To Bore or Not to Bore...

Legolas · 01-28-2012, 10:31 PM

I have my second Nickel Plated 14" CCI Phantom barrel (the first after a few years of good use, was left in a shed over a few years of New England weather with paint in the barrel=ruined finish,

)
So I bought a new one with the .685 bore, but I noticed that even using marbilizer paint the barrel felt large-- I had been using a Ty brass .680 insert earlier in the day with good results. The Ni barrel did fine with a CCI ball detent, but it never felt as accurate or as consistent as my 12" CCM Fiber barrel w/ 2" barrel sizers or the freake barrels. The 685 bore might feel fine with some larger field paint (inconisistent, but 683 to 686), but I have yet to test it.

So normally I am all for freak boring stock CCI barrels--I have a 6" and 8" ccci barrels bored for inserts, a 12" deadly wind and brass/steel inserts to compliment.

--but-- the 14" *Nickel* barrel is a different story. So here's the question for everybody: do I bore the 14" CCI Nickel Barrel, or do I leave it as is?

Related Q: what to do about the first, ruined CCI 14" Ni Barrel (.691 bore)?

Legolas · 01-29-2012, 05:02 PM

this is the most boring thread ever. no wonder no one has responded...

c'mon MCB. my feelings are starting to hurt. 50 views and no replys??? who do I have to insult around here to get a comment??

Jinx · 01-29-2012, 05:08 PM

Bore it. When I had my phantom, the barrel was fine with the detent rings, but I have been using a freak on my sniper and I have never looked back.

Cyco-Dude · 01-29-2012, 05:24 PM

if you had so many barrels already, why did you get the new one? did you just want a pretty barrel to put on your gun? also, it doesn't matter "how it feels", that could be in your head. without proper bench-testing you won't know for sure.

ruined barrel...inside, outside or both? if it's both, get it bored for inserts and polish the outside (up to you if it's worthwhile considering what you already have). if it's just the outside, polish it and keep it for huge / old / out-of-round paint. i'd rather shoot crappy paint out of an overbored barrel than risk breaks.

CJOttawa · 01-30-2012, 09:32 AM

Bore it. More accurately, send it to Super Stanchy and ask him to carefully bore it to avoid damage to the finish.

Legolas · 01-30-2012, 03:10 PM

Thanks Jinx and CJ. I am a big fan of boring too--I've had a couple barrels bored by Stanchy and I am quite satisfied. I just wanted to hear the minority report of "nooooo don't bore the CC Nickel goodness." (if such an opinion existed) I must say the finish on the inside nickel barrels looks impressive and aesthetically they are one of my favorite finishes with some black anno and wood to compliment.

@Cyco-dude: As far as why I have more barrels than I really need.... why? I don't think this thread has the scope to cover that question. I mean c'mon--some people have 3 SFL mags 16 cockers, 72 sl-68s, 41 splatmasters, 17 nelspots and a partridge in a pair tree--you get my point, most of us have more stuff than we really need Why do we collect all this junk??? Addiction, compulsion, entertainment--take your pick.

I wanted a 14" Ni for aesthetics and a longer barrel to sight down (I know longer barrels don't shoot further and are not strictly more accurate). Lets not turn this into an argument about accuracy/barrel length please.

Although I do not have any empirical data comparing the accuracy of the barrels under controlled conditions, lets just say that I've shot my phantom enough to know that the 14" nickel was not shooting as consistently as my gun with 12" CCM fiber barrel, 6" freak bored, 8" freak bored or DW fibur barrel.

The older nickel barrel is only damaged on the inside, not the outside. I would bore it, but the damage to the bore is between 5 and 8 inches down the barrel (beyond what a freak boring would cut out). So, not that I'm opposed to boring out the older one either, but is it possible to resurface the inside without ending up with a .700 barrel? Or is that the ticket--refinish and then freak bore? And, who would do such refinishing? I do have a drill press, but not the financial means to add any parts/tools to accomplish the task of re-honing.

thank you for your responses and thoughts.

Dr. PhunkyPants · 02-02-2012, 09:32 AM

I have two SSC freak bored phantom barrels. Use 'em with stainless inserts or tymcneer brass inserts. One simply cannot do better, imo...

CJOttawa · 02-02-2012, 11:32 AM

Just a thought: send the damaged barrel to VooDoo Coatings (found here on the forum) for a Ceracote or dry lube. He's done Phantom internals, including springs (!) and the coating seems to flex. Have it bored FIRST so the bare aluminum gets coated during the process. (very minimal dimensional change FYI)

Frogger · 02-02-2012, 11:53 AM

Bore. My first Phantom barrel was bored when I bought it and I ridiculously loved it!

Detent rings work to prevent rollouts but I noticed my phantom being more consistent with an insert bored barrel.

Mr. Hick · 02-03-2012, 06:53 PM

why not keep the new barrel unbored and bore the .691? That would make the most sense to me.

