Possibly safe, possibly not.... Is that possible ? I guess that means not safe, eh ? :hmm: .... never have a issue with one exactly as you describe it.
But for myself, I would change the barrel because I would know the barrel was bulged there. If it measures few thousands dif on the outside & you can feel it on the inside, Yes, it has repositioned metal there & IS bulged, even if ever so slightly. Could be several reasons.... Either you didn't get the ball down all the way on the charge, or the ball moved after you loaded it & I had this happen to me once.
I have a rifle that was given to me as a gift. I was loading it with a vent pick in the vent too tight one time, on a .40 cal. Loaded & sat it there on against the bench with the RR in it & out of the corner of my eye, thought I saw the RR move. I am thinking to myself "What the H. did I really see that ?" I checked & found the ball & RR had come up about 3" off the charge. Shoved it back down, it slowly came right back up ! :shocked2: Took the vent pick out & shoved it down again.. This time it stayed. That was the last time I loaded with a vent pick tight in the vent hole. How many times I had loaded that rifle like this & the ball moved, I don't know. Maybe once, maybe dozens of shots. But I found out cleaning it that night the barrel had a loose spot in it. You cannot see it on the outside, but you can feel it. Now it is a Colerain barrel & I have 4 of the ? 25 or so barrels I have used over the years that had loose spots in them. The others I sent back to Colerain & they replaced them with no issues. I don't know if this one had it originally, or I caused it.
But on my rifle, I have miced it dozens of times, straight edges & etc, and it is definitely not on the outside, so I think it was that way when it was made.... But it has always left me leery tho & I have not shot it for over 10 years, cause I won't shoot a barrel I am unsure of. I even have a new barrel to go in it, just have not took the time to replace it. Very good chance it was always this way & I am thinking this is the case, and maybe the ball actually moved because of the loose spot made the bore not as tight there & easier for the ball to move in that area ? :hmm: .. All I know is it DID move & I will never be comfortable shooting it as it is.
Back to your barrel...... Also, good chance you will get fouling buildup at this loose spot in the bore, as you could get blowby at this area when the ball goes past it. Less wall pressure on the ball/patch there could let gases escape at this point & cause fouling buildup.
Shortening the barrel involves allot of things. You can install a new barrel for almost the same procedure as you have to move the breechplug, underlugs, sights, etc. Can replace the barrel about as easy, but now have the cost of a new barrel. Velocity on one doesn't mean much to me on one, as most of my hunting shots are under 75 yards & for the hunting I do I don't need allot of velocity. I am looking for shot placement more than velocity if I can acquire the grouping I want. Second thought would be looks, balance, etc.
But as for using it as it is, several have told me they do it. But I personally would be uncomfortable with it & would cut it down or replace it.
Also, one should keep in mind... Not you because you are asking for opinion of it being safe..... but some guys always put Cost first, safety second....
Safety should always... come first as you seldom regret being safe first.
You can regret putting cost first.
You are doing it right asking about the safety of it, IMHO, that is the correct way of approaching it.
Keith Lisle
