I'm looking for a bore scope.

[Rooster]

Can anyone give me some idea of an inexpensive one? Are those that hook to the smart phones legit? Any helpful hints or kinks in its operation?

I did a search but I can't even find the glasses on my head sometimes.

[DougGuy]

I got one of the $15 USB ones from fleabay, it does okay, rather crappy pics and resolution but hey $15 for something that will go into less than a 1/4" hole and show me what it looks like in there? I'm all about that! I never hooked mine to the phone, it has a larger computer size USB cable and you have to load their drivers even in WindowsKnowItAll10 for it to work and the drivers are pretty cheesy. Again, $15 bucks, you gets what you pays for..

It looks straight ahead and has enough peripheral vision to -sorta- give a side view, but I bet you could rig a mirror in front of the lens and have a pretty good side view. It won't focus up real close but it will go closer than most cameras that cost 10x as much.

[M-Tecs]

I've read good things about the lyman but I don't know how the really inexpensive ebay ones compare.

[Rooster]

Yeah, cry once I guess. Thanks guys!

[gunoil]

look at harborfreight

[GhostHawk]

I also have one of the 14$ ones from evilbay and it does well enough that I am happy with it.

They do seem to be light sensitive, but a little fiddling with the light brightness can often give you a pretty good look.

Right off the bat with mine I noticed lead stalactites hanging from a 90 degree sharp shoulder where other rifles have a lead. 5 minutes with a drill, a hardwood dowel and a piece of steel wool put a nice chamfer on that. And incidentally solved some chambering problems with longer bullets.

Far as I am concerned just showing that one problem it paid for itself.

But now every new rifle gets a close look before I do anything else.

Mine btw is 6mm head and 6 meter cord. So works fine for all the .30 caliber rifles and up.
You can also see exactly how close a given bullet is to the rifling. Handy tool, I won't be without one again.

[leadman]

I seem to have bad luck with the cheap ones from E-bay and Amazon, mostly with the software. A couple I bought had dead links for the software and when I asked for software from the sellers it came with viruses. Another came with a mini disk that would not give up its contents.
There are some 5mm cameras that also have attachments like an angled mirror, magnet, hook. The only camera I got that worked was supposed to have this stuff but came without it and the sellers refused to send me any so I returned it for a refund.
They are making them now with a usb plug that works for a phone or a computer.

[abunaitoo]

I've also been looking to got one.
So many out there, who knows what is good or not so good.
I'd like to find on that is stand alone. I don't have an Iphone.
Will work in a .22 barrel.
Flexible not rigid.
At least three feet long.
Any suggestions???

[Sasquatch-1]

I bought this one back in 2014. Works very well (after I figured out how to turn the light up). It has the large USB connection. If I had a smart phone I would not hesitate to order one considering how cheap they are. Only caution is make sure the head is small enough for the application you want. I am not sure, but I think the majority of the cheap ones might be too big for a 22 cal.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AF1UMJ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Clay M]

I may try the Lyman. Amazon has a good return policy if it doesn't work to specifications.
It is also cheaper on Amazon than Midway, as are many things.

[Idz]

The cheap ones have resolution and focus difficulties ( on my old WinXP the software worked ok). I could see something in the bore but could not discern what it was. The Lyman has vastly better resolution and focus and is smaller so it fits .22 bores. The cheap ones will tell you there is a problem, the Lyman tells you what the problem is.

[M-Tecs]

$217.49 with free shipping and 10% of for the 4th. http://www.opticsplanet.com/lyman-borecam-digital-borescope-with-monitor-04055l.html

Just ordered one. I have a Hawkeye but if is this works well I will sell my Hawkeye. I want the video capability.

[TXGunNut]

I have a Lyman, like it very much. Actually works a bit too well; some bores that look pretty rough actually shoot OK. Only thing I don't like is the 20" length.