Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Opinion: Is this nick on the barrel crown cause for concern?

I'm looking at purchasing a used 22-250 and I noticed this nick or slight indention on the barrel crown. Is this enough to cause concern in regard to accuracy?

In a word, no, it is not at the edge of the bore where it would have an effect on accuracy.

The picture is not clear enough to tell if metal has been upset enough to affect the bullet as it leaves the muzzle. From the side view it looks harmless. Look at it straight on to see if there is any metal moved right at the muzzle. A recrown is not expensive.

Probably not.

Use the nick to get the seller to reduce the price. If it does seem to cause a problem, then
simply have the barrel recrowned.

Of course not, it's a mile away from the edge of the bore and tiny to boot.

No, purely cosmetic.

No.

There was a guy who posted his results from purposely damaging the crown of a cast bullet target rifle on the CBA forum a couple years ago. He mangled the crown with coarse files, a hammer and chisel, and finally ran a lag bolt in slightly. Control groups were recorded after trimming/re-crowning and compared to groups fired after being damaged. In most every instance accuracy wasn't effected one bit (but point of impact shifted slightly), and in a couple instances accuracy actually improved. It boils down to the bullet leaving the barrel consistently each time, not how pretty the crown is.

Dang long-winded gunwriters.

You may enjoy reading the following:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/rifle-crown-1.php

Don't get me wrong, I like a perfect crown as much as the next guy, but I won't come unglued over minor damage until I at least test fired it to see what's up.

Paid by the word.

All,

Thanks for the reply's. Appears this is something I shouldn't be concerned with.

Correctamundo.................

Interesting!

Sweet Louise, you boys are loosing it.

Yes of course it will effect it, make the seller aware and knock $50 off the asking price to have it re-crowned.

The "nick" is not near the crown, so it shouldn't have any effect. Look at some National Match stamped (NM) 1903 Springfield's; the stamping didn't hurt their accuracy.

Good point. I had forgotten about the star gauge stamp on select '03 barrels. I've seen a couple that were stamped pretty hard.

Nope... it has to be touching the rifling/bore to matter.

and if it bothers you buy a crowning kit, or just put sandpaper over a marble and rub it on the barrel tilll it does away...

No. It is fine. I see no problem with it and it would not stop me from buying it.