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Back boring a barrel at muzzle (Read 398 times)

Spud Oldtimer Offline Posts: 518 Location: Australia Oz Joined: Feb 24^th, 2005	Back boring a barrel at muzzle Nov 3^rd, 2025 at 7:32pm	Print Post
	I picked up a Ballard Pacific in .40/63 that was in fairly decent shape. We don't often see Pacifics out here in Oz so this was a good find. The action is good and after a bit of work cleaning out years of neglect I've got decent rifling in the barrel from the chamber to within 1 3/4" of the muzzle. From here on the rifling is non-existent & very rough & worn. A lead slug driven from the throat to just short of the worn section is pictured and I reckon this barrel should still shoot ok with hard lead bullets. Measurement of the bore just ahead of the throat gives a bore of .408" & groove of .415" and just short of the worn section, a bore of .407" & groove of .413". A nice tapered bore. I'm thinking of removing the worn section by back boring. Any suggestions whether this should work & what dia. would be best to ream it out to. Relining or reboring aren't really an option out here in Oz anymore. In the good old days I would have ordered up a sleeve from TJ's but current export rules from the USA have closed that door . Any suggestions appreciated. Spud


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rgchristensen Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1162 Joined: Jan 2^nd, 2014	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #1 - Nov 3^rd, 2025 at 7:50pm	Print Post
	SPUD: I’d think the first thing to try is to have a few shots out of it the way it is. Might shoot great. And remember the old rule, “If you improve something enough, eventually you will screw it up”. AAR, try it and let us know..... CHRIS


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ssdave Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2004 Location: Eastern Oregon Joined: Apr 16^th, 2004	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #2 - Nov 3^rd, 2025 at 9:17pm	Print Post
	If it doesn't shoot okay as is, I'd use a piloted reamer to counterbore it. I've just used a chamber reamer before, that works good.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17293 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #3 - Nov 3^rd, 2025 at 9:35pm	Print Post
	I've owned a couple rifles that were back bored to fix bad crowns, or issues, and both shot extremely well. I think the most important part of back boring is getting a good clean crown wherever you stop.

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John Taylor Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1817 Location: Lewiston, ID Joined: Oct 23^rd, 2006	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #4 - Nov 4^th, 2025 at 10:15am	Print Post
	Seems to be a common problem with old rifles. I get several a year that have had the barrel shortened so the bore would be good at the muzzle end. I have heard the law was changed about exporting liners, you might check with TJ's.

	John Taylor Machinist/gunsmith
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ssrifles Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 307 Joined: Mar 23^rd, 2009	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #5 - Nov 4^th, 2025 at 11:07am	Print Post
	i have a stevens pope mdl 49 in 22 that has about 3 inches backbored. it shoots extremely well. the man i got it from many years ago shot the smallest group he ever shot in his life and he shot and built a lot of 22's. tony<><


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17293 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #6 - Nov 4^th, 2025 at 4:06pm	Print Post
	I'd sure rather own a back bored barrel that's original length than a chopped down barrel on my single shot rifle!

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jfeldman ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 1099 Location: Imperial Beach, Ca Joined: Nov 5^th, 2005	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #7 - Nov 4^th, 2025 at 11:43pm	Print Post
	Spud, I backbored a .22RF barrel for a friend who had "Grandpa's old rifle". The last 2 1/2 inches were nasty and accuracy was nonexistent. I just ran a 1/4" drill in until it cleaned out the rust/erosion. He's very happy with it now as a plinker and it's fairly accurate at 50 yards. That's only about .026" larger than the bullet and seems to work fine. Regards, Joe


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17293 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Back boring a barrel at muzzle Reply #8 - Nov 5^th, 2025 at 9:43am	Print Post
	Back boring is similar to bloop tubes except on a smaller ID than the bloop tube is.

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