Dude, every time I see you do that with your cigar I feel like I can smell burning hair! Yes, counterbores were an acceptable fix for muzzle damage, OUTSTANDING!

I've had a barrel in that lathe and that makes me happy.

That's not rust , that's bore patina. Cool repair well done

I always love when people go:"Oh there is this guy who has been doing this for 40+ years, but I have done it once in a shed, so I clearly know better!"

Nice work. Nice equipment. You turned a wall hanger into a shooter.

To the critics. If he didn’t counterbore it, it’s just a wall hanger.

Another save. Outstanding work. Counterboring does not destroy accuracy. 9 Hole Reviews released a video today of a 91/30 Moisin shot to 500 yards with only 1 miss, and the bore was counterbored. Outstanding explanation Sir.

You gave this rifle a new start, what you did for this 100 some year old beautiful rifle was a blessing. Because of your hard work, this rifle will last another hundred years hopefully

The people complaining about "ruining" a historic piece are usually the ones responsible for it to be in such a bad condition in the first place. Having no idea how to do the proper maintenance and somehow believing that the accumulated gunk on it has historical value...I've seen so many guns which look nice on the outside but are rusted messes under the wood, it's a shame.

What a coincidence, 9Hole Review just posted a vid shooting a counter bored Mosin out to 800 yds!

People are so damn sensitive. Nothing about that job "ruined" that barrel. That job kept that rifle in the gene pool for the next 100 years. Well done gents!

I don't understand the hate towards counterboring the barrel. That is a legitimate arsenal repair made by all the arsenals of Europe and beyond during the time period this rifle was made. The muzzles wore out from being cleaned by steel rods and got counterbored. Not a big deal. Were it my rifle I might have recrowned it too but that's captain's choice on a job like this.

I think a lot of people having negative views of your work are probably just used to seeing the kind of idiots who don't know what they're doing destroy things based on the idea that everything old should be " improved " by bringing it to their perception of factory new condition. I hate when people do that to everything from a hammer or axe to a knife or a firearm. People need to learn the different between a rehabilitation and a restoration, and they need to understand that something is only new once.

I love watching a skilled lathe operator. Excellent work.

A lot of people forget that these are functional tools first and foremost, and are only worth scrap if they arent functioning properly. Those are the types of people who'll cringe at any maintenance and repair that isnt WD-40 and a barrel swab

The counter bore turns this "Hey, wanna see my Mauser?" into "Hey, wanna shoot my Mauser?" I imagine that there are a lot of machinists out there that would have run an indicator on the outside of the barrel at the muzzle, and called that good.

Counterboring was a normal practice during and after WWII during refurbishment, especially by the Finns with captured Russian rifles.

Great job. I'm glad you showed the time it takes to set up the machine. People don't realize how time consuming this is.

I did the same on a 1903 Springfield from 1933 where I assume soldiers in the past had worn out the front rifling completely away with poor cleaning routine. After counter boring and machining a new crown on it she shoots 100%.

People got mad over a counterbore? That's how a rifle like this would have been repaired by the German army to begin with. Some people are impossible to please. Gotta say, that's a beautiful piece, and the light pitting in the steel is very attactive. I kind of wish guns came out of the factory like that.

Don’t read the comments from the animals in the fields. You are amazing Sir.

What surprised me about this wasn't the fact that the barrel got counter bored. It was that, apparently, there are people who consider that "ruining" a gun. Years ago I was looking at Mosin Nagant rifles. Virtually every example that's not a Finnish rebuild and dates to before the 1930 redesign has a counter-bored barrel. Any country that needed servicable rifles, but couldn't afford to replace their entire inventory, did that.

Marvelous, thank you for showing and explaining such a fascinating technical work around, to make such a fine old rifle, safely shoot-able again. 👍

I just find watching you artists at work just so relaxing! Thanks, gents.

Mark, you are a friggin WIZARD! I've learned a lot from watching you, but in no way could I ever master the art of smithing like you have. You clearly are the "Master of 5 Magic's" God Bless.

Counter bore is the best call ! Very nice job Sir . Done that more than once or twice my self.

You make it look easy. But, that is fine work.

I have several Mosin 91s captured by the Finns. Almost all of them were counter bored, presumably by the Finns.

As Adam Booth would say, "Tighten your highs and loosen your lows"

Uncle Buba would have just upped the powder charge, he sure looked funny with that bolt sticking out of his head.

Ah parce qu'il y en a qui sont capable de critiquer ce travail !!!! Moi je ne me le permettrait pas. Mark est l un des meilleurs. Beau travail comme toujours

I love watching your videos on these old war rifles and sporting arms of the past! The way you take the time to dial in a 0.0001" to counter bore this beauty and restore the barrel to shooting condition is a work of art! I have seen a few rifles having this done, and you could tell it wasn't recent, and it has been fired quite a few times since, shows the process works!

There you go folks a True Master Gunsmith at work . nothing else needs to be said.

Brilliant job guys! I have a 303 with the same problem, I fired a few shots threw it after soaking in knoil. It worked a treat and it shoots lovely.

