Muzzlelover
Member
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- Oct 29, 2012
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I've been looking at some mosin nagants and in the description they say something about a dark bore.So,what is a dark bore?
Dark bores?
- Thread starter Muzzlelover
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wally
Member
One that went too long before cleaning after shooting corrosively primed ammo (virtually all surplus 7.62x54R).
Wear at the throat and muzzle will make a lot more difference in accuracy, but dark bore greatly reduces its desirability as a "collectible".
Wear at the throat and muzzle will make a lot more difference in accuracy, but dark bore greatly reduces its desirability as a "collectible".
GBExpat
Member
A Dark Bore does not reflect light due to the pitted/corroded surface.
wally
Member
Ask if its condition is NRA "Very Good" or "Good" condition. Very good has no pits, but can still be dark. Good can have pits that don't interfere with function. The bore can be dark but not pitted, a pitted bore in unlikely to be a very good shooter, whereas a dark but unpitted bore can still shoot well if the muzzle and throat is in good shape.
The corrosive primer salts left on chrome surfaces for too long will turn it dark. The barrel hood on my Romanian TTC has such dark spots on it and is very smooth, although the bore still shines. Some trooper probably didn't pay enough attention to the outer surfaces, but it shoots great.
The corrosive primer salts left on chrome surfaces for too long will turn it dark. The barrel hood on my Romanian TTC has such dark spots on it and is very smooth, although the bore still shines. Some trooper probably didn't pay enough attention to the outer surfaces, but it shoots great.
carbine85
Member
There are plenty of bright shinny bore Mosins out there. Really no need to buy a dark bore if you are looking for a shooter.
GBExpat
Member
Muzzlelover, do not be confused by wally's post.
If someone is selling a firearm as having what they describe as a "dark bore", it is "dark" as a result of its corroded surface not because it is still mirror-smooth but, unfortunately, discolored.
If someone is selling a firearm as having what they describe as a "dark bore", it is "dark" as a result of its corroded surface not because it is still mirror-smooth but, unfortunately, discolored.
tahoe2
Member
I have a 1941 German 98k with a dark bore , but pronounced rifling,
with a "MOJO" ghost ring rear sight, that shoots great !! 3"-4" @ 100
yards from the bench and 4"-6" off hand with a sling. Dark bores can
shoot, but I would be reluctant to buy one, unless the price was irresistible.
with a "MOJO" ghost ring rear sight, that shoots great !! 3"-4" @ 100
yards from the bench and 4"-6" off hand with a sling. Dark bores can
shoot, but I would be reluctant to buy one, unless the price was irresistible.
GBExpat
Member
Nine years ago I saw in SGN that SARCO had "dark bore" Yugo ReArsed K98ks for $110 (the regular Soviet ReArsed K98ks were selling for more than twice that). I knew that if SARCO listed them as "dark bore", they were certainly nasty.
I had a spare, excellent-bore, take-off, K98k barrel in my kit so I bought one of the SARCO rifles with the intention of swapping out the original barrel.
I must say that the rifle I received sported THE ugliest uncleaned bore thru which I have ever peered ... but my first step with new rifle is a full cleaning, so ...
After cleaning, the bore was still a black hole ... pretty ugly ... but there was distinct and surprisingly good-looking rifling ... AND the muzzle gauged very well. Hmmmm ...
I took it out back, proofed it and then fired it for accuracy ... and found it to be acceptably accurate.
So I ordered another $110 K98k ... and this one sported a true sewer pipe bore, so it got the new barrel and shoots great, also.
I had a spare, excellent-bore, take-off, K98k barrel in my kit so I bought one of the SARCO rifles with the intention of swapping out the original barrel.
I must say that the rifle I received sported THE ugliest uncleaned bore thru which I have ever peered ... but my first step with new rifle is a full cleaning, so ...
After cleaning, the bore was still a black hole ... pretty ugly ... but there was distinct and surprisingly good-looking rifling ... AND the muzzle gauged very well. Hmmmm ...
I took it out back, proofed it and then fired it for accuracy ... and found it to be acceptably accurate.
So I ordered another $110 K98k ... and this one sported a true sewer pipe bore, so it got the new barrel and shoots great, also.
GBExpat
Member
To be clear, I fully agree with tahoe2's statement:
"Dark bores can shoot, but I would be reluctant to buy one, unless the price was irresistible. "
"Dark bores can shoot, but I would be reluctant to buy one, unless the price was irresistible. "
morcey2
Member
I have one rifle that is the epitome of the "dark bore." It's a Finn captured M91/30 that has several arsenal repairs and a stock that started life on an Austrian M91. I picked it up cheap because it looked nasty, both inside and out but I'm a sucker for Finn stuff. The bore looked like it was straight out of Mordor. (Ok, that was my on J.R.R. Tolkien reference for the year.)
After a couple of rounds of foaming bore cleaner and some brushing, it is still dark but has very pronounced rifling. It shoots extremely well also. I bought it as a historical piece because it has definitely "been there, done that" but it just begs to be shot.
Matt
After a couple of rounds of foaming bore cleaner and some brushing, it is still dark but has very pronounced rifling. It shoots extremely well also. I bought it as a historical piece because it has definitely "been there, done that" but it just begs to be shot.
Matt
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