job of gripping even the scantliest riflings.

So if someone out there is in need of dumping (sell real cheap) a double (H&H or Purdey) with bad bores – PM me!

--------------------


"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.

"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."

"Yo! Mr. White"


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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3595
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: Bad bores [Re: bonanza]
      #69222 - 10/01/07 01:55 PM

All true, but an additional consideration with black powder express rifles is that a rough bore with what might be called a 'salt'n'pepper' appearance will often improve considerably with the passage of a couple hundred jacketed bullets in 'N for B' loads.

I have 2 express doubles that had rough bores at acquisition, but were nevertheless accurate and well-regulated. The bores improved from what looked like 40% - 50% bore condition to about 80% shiny with some determined shooting! I should add that accuracy and regulation were unaffected during this 'improvement'.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au


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Bill_Cooley
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Reged: 14/12/06
Posts: 197
Loc: Fort Worth, Texas
Re: Bad bores [Re: bonanza]
      #69954 - 22/01/07 03:30 PM

Quote:

What is so bad about bad bores other that affecting the value? I have a double that has pretty ugly bores but shoots great.




The problem is most people will make there judgment with out shooting the gun. Ugly bores will affect the “collector value” Unless it is a extremely scarce rifle. I would never write off a rifle just because it had bad bores. True it might not handle cast bullets but it may handle jacketed ones just fine. I have seen them re bored to a bigger caliber. We had a double in, I don’t rember what make right now, that was originally in 303 but had no evidence of rifling left and wouldn’t stay on a 50 yard pistol target consistently. We had it re bored to 375 flanged and it shot great.
Bill


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Bwanaclark
.224 member


Reged: 20/05/06
Posts: 24
Re: Bad bores [Re: Bill_Cooley]
      #70884 - 06/02/07 11:08 AM

Quote:

I would never write off a rifle just because it had bad bores.




I agree, and I'll admit I don't seem to be able to read barrels by looking thru them. I've had rifles with new looking barrels that shot terribly, one where the bullets key-holed, and I've owned very accurate rifles with pitted bores (one that I sold out of prejudice against the bore that I'd very much like to have back).

My double rifle is a holland .465 with fairly even pitting in the grooves the full length of the barrels but it shoots extremely well. The rifling is strong tho, even at the throats, and engraves bullets nicely. The right barrel looks the worst, but in terms of individual barrel groups, consistently shoots a little better than the left. Composite groups are very good.

So I used to think I knew what a 'bad bore' was, but now I know that I don't.


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bonanza
.400 member


Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
Re: Bad bores [Re: Bwanaclark]
      #70896 - 06/02/07 02:24 PM

Gents,

Thanks for the feedback. I do believe that bore condition is over-rated and overall condition is under-rated. This particular Hollis shoots an average 2.33" composit group for 50 and 100 yards.

--------------------


"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.

"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."

"Yo! Mr. White"


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BigFiveJack
.333 member


Reged: 25/12/05
Posts: 256
Loc: Half hour North of Tampa Bay F...
Re: Bad bores [Re: bonanza]
      #71256 - 12/02/07 12:41 AM

I think that size group is quite desirable!

--------------------
Cordially,
Jack

NRA Endowment Member
DRSS Member


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