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Page AR-15 » AR Discussions
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 12/11/2003 3:50:38 AM EDT
Here is a picture of the barrel face on my new Bushmaster ‘pre-ban’ configured A2 profile barrel.  I have concerns that the denting and ripples on the flat end of the face of the barrel will affect accuracy.  Also I am curious as to what causes this particular pattern of impressions on the barrel face.

Here’s the picture and a description of what I can see up close.

Just outside the upper left corner of the picture I’m holding a flashlight and shining it parallel across the face of the barrel to bring out contrast in the denting of the barrel face.



This is a distinct pattern that looks like the face of the barrel was hammered by something with a large circumference.  The face is very slightly higher at the upper left in the picture – not as higher as it looks, that’s just the light bringing out the contrast.

The 45 degree chamfer is pristine and is in excellent condition (this barrel hasn’t ever been fired).  The edge that last touches the bullet as it exits looks perfect.  The edge that is the beginning of the face of the barrel looks perfect too except that it extends just a little bit more outward in the upper left area of the picture since the barrel face is a little bit higher there.  Here's a very exaggerated picture of what I mean about the champher extending further into the higher area.



When I screw on a Phantom flash suppressor without the peel washer it contacts the upper left of the face first as shown by the transfer of oil.  The peel washer I have stops the inside face of the Phantom flash suppressor from touching the barrel face by one half a turn of the FS.

I had another Bushmaster barrel, a post-ban, that had these same large-circumference dents only they were very very slight, and again the chamfered crown area and surface was perfect.

So, my two questions:

1) Will the denting and ripples on the flat end of the face of the barrel will affect accuracy?  

2)  What causes this particular pattern of impressions on the barrel face?

Thanks so much.
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 4:12:11 AM EDT
[#1]
This is just a guess. But it looks like when the barrel blank was sawed to length, it was cut too short, therefore not leaving enough material to clean up in the finishing process. Or the crowning process was missed or skipped. Just a guess.
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 4:24:40 AM EDT
[#2]

Did that barrel come directly from Bushmaster or from a dealer/distributor?
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 4:26:51 AM EDT
[#3]
I got it directly from Bushmaster at the end of October.
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 4:44:34 AM EDT
[#4]
email bushmaster the pic.
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 12:49:09 PM EDT
[#5]
Yes, I've got this posted on the Bushmaster Industry forum too, but although Jarrod is answering posts there's no comment on mine yet.
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 9:32:32 PM EDT
[#6]
Okay... saw cerf marks from a circular saw blade... I can see that much better than the idea that it got hammered on the end.

In that first picture it sure does look like deep cuts, but they're actually 'steps' and I took another picture to try and capture that better.  I took this picture using a magnifying glass in conjunction with the camera, and I like the results.

[img]http://home.earthlink.net/~tportinga/crownclose.jpg[/img]

You can see that the crown is indeed very nice.  The saw marks show as 'steps' and maybe you can even see that the chamfer has a little more area where the muzzle is higher.

The park treatement goes halfway into the muzzle I see now too -- does that matter?

[b]With this new view guys, how sure are you that the issue won't affect accuracy?[/b]

You see, the cosmetic issue doesn't bother me... it'll be under the flash suppressor anyway.  I don't want to exchange it if it's sure that it won't affect accuracy.

Thanks again
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 9:48:25 PM EDT
[#7]
... It appears to be crowned, you should be OK
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 10:01:29 PM EDT
[#8]
I see quite a few BM BBL's and that's what the average preban looks like. Some look worse. If I had to guess it looks like they are cut with a cold circular saw and the crown is done with a .500 rotary ball file.
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 10:06:09 PM EDT
[#9]
Looks like they are cutting there barrels from 20"ers and doing a piss poor job of cleaning them up.  
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 10:14:42 PM EDT
[#10]
No, this [i]is[/i] a 20"! [shock]

I had it delivered without the FS mounted so I saw the muzzle right away, but I imagine most folks don't get much of an opportunity to look at their muzzle up close unless they take the FS off.

