# photograph rifle barrel



## Roquer (Apr 28, 2010)

anyone have any idea on how to photograph the inside of a rifle barrel?  I'd like to be able to photograph wear on the breech end of the barrel. 
There are 2 problems that I can see: 1)There isn't any room for a light inside the breech end & a camera as well.  (2) A light shown at the muzzle end would wash out any photograph from the breech end.
Thanks in advance,
Roquer


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## Derrel (Apr 28, 2010)

Try a fiber optic probe inserted into the barrel's muzzle end. Failing that, you could use a time exposure to show the wear and or damage...the camera will "build up" the light as long as the shutter is open long enough. Is the action out of the stock? Can you get the camera lens right in line with the chamber, so you can aim straight down the bore, or will you need to shoot into a mirror?

Could you try a small lucite rod or some bundles of fishing line, wrapped in aluminum foil from the flash head to the muzzle, and thus make your own type of fiber optic probe? The depth of field is going to be pretty shallow in a single-photograph images, so I think you actually **could** shine some light into the barrel from one end, and have a decent-looking photograph, even with flash or constant illumination coming in from the muzzle end of the barrel.

You might just try making a snoot out of aluminum foil and just wrapping that around the muzzle, and blasting all that light right down the barrel, and setting the camera up at the breech end of the barrel and shooting flash exposures at a small f/stop like f/13 or so...let us know how it works out, okay?


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## Joves (Apr 29, 2010)

Do it the same way you check the bore, with a piece of white paper at the end. You can vary the intensity of the light by moving it around from a well lit area to a less lit area. You may have to shoot a few to get what you want but it should work.


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## erichards (Apr 29, 2010)

Another option is that they do make a camera (it's like a small camera on a stick), that is used to check for wear and tear on rifle barrels.  However, it's pricey.
We use one at my non photo job and could check it out for you if you'd like.


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## table1349 (Apr 29, 2010)

Barring getting your hands on a flexible colonoscope from your local Proctologist,   I would agree with Darrell.  Some sort of fiber optic light source to illuminate the barrel.


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