Borescope reviews?

JDBraddy

New member
Am considering getting a bore scope for personal use. Any good ones out there at a more reasonable price than the $700 Hawkeye?
 
If you chamber or even maintain several barrels a Hawkeye is worth the investment but for just an occasion look, I'd get your gunsmith look at it then ask him to let you look.
 
Borescopes

They are exspensive...BUT..... once you have one... you will realize what a valuable tool they are.And wonder how you got along w/o one.....
Word of advice..........Given to be by another hawkeye owner.......... if you have a good shooting favorite gun..... don`t scope it til it gives you trouble.... what you see may make you forever doubt the gun there after......
bill larson
 
The Hawkeye is great. you won't know what clean is until you get one.

One thing I would add is an LED replacement for the light. The Hawkeye uses a modified Mini Maglite and the brightness is terrible. Hawkeye sells a really expensive light upgrade for the Mini Mag. The cheaper solution is a drop-in replacement LED module for $16. You will get a bright white regulated light. Amazon has them here:

http://www.amazon.com/TerraLUX-TLE-...6&sr=8-2&keywords=mini+mag+led+conversion+kit
 
I have a Hawkeye and I check every barrel I chamber. But.... I have never found anything to cause me concern. Yes you can check for copper with it and it's all very interesting looking at crappy factory barrels etc. Beyond that, now that I have one, I could certainly live without it. I too added a led bulb to the crappy Maglight flashlight they use. It is almost too bright now but a big improvement over the battery killing Maglight.
 
Hawkeye also. We have a complete setup for video and still photos also. The video light is realy bright.

For 15 years I have been using cheap fiber optics hooked up to a powerful flashlight. Then With a magnifier, I can look at the first 1" in the muzzle.

That is only 1", but it is a good sample. I can tell the descending difference in polish between a 1) Shilen select match, 2) stainless match, 3) chrome moly with hand lap option, and 4) plain old chrome moly.

And that last 1" of bore is a good sample for Copper fouling.

http://www.opticsplanet.com/underwater-kinetics-beamguide-fiber-optic-attachment.html

But I my kids do not need to inherit anything, so I should buy the Hawkeye.
 
One thing that does work and is almost free, get a tiny led that will fit down the barrel and then use your Optivisor. By moving in and out you will focus on different spots in the barrel and actually have a pretty good look at things. Not as good as a bore scope but no $$$ involved.
 
I am very curious about the Larry Willis scope also. I could justify one, but I don't think a Hawkeye is going to happen they are so fragile I think I would break it and Ive heard of losing the mirror on the Hawkeye.
 
The Willis type that you referenced. I have not direct experience with that particular unit but it is very similar to the various units that are being sold for automotive use.

I have tried several of those units, Snap-On and Matco. Both have unique features that allow you to take still pictures as well as voice over video. Only problem is that their screen resolution is not all that great. Also, in order to see the actual surface of the lands and grooves, you have to install a clip-on 90 degree mirror. I would check the diameter of the mirror and fiber optic probe and make sure it will fit down your bore.

The tool salesman indicated that you can hook-up the scope to a laptop for better resolution but I could not get the units I had to do that. Might have been me as I am not all that computer literate.

All that said, I purchased a Hawkeye with the 90 degree attachment and have been tickled ever since.

Bob
 
Hawkeye!!! I use mine every time I clean to be sure the carbon ring is gone. A friend paid big bucks for a fancy factory .223 with 5 lands. Short freebore and it would not shoot. I took a look and THERE was the main problem...The chamber was cut ?crooked? The lands started at different locations and when chambering a dummy round with the bullet .020 into the lands, the engraving were at 5 different locations! Returned the gun AND, replacement not much better, but he is happy. The LED light source is mandatory, just watch the intensity and clean the lenses regularly.
 
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