527 Barrel etched

Lenard · #1 02-10-2016, 05:12 PM

Sometime ago, I posted on a 223 Varmint weight barrel that my friend bought from me. After scoping the barrel, he told me it was full of pits.
So, when he rebarreled the gun, he saved the barrel for me. Now mind you this barrel would shoot 1/4" groups for 4 shots and throw the fifth one. So, it was quite accurate.

A couple days ago,I received a Lyman borescope and this morning I spent some time looking at the bore. It looked so bad, I gave it a thorogh scrubbing with a brush and then run a couple patches thru it.

I bought this gun from a guy who claimed it had not been shot. I seriously doubted him but the price was right.

Now to how the barrel looks. It has massive etching that is not only in the grooves but also the lands It is, something that must have been done using a powerful compoind, as the barrel is full of the etches, not completely but likely covers 40%.

What I am wondering, is what was used to remove the grease from the bore and left in too long. I have inspected my other carbon steel barrels and find nothing like this. Frankly it is a miracle the gun shot as well as it did. I am open to ideas of what happened. I doubt seriously that etching/pitting was caused by moisture.

MTyotehunter · #2 02-10-2016, 05:21 PM

I bet it was to strong of a bore cleaner that was left in the barrel to long...
There have been some bad bore cleaners sold through the years, if you dont know what your using is safe be sure to run some light oil followed by a dry patch when your done.

Chuck Miller · #3 02-10-2016, 05:45 PM

You hear on the internet about ammonia based cleaners that if left in the barrel too long will etch the bore. I've left Sweets in a couple of barrels for a week, ok...I forgot. Borescoping them showed no difference, these were chrome moly barrels, one a Shilen the other a Green Mountain, both were new and not chambered.

Lenard · #4 02-10-2016, 06:02 PM

I have used sweets before WipeOut came on the market. I always oil my barrels after cleaning and have not had an incident of etching before on any of my rifles. Something very strong must have been used on the 527 barrel. Thanks guys.

trotterlg · #5 02-10-2016, 06:48 PM

One time I had a takeoff CZ barrel that I had turned down and threaded for some project or another. It was blued but after the machine work I sanded it down on the lathe and sand blasted it to put it in the parkerizing tank. After the try at parkerizing it had very deep etch lines in the exterior of the barrel. I sanded it and tried once more with the same results. I sort of layed it off the either the steel or due to being hammer formed or something in the process of making it. Never did get a proper finish on it. Larry

Lenard · #6 02-10-2016, 07:01 PM

Larry, you may be onto something. My friend told me when his smith showed him the barrel, he said there was a piece of lands missing. I had completely forgotten about that. I will look to see if I can find that area of the barrel. That adds another bit of fuel to the fire.

trotterlg · #7 02-10-2016, 08:46 PM

Now as I recall it was a new takeoff barrel from James Calhoon which he has from time to time, I used it on a 581 hornet conversion. Barrel shot well, it just etched when I tried to parkerize it.

GLWenzl · #8 02-11-2016, 02:28 AM

I've seen some very light etching on a CZ 204 Ruger. I'm 99% sure it wasn't from solvent. I was wondering at that time if it was from using the older Data 2200 powder?

Edit: I should have stated that it was a 204R that I chopped off and made a 20 HS (20-221 Imp)

Lenard · #9 02-11-2016, 03:42 AM

It is the one powder that I have shot in that barrel from the get go. What made you think that? The idea never entered my mind. Nothing like being old and the mind slowing down.

I had a Sako with a Douglas barrel in 223 that I bought in the mid 90's. Here around 2010, the accuracy started dropping off. I also had a mini Mauser in 223 that lost its accuracy. I took them to a gunsmith and viewed the barrels enough to realize they were etched with the Sako having fire cracking. I knew the gun was shot considerably before I bought it. The mini Mauser had etching and I blamed that on an old shooting partner who I loaned the gun to in prior years. Anyway, they were both carbon steel barrels. I ordered a couple of PacNor barrels and had Bob Green fit and chamber them w/ stainless barrels. The new guns a 20 TAC and 223. Both have been shot quite a bit with 2200 powder with no signs of etching. So, I am guessing the stainless doesn't seem to etch as easily as they are both smooth as silk.

Thanks, your idea got me to thinking and I would bet you are correct.

GLWenzl · #10 02-11-2016, 08:35 AM

Well I can't be 100% sure but I have read that the data 2200 surplus powder is more corrosive than other powders. That barrel is the only one that I used the Data 2200 in and then one time after shooting PDs I didn't clean any of the rifles right away. But after I got home a day or so later I cleaned them all. it was sometime after this I look down the barrel with a light and noticed light etching, the first and only time I had noticed it.