Borescope of my 338 Edge crown after 500+ rounds

[Bruce Treloar]

The crown won't erode but you definitely have copper fouling! Try cleaning out the copper and see if accuracy comes back.
Throat has some fire cracking which is no surprise.

Ditto all above, beware of harsh chemicals in chrome moly barrels because of pitting.
I hunt very small targets in the field and shoot benchrest . None of the barrels I have had over the past 60 years will shoot when showing copper. I like wrap around patches with JB so fouling can be detected. When the patch glides in like going into a knee boot full of sago then it's clean. I haven't detected any reduced barrel life using this method but it's better have good results even at the expense of slightly less barrel life

 

[Mram10us]

Updated the first post with a target from today. The deep clean and recrown seemed to have brought it back to normal. Beware crown erosion with brakes. Pretty obvious with a borescope

 

[Revolting Peasant]

Useful enough post that I ordered my brother a borescope for Christmas and another to follow for myself. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers from the Tropics

 

[bushmotornv]

I pulled my 338 EDGE AI, Brux 29" barrel at just under 2500rounds. The first half of the barrel was shot with a mild load at 2700fps with 300gr bullets and h1000 most of the second half was shot at 2800fps and probably around 100 rounds mixed in there with my N570 load at 2980fps. Up until 2400rds it would consistently shoot 3-4" 3 shot groups at 1000yards and in really good conditions even better. After 2400rds it would still shoot 5" 3 shot groups at 1000yards. At 2450rounds I shot a handful of 5 shot groups at 1200 yards and it still held right around half MOA in 4-5mph winds. After that I took it to 100yards shot a few 3 shot groups, they were around 5". I shot it on a few more outings then had the barrel pulled. Mostly never shot more than 3 before letting it cool, occasionally 5. This was with a bi-pod and rear bag.

Cleaning was what most would consider minimal. When I stopped seeing heavy signs on patch I would run a few more then call it good. I never tried to get the last bit of carbon or copper out. Just used non chlorinated brake clean and bore tech eliminator and would run a nylon brush and let the barrel soak at least 20-30min, never used any bore paste and cleaned every 40-50 rounds.

I've recently gone back to to bronze brushes I think they definitely get more carbon and copper out. Whether it's necessary to get that much out I'm not sure but don't think so. Also use bore tech carbon cleaner now vs brake cleaner. It would be interesting to look down that barrel now with a bore scope.

I think that there is something to using a bronze brush to break through the hard layer of carbon that the various solvents will not penetrate. I think that the carbon oxidizes(for lack of a better term),and you have to break that surcace. IMHO

 

[Revolting Peasant]

Got one Teslong Bluetooth borescope delivered and its great. Went to buy another and sold out everywhere.