Sako barrel failure

B

Boe

Member
I had a client stop by the shop with this rifle A Sako Finnlight 7mm Mag. The rifle has only had about 40 rounds fired since he purchased the rifle new. He said the shot fairly well in the beginning then began to shoot worse and worse, 10-12 in groups before the barrel failed.


At first glance, you would think there was something in the barrel. The client assured me there was not. He told me he had just cleaned the bore and had fired 4 shots in the group when the 5th split the barrel straight down the flutes. He was shooting factory ammo.

It seems to me I remember Sako having a barrel problem a few years ago. The client called and they said this was not one of them

I ask if he felt anything in the barrel while pushing patches down thw bore just before it failed. Answer No

After taking a close look at the bore it had radial stress cracks towards the muzzle.

Any opinions? Boe


sako barrel 001.jpg
 
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It sure looks like a couple I've seen lately where the customer left a laser bore sighter in when firing. Both of them were Rem.
Bobby
 
It looks like the barrel definitely burst a couple inches back from the muzzle and may have started right at the termination of a flute, then split it back from there. Wonder if the increasingly poor accuracy had something to do with that point in the bore swelling a bit until if finally burst? OR he had a borescope in the muzzle as stated and doesn't want to tell anyone. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt though.
 
One other thing I noticed, The barrel had burst in a twisting action at the muzzle were as the rest of the barrel split straight almost to the chamber. I wonder what the chances were that the 4th round never cleared the bore. He indicated that towards the end some of the bullets would not hit the paper, I ask him about that , He said the 4th shot felt and sounded the same as the rest. I have seen a few barrels come apart but not like this one. Boe
 
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The front portion split along the weakest point (in the groove of the rifling) hence the 'twisted' portion. Along the back portion the barrel also separated along the weakest point but that was straight along the flutes. Must have been a very weak portion near the muzzle as that sure looks like where it started, but from what is anyones's guess.
 
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