New Winchester Super Grade Barrel Problems

Bad Barrel is the Smoking Gun?

  • Yes

    Votes: 2 100.0%

  • No, it's something else

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    2
Reg26

Reg26

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I just received a brand new Winchester Model 70 Super Grade in 338 Win Mag, stainless steel. I took her to the range yesterday for the first shots and to zero the scope. While I could get it on paper, I could not get it to group at all. Shots were completely random within about a 6 inch range at 100 yards. I figured something had to be loose but didn't find anything. I ran my borescope up the barrel today to check it out and this is what I found at the muzzle and at the throat.

I assume this would explain things and that she'll be going back to Winchester for warranty replacement, but thought I would get the group's thoughts on this. I've already sent these to my authorized Winchester Repair Center gunsmith.
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Yikes!
 
No matter what else could be wrong, that barrel needs attention. Get that addressed and you are probably done.
 
Well crap. Based on this I went and checked a couple of other recent Winchester purchases that are still unfired. One is a 300 Win Mag in regular blued steel barrel. The muzzle and throat are immaculate.

I also checked my new Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS in 6.8 Western and you would swear it is the twin of the 338. Is it a stainless steel problem or their stainless steel barrel supplier problem? I assume that the blued steel barrels are made at the same place.
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There’s no question the barrel is bad. I thread, chamber and crown all of my own competition guns and some for friends.
I recently bought a used gun that shot no better than 2 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. I decided to do an experiment. I took the barrel off and lapped it. Re-shot the gun with the same loads. Now 1 3/4” groups. Took the barrel back of cut off 1/4” at the muzzle ( it wasn’t as bad as yours but noticeably damaged) and recrowned it. Now 1” groups. I was surprised at how much the new crown improved the rifles performance.
Winchester should cover that no questions asked. Keep us posted and good luck.
 
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