I need some help with borescope education

[MBTcustom]

Hello fellers.
I need some help. It is becoming increasingly necessary for me to have a borescope in my shop, but I just can't break off $850 for a Hawkeye at this point unless I sell something (Natalie asked me why I was looking at her that way LOL!)
I know I shouldn't go looking to cut corners and go cheap, but at this point, the most I could break off is $250, and I started wondering if that was enough to get me into something I could use.
I may be able to tell enough about what I am looking at with a slightly less quality image?
I found some borescopes on Amazon that are a flexible fiber optic with a 54 degree viewing angle (I assume that's just a wide angle, front facing lens.)

I know exactly how awesome a Hawkeye borescope is, but unfortunately, so does Hawkeye LOL!
Is there an alternative that will get me 4" down the barrel for less than $250?

If the answer is NO, then I'm cool with that. I'll just resign myself to being screwed for another year, but if there is an alternative, or a place to find a deal on something that will work, I sure would love to know about it, and I don't know who else to ask.

Thank you very much.

[mrvmax]

I do not have one but there are a couple cheaper ones http://www.provision100.com/ and this one http://www.larrywillis.com/

[lancem]

In my short amount of research into them the cost comes with the diameter, if you can use a 10mm objective end then you have a lot of cheap choices, go down to 5mm so you could actually used it in a bunch of things and no, you won't find anything for less than $250.

[Skipper]

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/borescope

[MBTcustom]

Thanks for the help fellers. Most of the ones on ebay are way too big to be used on a 5.56mm barrel, but there are a few that advertise 3.5mm scope diameter, and you just plug them into your smartphone and download a free app to view the image. I would gladly give them a try, but they still cost nearly $250. That's a chunk of change to be taking a chance on. I know the Hawkeye gives me a 90 degree image of the wall of the barrel and are amazingly detailed.

[cbrick]

Interesting links mrvmax posted. I've no experience with those scopes but if anyone does it would be interesting to hear about them.

I have the Hawkeye slim 17" kit. Used it for few years with the Mini Mag light that came with it and last year the flashlight gave it up and I popped the $95 for the LED light. Yowzer, yikes what a difference. One look with the LED made me realize that with the Mag light the scope was only barely useable, at least in comparison. At least a 500% improvement.

I just now looked at Gradient Lens web site & prices sure have gone up ordering direct. Midway though out of stock right now sells the kit (less LED light) for $770 while factory direct is $995. Midway didn't offer the LED light so that would be $95 from the factory.

Tim is right, for what he is doing a scope would be invaluable. For anyone that hasn't used one they are simply amazing for what you can learn about chambers, throats & bores. Even for just curiosity such as thinking your bore is clean . . . Wanna bet on that? I use mine a lot for checking throats & rifling leade, condition of rifling, for checking to see if or how much leading there might be & where any leading might start & end. I had terrible buyers remorse after I ordered mine and it lasted right up until the first bore I looked into. They are a profound educational tool for sure and they are very good at telling you things that maybe you don't want to know or at least were happier not knowing.

I bought a 26" octagon barrel Winchester 94 in 30-30 for cheap even though it is a beautiful rifle because nobody could get it to shoot. It leaded something horrible, here is what the borescope said the reason was. This was the start of the rifling and how it left the factory in 1967, this is the very first thing the boolit saw. A throating reamer made this a nice shooting rifle.



Let us know what you end up with Tim & how it works out for you.

Rick

[swheeler]

Looks like a 45* leade angle, maybe even steeper? Or maybe no throat at all just the end of chamber to 90* start of rifling? either cant be good

[TCLouis]

Three of us at work went in on a Hawkeye.

Don't know about others, the it is a dandy scope.

Caary whe you look down the barrel of something you thought was perfect.

Best barrel in my stable is a the 1886 Winchester.\

Obviously it saw no Black Powder, or it was cleaned after use.

[B R Shooter]

I too have the Hawkeye Slim Kit 17". Get the 90 degree adapter, or you're just looking down a tube, not the barrel surface. One word of caution, keep it away from cutting fluids or oils. The mirror on the 90 degree adapter is fragile. I use the mini mag light, and put an LED bulb in, works good.

[MtGun44]

I have used a Hawkeye for years, it is a truly quality instrument and will tell you a
lot about a barrel that is otherwise impossible to know. Another vote for slim 17"
with right angle mirror device, really necessary.

No idea how good the cheaper ones are, but I suspect you get what you pay for.