How is fixing a gun seen as destroying it? If it couldn’t have been fired then it’s a stick, you’ve given its life back! 🙏

Arsenals counter bore frequently. The condition of the throat and muzzle is critical. It’s harder to deal with throat erosion. But you can get a lot of life out of a barrel after a counter bore

Hey Mark, great content. I'm not particularly into guns, since I have no need for them, and by the end of the day they're just tools. but I do like old crap, history and mechanic ingenuity, and you deliver on all fronts.

Love watching and learning techniques of manual machining, i developed a great interest after going to work at a shop where i had to teach myself how to run a lathe with zero experience.

Preparation, knowledge and skill turning a wall hanger into a shooting rifle - what's not to like

The surgery was a success, Doctor Novak.

Such precise work. Who knew it would be fun to watch?

Nice work my friend. Most might have “thought” this was a SIMPLE fix but you did the best thing all around. Wonder how a mod 70 would stand up to that same setup? Hmmmm….

Your videos are very informative and flat amazing

I can hear the keyboard kaptain mouser wifle kollectors screaming from my house Mr Novak!

Thanks mark again for a great video, Man of many talents.

people would probably be shocked to learn how many of their milsurps have already been done this way....long ago

looks like you nailed the center line ,very nice work :)

the barrel IS the rifle. Every thing else is what make the barrel work.

Another one ready for duty, good stuff, No you did not ruin a relic, excellent job.

The cigar behind the ear... I'm dead. 🤣 I do the same thing with my carpenter's pencils and Sharpies. I even walk around with them like that sometimes. Wish I could stick a lit cigar up there, would make my job easier some days, but I work at a VA hospital. ☹️

Fantastic work, well worth it for a fine old rifle such as this.

Interesting. Mesmerizing. Precision. Mastery. Skills. More videos please.

A counterbore is literally just shortening the barrel without it being visibly shorter from the outside. That's all. As long as it's done correctly the only effect it will have is the same effect that would occur if you shorten the barrel by the same amount.

You’ve convinced me that I need to find a friend with a large lathe… it would be a pleasure. ;)

Beau travail ! Toujours intéressant de te regarder. Merci Mark

Thanks for the deep dive into this.

Good work, I've had to do a job similar to this. In my case, a round was lodged 3 inches near the end of the muzzle of a colt lightning in 22 that was completely rusted all through the bore. Saved most of the bore except that last 3 inches that had been plugged with a round+water+dirt+rust (Horrible storage on client side), discussed it with client and agreed to have the 3'' chopped. After that, indicated and re-crowned on lathe. Went to a range and the group at 20 yds was horrible, restoration for shootability was fine, performance not so much. Good job on your side

New life. Well done Mark.

Awesome Mark! Thanks again for your detail to details, Cheers! I'm lighting a cigar now, LOL

Facinating stuff thanks Mark

fantastic ......Great explanation

Master Gunsmith.

Thanks Mark. Wow very interesting and informative

Thanks for the walkthrough.

Thanks man! I learned something today. I never thought of using the steady rest in conjunction with the 4 jaw to zero the muzzle. I like the way you think.

Counterboring was reasonably common to save barrels on military rifles. When I imported a batch of Nagant rifles, there were more than a few with counter bores several inches deep as an example…

Very enjoyable episode Sir, thank you. Best Wishes to everyone.

I have seen a number arsenal refurbished Mauser rifles muzzles with their countered bored before they were put back in service.

Beautiful result.

THANK you Mark for another great video 👍👍👍👍

Very informative. I have a no1mark4* barrel that will get the same treatment. Guns not worth much but the experience gained in doing the repair will be worth the effort.

NICE JOB! That's a counterbore indeed!

It amazing watching a master at work great video

He’s right I’ve been screwed a few times by people because I didn’t check the bores right always bring a light and check that bore

Brilliant job!

My favorite channel.

People who question Mark abilities need to slow their roll. The man knows what he’s doing.

drill shanks are neat measuring tools, hole measuring, o ring grooves, centers.

Nice work!! I really like the wheel attachment on the micrometer I've never seen one before, I need to find one!!

Damn, that is REAL machining.

Awesome job!

Outstanding ... Again ! 😊

MASTERS at work!

Thanks for the video

It sucks having to do that to a rifle that otherwise appears to be in great shape but at least it is now can be safely shot

Smarter then me on this stuff , Thank Mark cool video.

My kingdom for a lathe!

Thanks for a “plain English” explanation of the lathe setup. I understand a lot of the work you do, but lathes go into a version of heavy lifting in your art I have never been able to wrap my head around.

Hello, that's a nice looking rifle. I once had an 1895 Chilean.

@Mark Novak you know if you didn't tell us that you counterbored the barrel, few people (if any) would've ever noticed it.

It's your gun Sir . Do whatever you please . Great work

Bought a auction rifle that had that done to it. It shoots great very accurate

Is what you did there essentially the same as chopping that much off the barrel and moving the front sight back? Basically gave it a new crown while preserving the overall appearance of the rifle?

I can’t stand folks who get poopy about fixing old guns, they are tools they were built to be used, not decorate a room with…

I would like to see what groups you get,I have a friend that was giving a Eddystone 30-06 like that.

Very good.

Awesome video thanks for sharing this information with us six stars sir

Nice one sailor. Appreciated. ✌🇦🇺

Mark Novak Turning counterbore into Counter-Boar.

Cool beans! If your made you counter bore bigger would it matter if it were not perfectly concentric?