Picked up a replacement '03 barrel before checking here!

:crying: OK, so I bought a '44 USMC Sedgley surplus barrel at a local gun show BEFORE I checked here! It looked fine when I inspected the bore & gauged the muzzle & throat. So, now I've been checking and have seen the posts here about the de-milled barrels that made it into the surplus market. I'm pretty sure I bought one! I ran a lead slug down the barrel, and I noticed resistance about 1/2 way down from the muzzle. I checked the slug, and it's .307 across the grooves & .300 across the lands. Opinions? I assume that's within spec for a unused barrel? So, I guess as long as the barrel is straight, it should be OK to use? Of course, I'll be working with a qualified gunsmith if I use it.

So...has it been welded back together in the middle or what?

Many Sedgley USMC barrels were de-milled by bending prior to bring sold for scrap. I also fell for an ad and bought one after being assured it was 'new'. Based on a letter to Winchester from Sedgley complaining about the price quoted for barrels, I believe the Sedgley USMC barrels were made under sub-contract by Winchester.

De-milled by bending. Job done in the Philippines and lots of Sedgley barrels seem to show up. Guys have been "unbending" them for years. I had one years ago and sold it to friend who wanted it as a bent barrel. I would not use it and would take it back to the seller.

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Originally Posted by BobinNJ

:crying: OK, so I bought a '44 USMC Sedgley surplus barrel at a local gun show BEFORE I checked here! It looked fine when I inspected the bore & gauged the muzzle & throat. So, now I've been checking and have seen the posts here about the de-milled barrels that made it into the surplus market. I'm pretty sure I bought one! I ran a lead slug down the barrel, and I noticed resistance about 1/2 way down from the muzzle. I checked the slug, and it's .307 across the grooves & .300 across the lands. Opinions? I assume that's within spec for a unused barrel? So, I guess as long as the barrel is straight, it should be OK to use? Of course, I'll be working with a qualified gunsmith if I use it.

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To me that would stop me from using it.

Take it back to the seller. That guy knew what he was selling to you.

I've got one and it's fine, do the drill bit thing and see rather than speculate.

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Originally Posted by Randy A

I've got one and it's fine, do the drill bit thing and see rather than speculate.

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What length drill bit did you use?

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Originally Posted by BobinNJ

What length drill bit

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I made a straightness gauge for this sort of thing. Then it comes out at exactly the right size and about four inch minimum. I tapped a hole for a cleaning rod too, for using it to do straightening jobs, not just dropping through. A drill bit isn't quite right, no matter which numbered size you use...

Not all Sedgely USMC-marked '03 barrels were demilled. Thousands were sent to foreign allies who had received '03 rifles as military assistance; these were used as spares when the rifles were refubished in foreign arsenals. It is quite common to find them on CMP Springfields returned from Greece.

M