I got took!

[MikeR]

I guess it happens to everyone who trades guns/barrels eventually.  I received a .38 SPL octagon barrel as part of a recent trade (not from anyone here).  The barrel was exceptionally ugly, ie really bad finish, but I was assured that it was a good shooter.  Got the barrel for about $80 so I decided to take the risk.  Finally took it to the range today.  When I examined the fired brass from my first three shots I discovered that all three rounds were very badly bulged.  Looks like there is a real problem with the chamber.  I'll never get the guy I traded with to take it back - and I sure won't do business with him again.  Anything I can do to salvage some use from this barrel?

[Robert]

Maybe a 358 JDJ? 357 Maximum?  anything with a bigger chamber.  One thing to consider...if it is eroded, possibly it can be re-cut...but if it is 'ringed' (bulged out from too hot of a load), it is very unlikely that anyone will touch it.

[Graycg]

I think your only safe bet is to rechamber it to 357/44 bain and davis or 356 GNR, they are based on 44 mag and 41 mag cases, they will clean up the chamber as they are both wider than the 38 special.  
   The other choice is to send it back to TC and see if they can do anything for you.  They are usually very good about repairs.

regards,
 Graycg

[MikeR]

I was wondering about the Thompson Center option.  Will they help out with a situation like this where I bought a very used barrel that has probably been thru several owners?

[myronman3]

it is worth a try.  my brother bought a used muzzleloader from a pawn shop that wouldnt group for beans.  so he sent it to thompson (with a full explaination of how he came to own it) and asked if they could do anything to fix it.  he offered to pay for anything they could do to help.  they re-crowned the gun and sent it back to him free of charge.   so you never know.  i would say you have to try, but be prepared to be reasonable.   it might cost you something, but at this point i dont think you have much to lose.

[MikeR]

You're right - I guess it's worth a shot.

[jeff223]

Mike did you get this barrel from someone off the net?i ordered my G2 frame last week but i didnt order a barrel yet.i had some offers from several people here to sell me some barrels.i find it very hard for me to buy something from someone you dont know and to buy something sight unseen.these barrels might be great shooters and maybe not but the prices asked for these barrels  were at or near the  full retail price of a new one.i sure cant figure that one out?at least you didnt get hooked fot $200.00 or so.

like the others said you may be able to have it rechambered to something else or TC might be able to help you out some.

this should be a lessen for all the others here.BUYERS BEWARE

sure sorry to here about this

[MikeR]

I got this one locally from a small gun shop I'd never dealt with before.  I should have known better, but I'd always wanted a .38 Special barrel and this one seemed to be worth a try, even if it did look a little rough.  Of all the used guns (and barrels) I've bought, and I've bought a few, this is the first time I've bought one that is just outright bad.  I do feel better only losing $80 versus $180 or more.  You know jeff223 I share your reluctance to buy thru the net, but I've found that most people selling on the web (at least here) are pretty honest and you usually do very well.  Of course, there are the occasional bad apples everywhere.  

The cases were all bulged on one side starting just above the rim and running up the case.  It was pretty bad - can't believe it took me three fired cases to notice it.

[MikeR]

Nothing looks odd just eyeballing the chamber under a good light.  I don't have any way to take a picture right now, think I'll just send the barrel and brass to TC and see what they think - might be something they can do.

[Jim Stacy]

I think that is your best bet . If the barrel is defective AKA ruined and you spend money to rechamber it it might still not work and you would be out a rechamber job as well as a set of custom dies . Try TC first they have always been very good to deal with and they can make you a barrel from Fox Ridge if they want . I believe Ed has a 38 spl barrel also. Good luck sorry to hear you got took post the name of who you bought it from to keep other people from making the same mistake.

[haroldclark]

I agree with Stacy.  I have bulged a barrel before and once it bulges, it is bulged on the outside as well as in the barrel or chamber.  

If that is the case, I wouldn't even consider re-chambering it.

My money is on Thompson Center doing something for you.  You never know.

I'll tell you a story about what you would never expect.  I owned a Dillon 550 reloading machine when it first came out.  Then I bought another one that sat in the garage for a year and needed to be taken apart and lubricated.   I couldn't get the usual pin out of the camming mechanism by tapping with a punch.  Un-be-known to me (I didn't read the directions, you can bet) on the newer model an allen screw had been added to that pin to prevent movement.

I got down and dirty with it on the concrete floor and a 3 pound short handle sledge.  I cracked the main housing for the ram.  Cracked it SEVERELY.  Well, Crap.

Next day after I regained my composure, I call Dillon and confessed my sins.  I asked if I could just buy the major part of the machine.  

Dillon sent me a new one that day at no cost.  Whoaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like I said before, you just never know.  

Harold Clark

[MikeR]

Dillon is a great company and obviously their no BS guarantee is just that.  I've never had a major (or minor) problem with my Dillon 550, but it's nice to know they fully stand behind it - even when damaged by operator error.  When a company goes the extra mile for you they deserve your continued patronage.

 I'm going to take one more shot (so to speak) at the guy who sold me the barrel and see if we can reach some agreement, but I know where he stands and I don't see much hope there.  If that doesn't work I'll see if TC has any ideas, but I really shouldn't expect them to bail me out on a deal like this.

[haroldclark]

You do know that Thompson will replace a barrel or frame if you wear it out or stretch the frame with hot loads.  I wouldn't want to put money on it, but my bet would be on Thompson helping you out.  

I have seen many stretched frames replaced and one barrel that was totally worn out.  it was a 10" and upon request for a 14" instead, they replaced it with the 14" with a no questions asked.

I wrote them a letter explaining everything.  I would write a letter to Thompson with your true story and not try to BS them.  That seems to work with most gun manufacturers.

I have another story.  I bought a used 444 Marlin Texas in 1985.  I really like the gun, but it didn't go over well with most Marlin people.  It had a 24" round barrel, a half magazine and a Monte Carlo hump on the stock.  It is still to this date my most accurate rifle in my battery at 100 yards.  

I literally wore out the throat.  Our local gunsmith didn't want to tackle a barrel replacement on it.

I called Marlin and talked to a very nice lady and explained my problem.  She says that they will replace my barrel for $150.  I sent it to them so fast it left a vapor trail behind it.

About 10 days later, the gunsmith called me and advised that the new barrel would be 22", as they don't make my barrel anymore, with Ballard 6 groove rifling and a 1 in 20" twist.  However, he would have to replace the fore end and cap and the magazine tube.  Did I want the fore end checkered or plain.  Did I want my old parts?  I did.  The old fore end had hand checkering that matched the checkering on the butt stock.  I wasn't ready to turn loose of it yet.  (My old barrel was a 1 in 38" twist and I really wanted a faster twist.)


I was near panic when I asked how much that was going to cost.  He says "Well, I showed this rifle to my foreman and he said charge him $75.00 plus shipping.  

My total cost was $85.00 including shipping for the gun and another box for my old parts.  

I told them in my letter of instructions that I had fired 3,374 rounds through it with fast burning powder and cast bullets and that is probably eroded the throat.   They didn't care since i wore it out from use and not abuse.  I think it pays to be honest with them and they will treat you well.

I wish you the best of luck.

Harold Clark

[Flash]

Sure, go through T/C unless you want to throw the barrel through the seller's front window. I purchased a well used contender in 7mmTCU. Before taking it home, I had the gun shop send it back to T/C for a safety needing repair. Voila, a new Contender frame and a letter of appology for not being able to fix it. Who knows what T/C will do to keep their customers happy, especially with the Contender frames no longer available.