01-28-2012, 10:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
Legolas Elven Pump SDM/DM Join Date: Oct 2008	To Bore or Not to Bore... I have my second Nickel Plated 14" CCI Phantom barrel (the first after a few years of good use, was left in a shed over a few years of New England weather with paint in the barrel=ruined finish, ) So I bought a new one with the .685 bore, but I noticed that even using marbilizer paint the barrel felt large-- I had been using a Ty brass .680 insert earlier in the day with good results. The Ni barrel did fine with a CCI ball detent, but it never felt as accurate or as consistent as my 12" CCM Fiber barrel w/ 2" barrel sizers or the freake barrels. The 685 bore might feel fine with some larger field paint (inconisistent, but 683 to 686), but I have yet to test it. So normally I am all for freak boring stock CCI barrels--I have a 6" and 8" ccci barrels bored for inserts, a 12" deadly wind and brass/steel inserts to compliment. --but-- the 14" Nickel barrel is a different story. So here's the question for everybody: do I bore the 14" CCI Nickel Barrel, or do I leave it as is? Related Q: what to do about the first, ruined CCI 14" Ni Barrel (.691 bore)? __________________ "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never really care for anything else thereafter." Ernest Hemingway, "On the Blue Water," Esquire, April 1936 In the world I see - you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway. Visit my Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/crowsnestwampum Last edited by Legolas; 01-29-2012 at 05:05 PM.

01-29-2012, 05:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Legolas Elven Pump SDM/DM Join Date: Oct 2008	this is the most boring thread ever. no wonder no one has responded... c'mon MCB. my feelings are starting to hurt. 50 views and no replys??? who do I have to insult around here to get a comment?? __________________ "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never really care for anything else thereafter." Ernest Hemingway, "On the Blue Water," Esquire, April 1936 In the world I see - you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway. Visit my Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/crowsnestwampum Last edited by Legolas; 01-29-2012 at 05:03 PM. Reason: c'mon MCB. my feelings are starting to hurt. 50 views and no replys??? who do I have to insult around here to get a comment??

01-30-2012, 03:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
Legolas Elven Pump SDM/DM Join Date: Oct 2008	Thanks Jinx and CJ. I am a big fan of boring too--I've had a couple barrels bored by Stanchy and I am quite satisfied. I just wanted to hear the minority report of "nooooo don't bore the CC Nickel goodness." (if such an opinion existed) I must say the finish on the inside nickel barrels looks impressive and aesthetically they are one of my favorite finishes with some black anno and wood to compliment. @Cyco-dude: As far as why I have more barrels than I really need.... why? I don't think this thread has the scope to cover that question. I mean c'mon--some people have 3 SFL mags 16 cockers, 72 sl-68s, 41 splatmasters, 17 nelspots and a partridge in a pair tree--you get my point, most of us have more stuff than we really need Why do we collect all this junk??? Addiction, compulsion, entertainment--take your pick. I wanted a 14" Ni for aesthetics and a longer barrel to sight down (I know longer barrels don't shoot further and are not strictly more accurate). Lets not turn this into an argument about accuracy/barrel length please. Although I do not have any empirical data comparing the accuracy of the barrels under controlled conditions, lets just say that I've shot my phantom enough to know that the 14" nickel was not shooting as consistently as my gun with 12" CCM fiber barrel, 6" freak bored, 8" freak bored or DW fibur barrel. The older nickel barrel is only damaged on the inside, not the outside. I would bore it, but the damage to the bore is between 5 and 8 inches down the barrel (beyond what a freak boring would cut out). So, not that I'm opposed to boring out the older one either, but is it possible to resurface the inside without ending up with a .700 barrel? Or is that the ticket--refinish and then freak bore? And, who would do such refinishing? I do have a drill press, but not the financial means to add any parts/tools to accomplish the task of re-honing. thank you for your responses and thoughts. __________________ "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never really care for anything else thereafter." Ernest Hemingway, "On the Blue Water," Esquire, April 1936 In the world I see - you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway. Visit my Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/crowsnestwampum

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01-30-2012, 09:32 AM	#5 (permalink)
CJOttawa Immune to sales tactics. Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada's National Capital	Bore it. More accurately, send it to Super Stanchy and ask him to carefully bore it to avoid damage to the finish.

02-02-2012, 09:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dr. PhunkyPants Yield and Overcome... Join Date: Apr 2008	I have two SSC freak bored phantom barrels. Use 'em with stainless inserts or tymcneer brass inserts. One simply cannot do better, imo...

02-02-2012, 11:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
CJOttawa Immune to sales tactics. Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada's National Capital	Just a thought: send the damaged barrel to VooDoo Coatings (found here on the forum) for a Ceracote or dry lube. He's done Phantom internals, including springs (!) and the coating seems to flex. Have it bored FIRST so the bare aluminum gets coated during the process. (very minimal dimensional change FYI)

02-02-2012, 11:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
Frogger Frog, not a toad Join Date: Feb 2012	Bore. My first Phantom barrel was bored when I bought it and I ridiculously loved it! Detent rings work to prevent rollouts but I noticed my phantom being more consistent with an insert bored barrel.

02-03-2012, 06:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
Mr. Hick migrant bomb picking.... Join Date: Sep 2011	why not keep the new barrel unbored and bore the .691? That would make the most sense to me.