Bill

[MBTcustom]

I'm wrestling with a few choices. I just sold one of my pistols with the intention of buying a Ruger SBH (I really really want that gun), but now I'm thinking of adding more to it and getting a Hawkeye.
It's a hard choice, because the Hawkeye is not going to provide any direct returns, nor give me any enjoyment in my personal time at the range.
I know I get what I pay for, but dam this one bites!
Sacrifices must be made, but to have a SBH within reach, and then just turn your back on it to buy a fancy periscope is hard to do. Grrrrrr.

[cbrick]

Perhaps this will help you decide.

Is that Ruger you want in stock & available right now?

The cheapest place I know of for the Gradient Lens Hawkeye borescope kit is Midway. Midway is out of stock & no idea how long before they get any.

Ok, now which one do you want most? Hhmmm . . .

Rick

[cbrick]

Oopsie . . . I checked Midway a few days ago and they were out of stock. Just checked again now and they have them.

Back to square one huh?

Rick

[B R Shooter]

try Bruno's Shooters Supply, he has good prices.

[MBTcustom]

Thanks, I'll do that.

cbrick, I want both of them. But the reason I want them is vastly different and of opposing interests.

When I wear my gunsmithing hat, the need for a borescope is becoming more and more apparent, and I want to be able to see the throats I cut, so I want it badly.
From a personal standpoint as a booliteer and gun enthusiast, I have never owned a revolver that was worth a tinker's curse except that model 19 that I no longer possess. I have an oportunity to finally obtain something that I can learn from and shoot well with, it's in stock, dealer cost is attractive to say the least, and it's much less expensive than the borescope.
I need to make a decision soon, and I think I'm leaning towards the responsible choice.

[MBTcustom]

These are the cheapest ones, and thank you B R Shooter, for the tip. Looks like Brunos is the better cost.
Now, Please tell me if you fellers think this is the one for me.
It lookslike it's the same as the more expensive 17" slim but without the schnazy case.
Opinions appreciated.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-to...186-16104.aspx
http://www.brunoshooters.com/Merchan...de=HS17-LE-KIT

Thanks fellers.

[B R Shooter]

Wait a minute, mine was focus adjustable. The eye piece could be rotated to sharpen things up. Go to the
Gradient website, make sure what you want, then shop. I know my scope is adjustable.

[cbrick]

I need to make a decision soon, and I think I'm leaning towards the responsible choice.

So your getting the revolver huh?

These are the cheapest ones, and thank you B R Shooter, for the tip. Looks like Brunos is the better cost.
Now, Please tell me if you fellers think this is the one for me.
It lookslike it's the same as the more expensive 17" slim but without the schnazy case.
Opinions appreciated.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-to...186-16104.aspx
http://www.brunoshooters.com/Merchan...de=HS17-LE-KIT

Thanks fellers.

Neither of those scopes has the focus adjustment. The Brownell's does have the 90 degree attachment but not sure about the Bruno's as it really says nothing about it. Focus is important, if your looking in a large bore and the image is out of focus you can move the end of the tube further or closer (sideways) to the point you need to see, if your in a small caliber, 22 or 6mm for example you can't move the tube much to focus and your stuck with a blury image. Both Brownell's and Bruno's are fixed focus and I can't tell from Bruno's web page if it has 90 degree view, I don't think so but their web page is kinda useless. The 90 degree angle you really, really need, make sure it has the this feature.

Midway is still the better deal at $770 because you get - Side angle - Focusing - The case. The case is kinda important because these things are fairly fragile, the tube bends very easily and a bent tube is not covered under warranty. The mirror at the end of the tube is also vulnerable and needs to be protected.

Rick

[DCM]

Tim you can get a USB job for very low $ that will do 25 cal but not 22.
I personally own one of these it is not bad but is no where near as good as the hawkeye!

I would Strongly recommend the Hawkeye adjustable focus with 90 Deg mirror for what you do, I have 3 friends that have them and they are clear as can be. My cheapy may work for your revolver stuff for ~$50 but for a good look at stuff the Hawkeye wins hands down.

[MBTcustom]

See there?
This is exactly why I ask from those who are in the know!
I didn't think the 90* viewer was an important feature (oh, you must mean the 90* mirror tip, and not the 90* eyepiece?), and I had no idea about the focus.
Never even seen one of these citters before, so I don't know where to shoot em.
Thanks for the advice!
SO how about THIS one?
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/303...ProductFinding