Borescope

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Julian D
Posts: 224
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:42 am
Location: Mackay

Borescope

#1 Postby Julian D » Tue Oct 17, 2017 4:30 am

Has anyone got any info on the borescopes that the Q store sells ?

How do they compare to a hawkeye ?

Steve N
Posts: 462
Joined: Tue May 14, 2013 8:16 pm
Location: Gippsland Victoria.

Re: Borescope

#2 Postby Steve N » Tue Oct 17, 2017 6:52 am

I use a Lyman Borecam that I find does a great job. Excellent for seeing how clean the barrel is and its condition once you get used to interpreting what you're looking at. Haven't used the others so can't really compare but this is easy to use and can capture picture for future reference etc.
Steve

johnk
Posts: 2211
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 7:55 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Borescope

#3 Postby johnk » Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:24 am

I'm happy with my Generic Hawkeye, particularly since I found that a Hawkeye 90 degree attachment fits it.

https://www.q-store.com.au/collections/ ... mm-x-620mm
Last edited by johnk on Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

pjifl
Posts: 883
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:15 pm
Location: Innisfail, Far North QLD.

Re: Borescope

#4 Postby pjifl » Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:03 am

I recently saw a BoreCam in action and found it distinctly worse than a good traditional BoreScope.
That is not to say it was no good, but the quality of the image disappointed me.
I believe most of the difference is in the dynamic range of the camera and software used.
The nature of a view of metal produces many bright highlights which were seen as flared streaks with little detail compared to the eyeball view through the borescope.
I am sure BoreCams exist that overcome these problems but suspect they are a lot more expensive.
I am not saying the BoreCam was useless but one would need to assess the images from the BoreCam differently.

Because of this, I would urge you to see both side by side before buying.

Peter Smith.

sncltu
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2014 12:16 pm

Re: Borescope

#5 Postby sncltu » Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:55 pm

As the owner of a Lyman BoreCam I would agree pretty much with what pjifl has to say on the matter.
That being said though there is a lot of useful information to be had from what one sees on the BoreCam monitor.
Pitting and tool marks are easily identified. So too the condition of the chamber, neck and leade. You'll see everything that needs to be seen in these areas quite clearly.
And picking up fire cracking both in and forward of the throat is not a problem either. Plus copper picked up by that cracking is easily identified. No problem at all.

Pjifl is spot on about the reflecting highlights. These do make picking up copper nodes and copper laid down from the plasma condensate somewhat difficult and the resolution doubtless cannot compare with the fully optical instrument. All things considered though the BoreCam is a fit for purpose utility item that does everything that a rifleman will ever need a borescope to do and it will do it at an affordable price.

Back in the 60's and 70's surgical procedures were being performed with optical borescope instruments like the Hawkeye. The BoreCam isn't up to that standard. It's good but it's not that good. But then it doesn't need to be.

Julian D
Posts: 224
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:42 am
Location: Mackay

Re: Borescope

#6 Postby Julian D » Tue Oct 17, 2017 4:07 pm

Thank you gents, Hawkeye it is, someone said to me this morning, buy once cry once ........ I am now balling my eyes out !

They are not cheap, but hopefully it is a good investment, and in time, I can understand what I am seeing.

Pommy Chris
Posts: 441
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Borescope

#7 Postby Pommy Chris » Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:25 am

I bought the Lyman and image is good. You can adjust brightness too which can help with image. I dont know if all are equal quality, but mine I can see tooling marks, copper, carbon and fire cracking. Maybe image quality is better on a Hawkeye, but I can see all I need with the much cheaper Lyman.
Chris

6.5x55ai
Posts: 266
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:21 pm
Location: Waikato NZ (Ex Tyabb)

Re: Borescope

#8 Postby 6.5x55ai » Thu Oct 19, 2017 10:46 am

Julian D wrote:Thank you gents, Hawkeye it is, someone said to me this morning, buy once cry once ........ I am now balling my eyes out !

They are not cheap, but hopefully it is a good investment, and in time, I can understand what I am seeing.


I cried once and got the Hawkeye. I should though, have had an utter total weap, and got the right angled attachment as well at the same time. The extra cost to get it inclusive, on reflection now was not that great. At US $225 or thereabouts to buy seperate now it just aint gonna happen. Regretted ever since.
Yeah, there is a bit of learning plus retraint from panicking needed when finding "blemishes". I think the Hawkeye is 30x so tiny things look enormous. I have also got over using it all the time like taking it to club days and checking the barrel between ranges :D Someone somewhere suggested gunsmiths have made a killing on recommending new barrels to customers based on viewing with a Hawkeye. (Apologies to the forum gunsmiths.)
Never regretted the purchase though and the expense at the time is now just a distant memory.


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