Link Posted: 12/11/2003 11:14:33 PM EDT
[#11]
I wouldn't worry about it.  If there is any loss in accuracy it will be because of the flash suppressor.  I doubt you will notice it much though.
Link Posted: 12/11/2003 11:53:23 PM EDT
[#12]
If you don't like it, send it back.  I don't see it as an issue.  
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 12:27:01 AM EDT
[#13]
Come on, stick, tell me what you really think. [;)]
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 4:51:05 AM EDT
[#14]
As long as the crown is unharmed you should be fine with it. If you do find that the accuracy suffered from it, then send it back.
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 5:08:58 AM EDT
[#15]
Yeah it really looks like they missed facing it up while it was in the lathe.Its no bid deal as far as shooting the rifles goes.And really only looks. But Like you If I paid good money, I would want it right.WD
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 6:44:36 AM EDT
[#16]
Crown looks good.

Shoot that puppy and let us know.
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 8:32:34 AM EDT
[#17]
Shoddy workmanship.

Another reason to buy a Colt.

You get what you pay for.
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 8:40:30 AM EDT
[#18]
Quoted:
Shoddy workmanship.

Another reason to buy a Colt.

You get what you pay for.
View Quote


wow.
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 9:46:25 AM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
Shoddy workmanship.

Another reason to buy a Colt.

You get what you pay for.
View Quote

[rofl2]
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 10:19:04 AM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
I see quite a few BM BBL's and that's what the average preban looks like. Some look worse.
View Quote


My Colt pre-ban doesn't look like that. [;D]

Dirk
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 10:34:43 AM EDT
[#21]
None of my three Colt barrels look like that; but then niether does my Rock River, or very early 18 year old Bushie barrel.

The barrel will probably shoot ok, but if this is an example og Bushie's current level of standards, I sure won't buy any more of their product.

Why is it that as companies become successful because they turn out a good quality product, the first thing that so often happens is that the quality that made them successful in the first place goes to hell. Do they not understand that if the high quality that caused their success goes to pot, ultimately the business will also go to pot? [;D]
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 10:43:13 AM EDT
[#22]
I've seen Colt barrels at gunshows -- posties and pre-bans w/o FS mounted -- and they are [i]beautiful[/i].  I don't own a Colt barrel right now because I couldn't find one in 20" A2 profile (and didn't really want to send an HBAR to Kurt), but I wish I had one because I think they set the standard.

It's just against my nature to leave a cut looking like that.  I was "outstanding metalworking student of the year" way way back in HS.  I won a college competition once simply for having cleaned off burrs from a cut where the next best guy didn't.

Nevertheless I'll keep this barrel because of the evidence from all you great guys who kindly told me that it won't matter in the end.  All I knew going into this was that the muzzle end is critical to accuracy, and I didn't know how much of the muzzle that included.  I went hunting with my father and at a young age he impressed upon me (ever notice how deep seated fatherly advice becomes?) that I should not ding-up the end of the barrel.

I'll keep it, and I'll shoot it.  Thanks again guys.  I'll post a picture of this new baby in a couple of days.
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 12:26:19 PM EDT
[#23]
You could take your drill and drill holes all into that face, or maybe take a set of dies and stamp your name on it. You could take a grinder and round off the barrel face. It just has nothing to do with accuracy. It could be finished better, but the presumption is on a threaded barrel that a muzzle attachment will always be used, hiding the crudely machined (but totally unimportant) barrel face. You probably won't see that kind of workmanship on the end of a post-ban barrel with no attachment. As long as the crown is good, the bullet cannot touch any other part of the face. As the man said, the muzzle brake/flash hider will have more to do with accuracy, so put what you want on there, take it out and sight it in. You may want to index the muzzle attachment so you can put it back to the exact same position if it has to be removed.
Link Posted: 12/12/2003 12:43:22 PM EDT
[#24]
Unless this was a discounted, scratch and dent item, I would send it back.  You paid a hefty retail price for a top quality product.  The machining looks like some of the cheap chinese junk you see in the tool dept at Wall Mart.

No, it probably will not affect accuracy, neigher would crappy machining in your lower receiver, or under your handguards, but you did not pay for a second rate product.

BTW the last Colt barrel I saw did not look like that, it was properly finished and parked even at the end.

The muzzle work is only one of many machining operations necessary to produce the barrel.  What if what you are seeing is actually better than some of the other work they did?  There appears to be a vacant position at BFI....in the QC dept.
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