Evaluating Bore condition: What terms used?

mikenH956xA

Greetings,

I've noticed in some seller's auctions the following terms used to describe the condition of the bore of rifles they are selling:

Bright
Dark
Frosted

As well as some comments about condition of lands/grooves, whether there is pitting, etc. What do these terms mean, and what other terms are used to describe the condition of a rifle bore?

Thanks,
Mike

sandwarrior

mikenH956xA,

The three terms you are seeing is:

Bright - meaning the bore cleaned up well and you can then evaluate the rifling. Hopefully "strong" rifling will accompany this statement. Meaning the rifling has not been worn down by firing the rifle too much.

Dark-Meaning the bore didn't clean up so well and there is residual carbon/crud in micro-inclusions in the surface of the bore. The comparison I usually use to differentiate this from "bright" is like driving down a highway or a dark, a dirt road. You can go nice and fast down a highway and a dirt road slows things up. And it can cause some bumps and subsequent spillages. Dark may have strong rifling but the surface of the inside of the barrel may cause accuracy problems.

Frosted is a term you see when a rifle has been fired a lot and there is minute cracking {EDIT: in the material surface} in the first few (or more) inches of the barrel. It gives the appearance of frosted glass. Thus the name. typically you will hear the term "erosion" or "throat erosion" with this. If you were to look at a new rifle and then look at the "frosted" rifle you could see what 'new' lands look like and 'eroded' lands look like. New will have a sharp little tab facing you where the land rises in the bore. Eroded lands will start almost smooth at the leading edge and rise up for up to an inch before they get to full height. They are typically rounded as they go back to this point.

Pitting means there is a pothole in your barrel. You can get around it but it will likely affect accuracy.

jonk

I'd take exception to the frosted description. I take it to be very light pitting that does not impede light shining down the bore, and can be cleaned, but no longer nice and smooth. So in order: Bright and shiny, frosted, dark, and pitted.

Even a pitted bore sometimes shoots well. You just don't know. It's generally caused by corrosive primers in old milsurps.

gotstolefrom

It is a distinction the seller is making. If frosted was described and I got throat erosion I would not be thrilled. But, as jonk added, a not so great bore can deliver decent groups.

My favorite is "Should clean up just fine"....well, if so, why didn't you DO IT, then show a good bore for a better price ?