Does Anyone Fire Lap Barrels?

[luv2safari]

I do on occasion and always run a couple of medium fine abrasive through new barrels that look a little "unfinished". I bore-scope new barrels before I run anything down them, and I have found that the Ruger American barrels are about as nice inside as any I've seen, so I don't do anything but run a patch through them.

I shoot a lot of used and well-used older guns, especially combos, and I sometimes fire lap these if they have decent rifling...not too warn. I'll be fire lapping a problem semi-custom 25-06 that shoots a nicely dispersed pattern. The bore looks sort of OK, but the throat is a bit eroded. If that and a treatment of Dyna Teck don't bring it on in, it's off to JES to become my second 9.3X62 or maybe a 338-06. I've never owned a 338-06.

What's your experience with fire lapping?

 

[Beck]

It used to be all the rage. I haven't fire lapped a rifle since the 1990s, but I think it's a sound practice when done properly.

 

[JDeere]

I did one back in the 90s when it was all the rage like moly coated bullets. Tubbs final finish I believe. I don't believe it changed a thing. That 26 inch Varmint barrel had the same accuracy as I started with...

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Did it some "back when" also. Now, I use JB Bore paste on things which look rough. More work/time, but also more controllable for me. May not be doing the same thing but I am more concerned about making something worse than perfection. Not saying that fire lapping will make things worse, but I think I could mess that up faster than a brush with bore paste on it.

I do wonder why is has fallen out of favor? Rifle barrels better made now? Just not cool? I don't know.

 

[tominboise]

I firelapped two rifles a couple years ago. One is a Savage 110 243. The factory barrel shot well but has tool marks galore. Since I traded into the rifle and use it to experiment with different things, I firelapped it to see if polishing it up some would help with the fouling. The answer is that it shoots about the same as before and fouls less. It still has tool marks but everything is a bit smoother.

Same story on a Weatherby Fibermark 25-06. This rifle would never shoot well after cleaning until I had 20 rounds down the barrel. I wondered why and when I finally got a borescope, I discovered that A, it was never really clean to the bare steel and B, it has a lot of tools marks, too. I cleaned it, firelapped it and that smoothed it up some. It shoots about the same. It didn't turn it into a benchrest rifle.

I used the Tubbs final finish system on both of these rifles. Given what I know now, I wouldn't likely bother doing it to anymore rifles.

 

[DoubleMag]

I would guess the more complex the process is, without consideration of outcome, you lose ppl

I mean, just look at threads on gun cleaning. It always goes to, easiest quickest cheapest

There was nothing wrong with moly in fact I still have some. Tubbs system works great, cleaning is a problem with both either before/after or even, long term w/moly. ''Gee, see, I dunt have to clean anymore'' which includes no oil patch on occasion, stuff dries out & U R doomed.

 

[EMC45]

Did it some "back when" also. Now, I use JB Bore paste on things which look rough. More work/time, but also more controllable for me. May not be doing the same thing but I am more concerned about making something worse than perfection. Not saying that fire lapping will make things worse, but I think I could mess that up faster than a brush with bore paste on it.

I do wonder why is has fallen out of favor? Rifle barrels better made now? Just not cool? I don't know.

I too have done this. Tightly wrapped patch around an old bronze bore brush and J-B paste applied. Multiple passes up and down old Milsurp bores and it gets them a lot better looking.

I call it "patch lapping"

 

[PapaG]

I have, mostly on old guns like my uncles Krag. Actually I lead lapped it and finished with abrasive impregnated lead bullets.
I have been pretty satisfied with JB paste lately although I have an original 52 Winchester that might need some work.

 

[doubleh]

No.

 

[illinoisburt]

No fire lapping for new guns. Maybe it helps with fouling, but honestly the accuracy improvements which was the original marketing push is likely non existent. Most modern button rifled barrels look terrible with a bore scope (*cough-cough* Savage) but shoot tiny groups regardless. Still, it might make you happier with your bore scope so there is that despite possibly shorter barrel life.

Old milsurp damaged by corrosive ammo is a different story. Deep cleaning followed by lapping to knock down rough surfaces can be a huge improvement.

 

[Varminterror]

Nothing spells accurately like uncontrolledly eroding the edges and surfaces of our rifling…

 

[JDeere]

I would guess the more complex the process is, without consideration of outcome, you lose ppl

I mean, just look at threads on gun cleaning. It always goes to, easiest quickest cheapest

There was nothing wrong with moly in fact I still have some. Tubbs system works great, cleaning is a problem with both either before/after or even, long term w/moly. ''Gee, see, I dunt have to clean anymore'' which includes no oil patch on occasion, stuff dries out & U R doomed.

Nothing wrong with Moly, used it for years. Run a patch with Kroil after use. BR shooters and hunters figured out that moisture and moly don't mix. Moly really did not improve accuracy so why mess with it. It was a thing. I still have the powder and some liquid sitting in the cabinet with other reloading stuff I no longer use. Tubbs I get but when you get to the really abrasive set it's possible to take out to much and destroy your lands. Never owned and never will use a bore scope. Shoot the darn thing with different loads to find the sweet spot and move on. If it wont shoot sell it. As far as cleaning, you can clean to much imo. Clean when accuracy falls off. There is a reason to foul a barrel. Just my take on the subject but to each his own. It's yours to do what you believe works best...

 

[OS/N]

I hand lap the constrictions out and polish with a cast lead lap cast around a smaller than caliber bore brush mounted on a cleaning rod. I make the laps about 2 to 3 inches long.

After polishing I hold onto the lap as its good to knock out leading and copper buildup after every couple hundred rounds. Don't need compound for that as the lead or copper sticks/embeds on the lead lap as it passes through.

It won't help older pitted barrels much but smooths the high spots out to help reduce lead build up.

This does help accuracy especially on barrels with tight spots and with revolvers with tight spots near the threads at the frame.

Never tried the abrasive bullet method. Always did it the other way.

 

[JFrank]

I can’t speak for the older barrels or hammer forged but the newer cut rifle or button rifled should all lapped at the manufacture, Douglas had a different type button that didn’t require lapping.

 

[luv2safari]

Nothing wrong with Moly, used it for years. Run a patch with Kroil after use. BR shooters and hunters figured out that moisture and moly don't mix. Moly really did not improve accuracy so why mess with it. It was a thing. I still have the powder and some liquid sitting in the cabinet with other reloading stuff I no longer use. Tubbs I get but when you get to the really abrasive set it's possible to take out to much and destroy your lands. Never owned and never will use a bore scope. Shoot the darn thing with different loads to find the sweet spot and move on. If it wont shoot sell it. As far as cleaning, you can clean to much imo. Clean when accuracy falls off. There is a reason to foul a barrel. Just my take on the subject but to each his own. It's yours to do what you believe works best...

Bore scopes are fun. They're like watching a horror movie!

 

[Double_J]

I haven't heard of anyone firelapping a barrel since the mid to late 90's. I was always told "to just shoot the thing" until it either gets better or not. Firelapping seemed to be another gimmick to sell a new set of tools to shooters. Bore scopes are also a good investment if you understand their limitations.

 

[natman]

I haven't heard of anyone firelapping a barrel since the mid to late 90's. I was always told "to just shoot the thing" until it either gets better or not. Firelapping seemed to be another gimmick to sell a new set of tools to shooters. Bore scopes are also a good investment if you understand their limitations.

I remember a time when aficionados wouldn't dream of sending a bullet down a bore without it being moly lubed - unless it was coated in abrasive.