Bulge

[Topgun113]

Recently got my gun out to clean, and noticed this bulge on my f16 - never noticed anything at all whilst cleaning, obviously won't be used again till it sorted, But is this repairable? And what would it be likely to cost? 

[vmaxphil]

Sorry to say but I think you may have to accept the cost of a new barrel set, that saying at least with a blaser other barrels will fit straight in 👍

[mossy835]

how would that happen

[wymberley]

15 minutes ago, vmaxphil said:

Sorry to say but I think you may have to accept the cost of a new barrel set, that saying at least with a blaser other barrels will fit straight in 👍

Yep, sadly and unlike a dent a bulge means that the material has exceeded its elastic limit and in all probability is not repairable.

[Topgun113]

20 minutes ago, vmaxphil said:

Sorry to say but I think you may have to accept the cost of a new barrel set, that saying at least with a blaser other barrels will fit straight in 👍

How would I go about getting a new barrel? 

[Bobba]

Consult the manufacturer. Details on their website.

[wymberley]

22 minutes ago, Topgun113 said:

How would I go about getting a new barrel? 

Best not make that decision until after it's been seen by a competent 'smith

[Westley]

Is it insured  ?

[old'un]

50 minutes ago, mossy835 said:

how would that happen

More than likely something stuck in the barrel, it maybe repairable but would think the cost of such specialist work would be way over the cost of new barrels, if you can get them.

[Old farrier]

Not good mate 

lucky you weren’t hurt when it happened as it could have been far worse 

probably cheaper to get a new set of barrels 🙄

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, i would contact the RFD first unless you bought private, send photos and details to the UK importers, good you found this 👍 

[Scully]

Unfortunately that looks terminal to me to be honest. 
Personally I’d investigate fully with the help of a proper gunsmith, to avoid any chance of a re-occurrence with a new set of barrels. 
I once had a funny sounding ‘bang’ using Gamebore White Gold at a clay shoot, and on looking down the barrel found the wad ( fibre ) still in the barrel; that’s all it would take to cause a bulged or blown barrel. 

In hindsight I’d probably had the cartridges stored in my vehicle for some time, as I tended to do back then. Not good practice. 
Where exactly is the bulge located along the barrel, out of interest. 

[Gordon R]

Barrel is scrap. Wad stuck in barrel is the most likely cause. Happened to me in the 1980s, but couldn't get new barrels - gun was a write off.

[Westley]

Many years ago Eley had a large explosion at their factory in UK. This made it difficult to obtain any cartridges.  Eley then started to get their cartridges loaded in France. They were some of the worst cartridges I have ever seen and VERY prone to misfires, or worse, leaving wads stuck in the barrels. I was loading on a game shoot when I became aware of something happening after the end of the gun line, to my left. The horn sounded the end of the drive, which had only really just begun. I put away the 2 guns I was loading and made my way towards the vehicles. One of the guns was sitting on the ground with his left arm elevated and bound. Transpired his gun had exploded by the forend. He lost his thumb and varying sections of fingers of his left hand. It was due to a stuck wad and another cartridge being fired without the obstruction being removed. Although over 50 years ago, those images are still uppermost in my mind when I am shooting. The gun was an English S x S.

Edited December 10, 2023 by Westley

[old'un]

2 hours ago, Topgun113 said:

Recently got my gun out to clean, and noticed this bulge on my f16 - never noticed anything at all whilst cleaning, obviously won't be used again till it sorted, But is this repairable? And what would it be likely to cost? 

You could always ask the opinion of these people...https://www.mulliners.co.uk/gunsmith-services/#

[Topgun113]

3 hours ago, vmaxphil said:

Sorry to say but I think you may have to accept the cost of a new barrel set, that saying at least with a blaser other barrels will fit straight in 👍

As in the f3 barrels will fit ? 
many thanks 

 

[vmaxphil]

What I meant was that you might find a cheap f16 and the barrels should slot straight in, might be cheaper than a new set 👍

[Fellside]

You could look at it this way. Whatever the cost of a new barrel set, it will be an absolute bargain, because your current barrel didn’t blow up. I know someone who wasn’t so lucky. 

[JohnfromUK]

It is what I believe is known as a 'ring bulge' and caused by an obstruction.  As has been said, very possibly a wad left from a previous shot where the primer didn't ignite the propellant, although when that has happened to me it has been very obvious with a 'pop' rather than a bang and absolutely no recoil.  The clay doesn't break either - but I'm used to that!

It can also be caused by mud, snow, leftover cleaning materials (if it is the first shot after cleaning) etc. 

My father had a burst from snow as an obstruction.  Fortunately he was uninjured and a friend of his suggested the (an ancient and scruffy cheap farm) gun may have been out of proof (he wasn't a shooter and only kept the gun for rare farm duties).

[button]

1 hour ago, Topgun113 said:

As in the f3 barrels will fit ? 
many thanks 

 

F3 are modular and can interchange any F3 barrels without any fitting, unfortunately F16 aren’t I’m afraid

[Gunman]

On 10/12/2023 at 08:56, Topgun113 said:

Recently got my gun out to clean, and noticed this bulge on my f16 - never noticed anything at all whilst cleaning, obviously won't be used again till it sorted, But is this repairable? And what would it be likely to cost? 

The barrel is now scrap .It has what is commonly called a ring bulge . I doubt any one will be able to give a definitive answered as to why its happened . The Proof Houses will examine it if submitted but would want to see the last carried fired as well as the rest of the box it came from . 

Obstruction , oil in the barrel , faulty cartridge  etc. As you do not know when the bulge occurred it will now be near impossible to pin point the exact cause .  Speaking as a Gunsmith  ,you may just  have to accept it was just one of those things that defies explanation . 

[Fil]

 I've successfully knocked back and repaired hundreds of bulges in barrels but from experience (36 years of it) that is scrapola I'm afraid.  

[wymberley]

On 10/12/2023 at 09:02, mossy835 said:

how would that happen

In all probability it happens more often than is believed. Something suck in the barrel - particularly near the muzzle, mud snow being  prime examples - are not usually stuck fast and the following cartridge will move it on somewhat until it is and the bulge occurs at that new location. In the case of things near the muzzle, what is moved on clears the barrel before the pressure builds sufficiently to cause the bulge and no one is ever the wiser.

[Fargo]

On 10/12/2023 at 12:18, Topgun113 said:

As in the f3 barrels will fit ? 
many thanks 

 

F3 barrels won’t fit

You can claim on insurance maybe

Or scrap it and buy replacement 

[arjimlad]

It is worth checking home insurance.

In about 1996 I had an inexplicable ring bulge just in front of the monobloc joint on the bottom barrel of an E.Rizzini OU, which wrote the gun off (a bit scary really, good job I clean the guns after every outing & had spotted it). 

My gunshop wrote a letter about it and supported a claim for accidental damage on my contents insurance, which paid out the £399 new cost of the gun subject to an excess. I then bought a Lanber which is still in regular use.