NorthCoastBigBore
08-05-2018, 03:06 PM
Not uncommon to see people concerned about their heavily pitted bore and see the questions popping up again recently. So I figured I'd share one of my experiences in this regard. It isn't the only example, either I've had an early Marlin 1894 in 44WCF with a bore so bad I couldn't even see the rifling that ended up shooting like a house on fire; some others too some worked out, some didn't.
Anyway, I've had my '86 (1889 DOM) for about 20 years now and didn't shoot it much for the first many years, because the bore looked like a sewer pipe - and before the internet made it's way to my neck of the woods (ya I'm a hick) finding 45/90 brass was a real challenge. 45/70 will chamber but the leap in the chamber is not helping the fight for accuracy. In particular, I had always shot the same bullet I was mostly using for 45/70 (well until recently anyway, have a much better selection of molds now) - that being the venerable 405 grain LFN. And I always had keyhole problems with this Winnie, so I was resigned to rebarrelling or having it rebored.
Now, I always knew that these early Winnie '86's (in 45/90) had a slow twist - 1:32 - and that 300 grain bullets (45-90-300; "Express") were recommended for best accuracy. But until a few years ago, I hadn't actually tried a 300 grainer.
Sooo about two years ago I finally "bit the bullet" and got some 300 grain bullets. Well for Cryin' Out Loud no more keyholing - AND - I could actually start getting GROUPS out of this thing. Right now I'm shooting 315 grain LFN GCs out of it (mild smokeless loads, or blackpowder when I can get it; this isn't a hotrod candidate it's 129 years old). I'm actually getting the best results, believe it or not, sized at .459"
I had it out this morning so thought I'd show what this sewer pipe bore can do at 100 yards, with the standard open sights. I can't wait to eventually get a tang sight on this, because I know I'll be able to improve this and likely have em all on the pie plate at 100. I literally cannot see that target at 100 yards, and today it was sunny (a rare thing here) so the front sight was obscured and I was pretty much just guessing. The point? don't give up on your barrel just because it's pitted. Cast boolits can be amazing in that regard:
https://i.imgur.com/A7S1ZBy.jpg
For comparison sake, I took this photo a couple years ago when I first figured this out:
https://i.imgur.com/J3x69Tp.png
You can see the difference. And that photo was 50 yards, the 405s were pretty much sideways at 100 (refer to the first photo - those 315 grainers are dead straight at 100 yards).
Of course, a few gratuitous photos of the rifle itself. Purdy on the outside, tight as a drum, but the barrel had me up at night until I figured this out:
https://i.imgur.com/35ErDlg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kjo4Zpq.jpg
Not that I wouldn't still replace or rebore if given the chance, but... I'd have a hard time justifying it at this point.
Happy Shootin'
Anyway, I've had my '86 (1889 DOM) for about 20 years now and didn't shoot it much for the first many years, because the bore looked like a sewer pipe - and before the internet made it's way to my neck of the woods (ya I'm a hick) finding 45/90 brass was a real challenge. 45/70 will chamber but the leap in the chamber is not helping the fight for accuracy. In particular, I had always shot the same bullet I was mostly using for 45/70 (well until recently anyway, have a much better selection of molds now) - that being the venerable 405 grain LFN. And I always had keyhole problems with this Winnie, so I was resigned to rebarrelling or having it rebored.
Now, I always knew that these early Winnie '86's (in 45/90) had a slow twist - 1:32 - and that 300 grain bullets (45-90-300; "Express") were recommended for best accuracy. But until a few years ago, I hadn't actually tried a 300 grainer.
Sooo about two years ago I finally "bit the bullet" and got some 300 grain bullets. Well for Cryin' Out Loud no more keyholing - AND - I could actually start getting GROUPS out of this thing. Right now I'm shooting 315 grain LFN GCs out of it (mild smokeless loads, or blackpowder when I can get it; this isn't a hotrod candidate it's 129 years old). I'm actually getting the best results, believe it or not, sized at .459"
I had it out this morning so thought I'd show what this sewer pipe bore can do at 100 yards, with the standard open sights. I can't wait to eventually get a tang sight on this, because I know I'll be able to improve this and likely have em all on the pie plate at 100. I literally cannot see that target at 100 yards, and today it was sunny (a rare thing here) so the front sight was obscured and I was pretty much just guessing. The point? don't give up on your barrel just because it's pitted. Cast boolits can be amazing in that regard:
https://i.imgur.com/A7S1ZBy.jpg
For comparison sake, I took this photo a couple years ago when I first figured this out:
https://i.imgur.com/J3x69Tp.png
You can see the difference. And that photo was 50 yards, the 405s were pretty much sideways at 100 (refer to the first photo - those 315 grainers are dead straight at 100 yards).
Of course, a few gratuitous photos of the rifle itself. Purdy on the outside, tight as a drum, but the barrel had me up at night until I figured this out:
https://i.imgur.com/35ErDlg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kjo4Zpq.jpg
Not that I wouldn't still replace or rebore if given the chance, but... I'd have a hard time justifying it at this point.
Happy Shootin'