Pros & Cons of Borescopes

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  • Last Post 27 November 2017
reggleston posted this 25 November 2017

Would like to hear from those of you that might own a Borescope. Pro & Con and what brand works well vs what doesn't. Limitations and usefulness also of interest.

R D Eggleston

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gary0529 posted this 25 November 2017

Mr. Eggleston,

I can only compare the Lyman and the Hawkeye . I have used the Gradient Lens Hawkeye and it is the standard for examining bores-bright, clear and expensive. I bought and use the Lyman for my own use - not as bright(but functional), not quite as clear(but usable) and much much less costly.

I guess I will summarize the answer to your question thusly, If you gots the dough-buy the Hawkeye. If it is for your personal use and you don't need the best, the Lyman will work out quite fine. 

Remember, both are relatively delicate instruments and will break if torqued too far, dropped too far or at all on to a concrete floor or stepped on or.....  you get the drift.

Can you afford to break one and not lose your sanity?  Break a Lyman and you are pi..ed. Break the Hawkeye and you are emotionally devastated and a grand poorer.

If you are going to use one either professionally or very frequently, the old adage  "Buy once, cry once " will apply.

Hope it helps.

Oh, and by the way. Save some extra money for the barrels you will end up buying to replace the ones you thought were good until you took a peek down the pipe.  Don't ask me how I know  LOL

 

Gary

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lotech posted this 25 November 2017

I know nothing of the Lyman scope, but I've had a Hawkeye for about ten years and wouldn't be without one. 

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John Carlson posted this 26 November 2017

I have used the $12 e-bay borescopes for some years, recently got one that works with a smart phone.  Nothing to compare to either the Lyman or the Hawkeye but they will show you a lot more than you can see with a bore light.  The best I can explain it is, with the cheapo you can see that the speck you saw with the light is a spider hiding in your barrel.  With a Hawkeye you can tell which gender the spider is.

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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GP Idaho posted this 26 November 2017

I have the high priced endoscope ($14.95) It plugs into the port on my PC. If I hold a light just right on the chamber end it shows me what I need to see. Mostly I use it just to make sure there's no leading in the barrel after cleaning but I can also check for chatter marks in the rifling of a gun before purchase.  I really don't need to see much more. Gp

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John Alexander posted this 26 November 2017

I have a Hawkeye and use it often. One of the most interesting thing I have learned it how crooked throats, and other horrors in the bore often don't seem to affect excellent accuracy and conversly how a near perfect throat and super slick bore don't necessarily mean it will shoot well.  This game ain't simple.

John

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Ken T posted this 27 November 2017

I have used the Hawkeye and own the Lyman scope as well as one of the endoscopes.The Lyman scope would be fine for most users.I used the Hawkeye working for a barrel maker and it spent most of it's time in it's case in QC.The only time it was used was if a barrel was returned for an accuracy problem.But as was posted above the appearance of a bore doesn't always effect the accuracy.A "perfect" barrel can shoot poorly.Some of the returned barrels were returned because they wouldn't shoot a 1/4 in group at 100 yards.

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RicinYakima posted this 27 November 2017

"they wouldn't shoot a 1/4 in group at 100 yards." Well, they must be crap and made by drunken sailors after a three month cruise.

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billglaze posted this 27 November 2017

I think the operative idea here is that, while a scope will show the inside of the barrel, what you see isn't (necessarily) what you get.  The man in the Lyman Loading Manual, writing about Lyman's Borescope, was scrupulously honest, and said that the condition of a bore, while well revealed by the scope, gives little or no idea about how the barrel will shoot.  I agree.

I have a Savage model 12 that will shoot in the 2's (or better) all day long, and if I had seen the inside of the barrel before buying, I would have said "No Thanks."  OTOH, I have another Model 12 in .308 that has a very nice looking barrel but won't dependably shoot better than .75" groups, no matter the powder, or bullet.

In fact, the smoothest barrel I have is on my Mother's old Rem. Model 37 Rangemaster .22 and it shoots very well indeed.

So.........now having a borescope, I wouldn't want to do without; exactly how/when to use it is the question.

I guess in spite of it all, you still have to shoot the thing to determine accuracy potential.

Bill

In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. My fate is not entirely in Gods hands, if I have a weapon in mine.

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