Sidelock Surgery With Borescope

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Idaholewis

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Before i loaded my Navy Arms .58 Cal up for tomorrow’s Test Shoot I decided to go down the Bore with my new Teslong BoreScope and have a look around? The 3 Groove Bore is like a Mirror :lewis: I then entered the Patent Breech, Once in there I noticed a Burr at the Entrance of the Fire Channel (Short Channel that runs Straight Across, and under the Nipple). I decided to Perform a Surgical procedure and Remove it, or at least attempt to.

Here is the Burr, VERY Visible! This was obviously left behind in the Manufacturing Process of the Breech Plug when they Drilled across to enter the Powder Chamber, They missed removing this Burr (I have seen this SEVERAL times! This is a MAJOR Cause of Hangfires, The ones that start to Happen after a Few FLAWLESS Shots, and leave you Wondering what the Heck?? What is happening is After the First few Shots Fouling begins to Collect here at this Burr until it Closes off this Fire Channel. REMEMBER ME TALKING ABOUT POINTING THE BARREL DOWN, AND POPPING 1 CAP OFF STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BORE AFTER I SWAB? By popping that Cap off, The Concussion of it going off BREAKS This Fouling loose that is Accumulating here, You will see it Trickle out on the Ground. Now when you Dump your Powder Charge in, The powder can Flow freely Through the Fire Channel again and Collect under the Nipple, READY TO FIRE AGAIN :lewis:
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I removed this “Clean Out” Screw on the Side, Test fitted Drill Bits BY HAND ONLY until i found the Bit that fit this Hole PERFECTLY, that bit turned out to be a 5/32 in this Case
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Here you can see the Tip of the Drill Bit starting to Enter Powder Chamber
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And here we are IN like FLYNN ;)
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After some turning By HAND ONLY, I went back in to have a Peek Around? I GOT IT :lewis: Here you can See the Burr, Metal Chip laying in The Powder Chamber, along with several other little Flakes n Chips From that Burr, I chose to Focus on the Largest piece. This Teslong Borescope is AMAZING!!
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And here it is ALL CLEANED UP, A slight polish Job. Burr is LONG GONE Now! The Camera is at a different Angle here, actually the Rifle is Turned up, but you can Clearly see it. I find this Borescope SUPER EASY to use, But when you try and Document the process like i did here with Pictures etc. There are To many things going on :)
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So hand turning the drill bit didn't bugger up the threads for the plug? That's awesome!
 
So hand turning the drill bit didn't bugger up the threads for the plug? That's awesome!

Not at all, I actually Grabbed ahold of the Bit Shank with a Small pocket Crescent to give me a little Leverage so i could Get it Through the “Burr” as to be expected The Bit wanted to Grab the “Burr” just a Simple Turn of the Wrench and it GOT IT!

The coolest part of the Whole thing is This Borescope showing me that “Burr” was in there, i would NEVER EVER have known without this Teslong Borescope? This was one of the COOLEST Purchases i have EVER Made in this Hobby, I have enjoyed Going Through EVERY Bore i own, I can see EXACTLY what is in there Now :lewis:
 
Nice! I gotta ask though, how do you hold on to a drill bit with a crescent wrench, I'd think you'd need either a vice grip or a pliers to turn the bit when it catches on the burr.
 
Nice! I gotta ask though, how do you hold on to a drill bit with a crescent wrench, I'd think you'd need either a vice grip or a pliers to turn the bit when it catches on the burr.

The Bit i used had “Flat Cuts” in the Shank :lewis:

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