Is it the original barrel?

by Hoot , Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Monday, February 17, 2014, 12:54 (3938 days ago) @ cas

My fear, when I bought it, was the original barrel was rechambered (probably set back and rechambered) and I would be fighting a ~.314" bullet vs. a ~.32x" bore. I slugged it when I got home using a .314" Hornady swaged bullet and it looked like I wasn't getting a full impression so I went to a .324" cast 8mm bullet which I proceeded to stick in the muzzle. A handful of situation-appropriate words later had it through the barrel and with the same look of 'not a full impression'. Both slugs measure an identical .309-.3095".

A look down the bore shows it both smooth and bright and what I believe was the source of my confusion. Near as I can tell, it's a 2-groove Springfield(?) barrel. What was confusing me was the uber-wide grooves and lands.

I shot a dozen or so of the Hornady bullets off-hand (no rest that day--dull story) and it looks like it ought to shoot. The forearm is held on by a very loose cross pin so I expect that doesn't help. The original cool Martini rear sight has been mounted along with a more modern ramp front. Not sure how the issue sights looked but boy! have we got some daylight around the front.

If it shows promise, some new wood will probably be in the plan. If it doesn't work out, rebarreling isn't out of the question....and then new wood.

I've seen a couple of those little 'pocket doubles' advertised...I think .22 Hornet and a .357. Very, very cool shooters but waaaay out of the realm of affordability for me.