Novice question about barrel warping

S

san_chang4837

New member
Hello,

So I owned a Stoeger Condor 12ga o/u for about 1 1/2 years. However, a few weeks ago I looked down the barrel and realized that it had "warped" a tiny bit to the right, but it was definitely visible. Was this because I did not store the gun right? I did at times lean the gun against the wall, but would it cause this? I see that even gun stores have their guns and barrels supported in various ways, which could potentially warp the barrel (like a rifle supported on two 'hooks', etc).

I was wondering if it was the poor quality of the steel itself, but I have never heard of this before. Or did I commit some major gun care crime? Please let me know. I have another shotgun now and I do not want to repeat the same mistake. At least the first casualty was a cheaper gun. :(

Finally, if the barrel is warped, is there any hope of a smith setting it right?

Thanks
 
First how much is the warp? just slight or is it a big bend? As asked before how does it shoot/pattern at the patterning board? Weather a smith can straighten has to be determined by the smith.

Above all do not try to do it yourself, the tested crook of the back yard tree has ruined more barrels than fixed. A smith will have a proper bench setup to carefully bend barrels back into straightness.

A word of note when the PolyChoke was factory installed, they actually bent the barrel to compensate for the difference in bead height.
 
both barrels?

we are talking about a over under double right? are both bent? very strange how are you measuring this looking at the out side or looking down through the barrel?
BB
 
Some shotguns are made with stocks off set slightly,(cast off) usually for right handed shooters to be able to line up their eyes with the barrels. I've never seen a factory stock set up for lefty's but it is done on custom stocks. This may be what you are seeing. If so it is made that way on purpose.
 
I wouldn't think a Stoeger Condor has cast off. Chances are it's neutral. He could be looking at the taper of the barrels, maybe a slight swamp.
 
Your right, checked their website and no mention of castoff. But hey, it was a good guess. I had a Bakail for a while that had it, so it would not be unheard of for a budget gun to come with it.
 
Leaning a gun against a wall will not cause any barrel warpage. Unless someone damaged the barrel it was made with a slight bend. If it shoots where you point it, ignore the warp it makes no difference. My dad had a shotgun in his cabinet, Asked if i wanted it. I picked it up and put it to my shoulder, I bet it had a 1/2" warp in the barrels. I asked where he picked it up? Yardsale. Good place for it i said.
 
By the way when checking barrels, one does not use the outside conture as a reference.
Looking down the bore you will see reflections off of the sides very much like rings as long as the rings are concentric, your barrel is straight.
 
Don't concern yourself with barrel warp without supporting data from a patterning board. In other words, do both barrels hit where you aim?

Yes, supporting your gun horizontally by wall hooks can bend the barrel if you then apply a large enough load so as to exceed the barrel steel's elastic limits. However, it's more likely that you'll collapse a tube before you bend the barrels.

jaguarxk120's method of "seeing the concentric rings" works well.
 
Thank you for all your replies

Okay, thanks for all the replies

Yes, I did look down the barrels (it is an o/u), and the concentric rings don't line up. It definitely is slightly bent. And if it indeed was always like this--- as in my leaning it against the wall didn't warp it--- then I have shot with this and hit some clays on trap shooting, so it is working. However, I have yet to pattern this thing.

Thanks for letting me know that I won't ruin a gun by the way I position it. That helps a bunch (I can take the new shotgun out of the box now :) )
 
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