How do I tell if a barrel has been counter bored

[offthepaper]

I'm thinking of buying another Mosin at a upcoming gun show. I already have a M91/30 and a M44 that are both in very good condition and good shooters as well. I possibly want to add an M38 to round things out. I have heard that some M 38's may be counter bored. How could I tell? How much should this figure in the purchase if all other issues of the rifle appear good. Worth buying or pass on counter bored rifles?
thanks in adavance.

 

[Andras]

I had a Garand that was counterbored about 1/2". There won't be any threads at the muzzle and it'll swallow a bullet if you stick a cartridge in the muzzle. If you look down the muzzle, it's pretty easy to tell.

 

[Gord]

My brother's counterbored M38 is more accurate than either of my M44s or my 91/30. Dunno if that's the exception or the rule.

If you look down the bore from the business end of the gun, you'll see a larger hole with no rifling, which will then step down to good rifling.

 

[GD]

Every rifle that I have that is counterbored is accurate. That is why they counterbored them.

 

[mrcpu]

Look for little flecks of granite or formica wedged in the tight places/ground into the finish.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

How does counterboring make it more accurate? Ninja kinda told what it is but what exactly is counterboring?

 

[Guns R Tools]

Counterboring removes damages done to the crown of rifling.

So when the bullets exits bore it will exit with more consistency.

If the riflling is worn then it wont help much. But many surplus rifles have crown damage due to the handling rather than shooting. So counterboring makes sense in those surplus.