Comparison of 3 chambers

[ssgross]

I have 3 lee enfields, all No. 4's. The newest to me is also the newest. I bought it still mummy wrapped. The bolt handle had worn its way out of the wrapper, the area around the serial and the muzzle had been peeled back for inspection at some point long ago. When I got it home, I gently put my cheap borescope down the muzzle end to take a look. the first couple inches were "dry", but the rest of the barrel was full of cosmoline. I carefully cleaned just the first couple inches to make sure that what I saw there wasn't dried cruddy cosmoline. Indeed, it was light surface rust. The exposed bolt handle didn't look new anymore either. So I decided I would unwrap it, clean it up, and shoot it. I haven't shot it yet, and thought I would post for posterity what a factory new chamber looks like, compared to wartime use and heavy cordite erosion.

Here is the first and worst. First two pics are at the start of lands. Max length to ogive (Hornady 150gr used) is 2.583. The base of the bullet just barely remains in the case mouth
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Next up is my first enfield...named Doug after the soldier who seems to have scratched/doodled his name in the butt. Max length to ogive is 2.484. bore looks better than the outside faired over the years...saw some service in the wet places.
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Last...a brand new unfired rifle. Max length to ogive is 2.477. Not the bad chatter marks when the freebore area was cut.
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I've shot reasonably good groups with the first 2 rifles and hand loads, but haven't taken the new one out yet.

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