EABCO: the ugly, hidden truth

[sunnysmarine]

I'll bet there's a jig that goes on to drill and tap and I suspect that they might use a 4-hole jig and move it forward or back to get the other two holes. That would explain things if there was a burr or two under the jig when it slid backward or forward. But not if it was blued after DT process.

The pattern definitely looks like what would happen at the edges of a puddle of excess locktite. There's no reason any of that should be corrosive in any way. There could be another solvent or compound involved.

I have had the same issue on several different manufactures barrels, Like Bobby I dont want the base installed I have a proven way of doing things atleast in my own mind. I do remove every one especially if it was a used barrel with no history, Clean the threads and bottom of each hole completely and apply just a tiny dab of purple loctite I still cant see a reason to flood the whole base I have heard why some do it but not for me. Luckily the ugly is hidden and after a few months well these days a few days I forget any way.

The brass on the other hand, I have had oddities show up like this when really moving a lot of metal, I think some of it is the inconsistency of the brass from when or how the shoulder was initially formed, I do believe that EABCO uses a hydraulic forming die no proof just speculation. When I have used their brass I do anneal it before the first loading fire it then fix it if needed. Defently not fully formed ready to go brass.

[D. Sanders]

I've seen white/bare lines like that on blue jobs where all the oil wasn't removed. I'm betting that there was a touch of cutting fluid left in those holes. It doesn't take but a microscopic amount to do something like that.

[Bobby Tomek]

I've seen white/bare lines like that on blue jobs where all the oil wasn't removed. I'm betting that there was a touch of cutting fluid left in those holes. It doesn't take but a microscopic amount to do something like that.

That was my suspicion as well once I thought it over. There had to be some contaminant preventing the bluing from adhering. It just floors me that they'd send out a barrel in that condition.