I have bent barrels on a Remington 512P twentytwo bolt rifle and a Kessler bolt-action shotgun. Looking down the bore with the bolt out, the bend is pretty obvious as the bore is no longer in line.
Shame is, the 512P shoots very tight groups - just can't get the rear sight or scope to adjust far enough!
back finally, been pretty sick. In reply to jerry, gun is a ruger 77, 7mm mag, was in atv turn over, hasn't been right since, groups went from inside 1 inch to all over a 6 inch area at 100 yd. with std rem core lok. leopold says nothing wrong with scope, so I thought it might have slight curve in barrel,also, barrel got pluged with dirt, could it be the crown is damaged? local gunsmith seems to have no answer. any suggestions appreciated, before I go to expense of a re barrel. Roy McMillan sixbyfive
If the gunsmith has no idea, I question his intelligence. He should be able to tell you if the barrel is bent or not, or if recrowning it might help.
If you do rebarrel, I think it's expensive, so consider that getting a better barrel that costs half again or twice as much would be proportionately less when all is said and done. Like $150 vs $250 seems like a big difference that you'd wanna save, but if the work costs $150 then it's a matter of $300 vs $400, and if you can get twice as good a barrel for 25% more, it may be worth it. And if you want an option Ruger doesn't offer, here's your chance.
__________________
Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf
MOntana Rifle barrels can rebarrel it for 350 with a great barrel - to check for a slight slight bend use a dowel that is very close to 7mm if the dowel comes in contact you found the bend
Re-crowning is no problem Roy, pretty simple hand or machine work. As far as checking for a bent pipe, I pretty well stick with the procedure of mounting the barrel in a lathe and checking it along the length every inch or so with a dial indicator. A barrel can be straightened easy enough with careful bending and checking. In fact many would be surprised at the basic by-hand methods used by a lot of gunmakers for truing the barrels for new rifles.
__________________
The Second Amendment, it ain't about DUCK HUNTING!
I feel more like I do now that I did when I first got here!
:ballons: Hello Roy, a simple and proven meathod would be take an appropriate sized Gauge Pin and drop it down the tube. It should fall out the muzzle from the breach end. This is a sound meathod to check for a bent barrel. Most manufacturers of barrels use a DTI (Dial Test Indicator) mounted on an Arbor Press to check and snug tap a barrel into straigtness. Just the same, Plug Gauges work just fine. The older crude meathod of a Brass Hammer with bashing is outdated. Today, they spin the tube on a mount and watch the DTI. When they see small variations, they give it a snug push. CARBINEWILLIAMS
Carbine is right on, if you happen to have gage pins. If not shine a bore light down it and it will be noticable if it is bent.
Crown can be inspected very closly by looking at it under a well illuminated light.
As far as your gunsmith. Find another one. This is too easy to diagnois. And minor bends can be removed satisfactorily (sp). I'd try that before re-barreling.
__________________
"Some people can not live without wilderness"-Aldo Leopold
Thank's AllenT - good to be here! Before I forget, there is a older meathod to check straightness of barrels. It involves a glass plate with a straight line placed on a glass and checking out light and shade effects. These older shadow meathod would project a series of rings down the barrel toward the chamber and does show concentricity to some extent. Mind you, that also the quality of the steel effects the overall straightness of any given barrel.
Hope it's not bent after all, and a little bedding or something simple helps.
I had a 7mm Mag that built up with copper near the throat (way back before I learned to use copper solvent. Long whippy barrel did weird things like recoil to one side.
It all cleared up with a liberal cleaning with copper solvent. Glad it didn't damage something.
The easiest way is to hide behind a tree, shoot, and if the bullet hits you in the back of the head, the barrel is bent.
Sorry. Couldn't resist. (Smart-alec)
Bent barrels are not that hard to fix and the proper fixture for doing the job can be purchased from brownells and is not that expensive, it works on both rifle and shotgun barrels.
Steve
__________________
For those who never fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know.
The easiest way is to hide behind a tree, shoot, and if the bullet hits you in the back of the head, the barrel is bent.
Sorry. Couldn't resist. (Smart-alec)
Nice first post on the forum! You will fit right in with the rest of the nuts here! lol!
Per chance own any Mosins?
__________________
Griz drinks more coffee than Juan Valdez!
NRA Life Member
bent barrel 
Thank's AllenT - good to be here! Before I forget, there is a older meathod to check straightness of barrels. It involves a glass plate with a straight line placed on a glass and checking out light and shade effects. These older shadow meathod would project a series of rings down the barrel toward the chamber and does show concentricity to some extent. Mind you, that also the quality of the steel effects the overall straightness of any given barrel.
