When they get shot a lot....

[Ned Christiansen]

Continuing in the vein of "when guns get shot a lot.... really a lot....."

This one's kinda interesting. This barrel is at 10,000-plus AFTER the gouge occurred. Total rounds on this gun, over 150K. This Nowlin barrel was new two years ago and is, I believe, the third on this gun.

[fritztkatt]

Can you explain what happened there or are you asking?

I have some ideas but no real answer and would like to learn.

Is it still spinning the bullets (prior to gouge)?

Is it just the camera playing tricks or is the throat cut slightly off center?

What caused this? Obstruction/debris? Bad ammo?

[Ned Christiansen]

I don't know what caused it nor does the owner. Might have been debris, might even have been something cast into the bullet...?

Gun is actually shooting pretty darned good.

The grooves at 6 and 12:00 do appear to have worn-in differently. They were not that way when the barrel was new. Hain't figured that one out. How the round lays in the chamber....? Grasping at straws.

I meant this thread as a continuation of the below one which would no longer let me post on it.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1023788

[alks207]

If it's shooting good leave it alone. Otherwise you can counterbore or get a new barrel. Thanks for sharing a cool pic though

[Jimi Jah]

Get a better camera.

[Ned Christiansen]

Those down the barrel shots are tough, sometimes they come out surprisingly well, other times..... like this.

[Colt]

Mr. Christiansen, I didn't realize you are a member here...

Thanks for posting. Actually very interesting that even with the gouge, the gun still shoots ok.

I assume a 1911. Older? Newer?

Thanks.

[russ69]

Cleaning rod damage would be my guess. The barrel looks unusually clean almost abraded.

P.S. On second look, could that all be melted lead in the barrel?

[Ned Christiansen]

Colt, it is a 1911, yes.

I don't think it's cleaning rod damage. I think it might be, a bullet got stuck and the right tool was not handy for getting it out, so the wrong tool was used, but A) the owner says that didn't happen, and B) any such stuck bullet drive-out, had it been stuck close to the chamber, would probably have been done from the muzzle and the original burring of this was in a from-the-chamber direction. I think it was a piece of debris in the barrel or even somehow cast into the bullet itself-- that may be my favorite answer.... although the gouge does go in a counter-rifling direction.

The barrel was cleaned with copper pan scrubber (Chore Boy brand) wrapped around a stiff Nylon brush (Iosso). Gets a barrel real clean, real fast. The abraded look is just wear from the high round count. I believe if you just pushed that many bullets through the barrel it would look almost new, but combined it with the powder residue that each bullet carries through the bore, the heat and pressure, and whatever other contaminants are present, that's where the wear comes from, And oh yeah if there's a rogue chunk of steel cast into one of your bullets...!

At any rate this gun is still serving its purpose for this very accomplished shooter.

[TurboChrisB]

Interesting.......I always enjoy your informative posts.......thanks Ned!

[Ned Christiansen]

Thanks.

A pic of Der Scrubenator:

[smoothy8500]

Why did you leave the slide out in the rain?

[Merc1138]

Why did you leave the slide out in the rain?

So the frame sitting to the right of it wouldn't feel lonely?

[abcollector]

Interesting.......I always enjoy your informative posts.......thanks Ned!

+2!

Ned, has this barrel seen both jacketed and lead or lead only? Percentage if both were fired through the barrel? Also would the majority of the rounds fired be considered "full power" loads?

Is this barrel stainless steel or chrome-moly? In your experience how do other brand barrel hold up this this number of rounds?
I agree, the barrel still looks great for the use its seen.

[Ned Christiansen]

The Nowlins are 416R stainless. I don't remember for sure what the previous barrels were.

95% of rounds through this gun are 200 cast SWC's, the H&G68, at around 850 FPS.

Honestly I don't see enough barrels with pretty accurate round counts nor round counts this high to be able to say which brands and types last longer. Anecdotally I have the idea that chrome moly barrels have the edge there but this one is not doing too bad.