I Done Think I Bulged My Barrel (Beretta 92 .22LR Conversion)

[Suvorov]

A few range sessions ago I was running some "odds and ends" old ammo through my Beretta 92 .22LR conversion slide when I had a malfunction. I chambered a new round and it fired resulting in an abnormal amount of "blow back" to the face. The pistol kept chugging along and I didn't pay much attention to it. Yesterday I decided the pistol deserved a cleaning. As I was cleaning the barrel I noticed what appeared to be a bunch of lead about half way down but after some good scrubbing with a wire bore brush it just wouldn't come clean. That's when I took a closer look and noticed that the rifling seems warped at that section. Recalling my "malfunction" a few weeks prior made me wonder if the malfunction was caused by a squib round I did not detect and the next round I fired pushed the squib out, bulged my barrel, and gave me a face full of crud? I think I can feel a bulge close to where the line is and the barrel is not perfectly straight at the point so I see no other possibility.

Below are some photos to illustrate:





So my questions for the hive mind are:

1) Is this in fact a bulged barrel or is it some sort of manufacturing technique or defect?

2) If it is a bulged barrel and most likely my fault, would Beretta "hook me up" or am I on the hook for another barrel?

3) Is it even a big deal or something to worry about? The pistol's accuracy and reliability seem unaffected by the suspected damage and I would figure that by the time the bullet reached the suspect area of the barrel, it has already begun it's spinning and is unlikely to really be affected. Maybe a little more gas might slip around? There is plenty of thick barrel material surrounding the bore since it is the dimensions of a 9mm barrel with a .22LR bore - I seriously doubt the barrel is structurally compromised. Am I missing something?

[JCN]

Do you own a caliper? Might be worth measuring to see if there is a bulge.

[Suvorov]

Do you own a caliper? Might be worth measuring to see if there is a bulge.

No, but I do have a micrometer which should work. Reminds me, I need to get a digital caliper........... If only there was a thread on this forum about them

[Jim Watson]

Sure looks ring-bulged.
I don't know what Beretta will do but the gun remains usable.

[HTM]

As I have posted before. Bulged barrels are the result of an under charged squibbed bullet getting stuck in the barrel and a fully charged being fired behind it. Often but not always both bullets exit the barrel. The pressure developed between the two bullets in the barrel at once produces the gas ring and thus, the bulge.

Most gun manufacturers see this as an ammo issue (which it is) and not a manufacturing issue. When this happens with .22 the issue multiplies because of the manufacturing process hundreds of rounds will be affected and dispersed over a particular “lot” of ammo.

In addition modern cold hammer forged barrels are generally stronger as a result of proper heat treating and the forging process compared to many, not all, aftermarket barrels that are stainless steel which often separate and or peel open. The pressure has to go somewhere.

I always save lot numbers just in case because you can get help from the reputable ammo companies to when fixing or replacing your gun.


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[farscott]

I would shoot groups on paper with the barrel. If it groups, keep using it as there is no safety concern. If it patterns, time for a new barrel. While the ammo company is responsible, without evidence of which rounds did it, that is likely a dead end.

If you have to buy another barrel, the good news is Beretta runs enough 40% sales so that the pain is not too bad. The threaded barrel is available at https://www.berettausa.com/en-us/ber...readed-barrel/

[BILLG]

I would shoot groups on paper with the barrel. If it groups, keep using it as there is no safety concern. If it patterns, time for a new barrel. While the ammo company is responsible, without evidence of which rounds did it, that is likely a dead end.

If you have to buy another barrel, the good news is Beretta runs enough 40% sales so that the pain is not too bad. The threaded barrel is available at https://www.berettausa.com/en-us/ber...readed-barrel/

The ammo company is not at fault for your actions.It is your responsibility to make sure you bbl is free from obstructions before firing.
It is the ammo companies responsibility for the squib.
Pay attention to what you are doing.

[Eyesquared]

The ammo company is not at fault for your actions.It is your responsibility to make sure you bbl is free from obstructions before firing.
It is the ammo companies responsibility for the squib.
Pay attention to what you are doing.

When you're truly going fast you can try to "pay attention" all you want but it may or may not save you from a squib. I've seen several squibs at matches and most of the time the shooter doesn't realize they've squibbed until the RO yells for them to stop.

[farscott]

The ammo company is not at fault for your actions.It is your responsibility to make sure you bbl is free from obstructions before firing.
It is the ammo companies responsibility for the squib.
Pay attention to what you are doing.

In theory, yes, the shooter should know the barrel is clear. But when shooting fast on the clock, the second round is on the way before the mind notes the report was wrong. Too late to stop the trigger press.

[diananike]

I had so much lead built up in my G44 from firing Remington thunderbolts that it went smoothbore
I think if I hadn’t noticed the keyholing I would have been in the same boat as you
Personally I would just confirm it still shoots well and then not worry about using it.
Tiny little groups at long range are not a .22 handguns specialty. Shooting timed combat simulation drills for cheaper then our duty/carry guns are and don’t require much in the way of accuracy.