Fire lapping day

[Frontier's]

Did some lapping with 220 and 320 grit kit from Wheeler today.

Just 25 yard target for something to aim at.

50gr Gearhart-owen 3fg
270gr and 295gr powerbelts

The 270gr powerbelt platinums seemed to shoot better, but I preferred the 295s as the skirt gives a better seal and they load tighter. A great deal of bearing surface to apply that polishing compound to.

I did clean the bore between shots for best polishing results. Haven't cleaned it yet, but that last 295 powerbelt loaded real nice and smooth.

Just using the powerbelts for the bore polishing process. Will switched to balls afterward.

But overall I am super pleased! I restored the gun a little while back and finally got it out on the range.

Lock and triggers feel awesome.

 

[Horizontal Hunter]

How many rounds did you fire at each grit?

 

[Frontier's]

How many rounds did you fire at each grit?

4 each grit. I plan on doing more but just wanted to try a few to see what it looks like when I fully clean it.

 

[Frontier's]

looking good so far! Bore didnt have anything wrong to begin with. Just wanted to try a different method instead of the slow hand lapping process.

 

[Gtrubicon]

Why the masking tape on the lock?

 

[Frontier's]

Why the masking tape on the lock?

I just restored it and didn't want that area getting blasted with fouling.

 

[leadhoarder]

I have never fire lapped so maybe I am missing something but wouldn't a cloth patch work well for carrying the lapping compound?

 

[Frontier's]

I have never fire lapped so maybe I am missing something but wouldn't a cloth patch work well for carrying the lapping compound?

Depends. It works better with something that loads snug and expands.

If you use a tight patch with a dryer compound like I used, it often is very difficult to ram home.

The conical base fattens up in the bore during detonation and really engages that rifling.

Was going to use lead slugs, but cleaning lead out of the bore is a big pain in the rear end vs copper.

 

[BillinOregon]

Hadn't heard of lapping with Powerbelts. Be interesting to see how the result compares with Ross Seyfried's old "100 strokes with a tight patch of purple Scotch Pad" method. Your rifle looks very nice and crisp.

 

[Frontier's]

Hadn't heard of lapping with Powerbelts. Be interesting to see how the result compares with Ross Seyfried's old "100 strokes with a tight patch of purple Scotch Pad" method. Your rifle looks very nice and crisp.

Oh it's way better that's for sure! You're getting a lot of pressure built up behind that bulle6 compares to a pad wrapped around a jag.

First time using the Wheeler kit, but so far, the results are showing with ease.

Normally you'd use lead bullets, but o hate using them due to how difficult it can be to remove that lead. The thin copper plated bullets is much easier to deal with. With only 8 shots, there's some copper streaking in the bore. Imagine what lead would have left behind.

 

[longcruise]

I have never fire lapped so maybe I am missing something but wouldn't a cloth patch work well for carrying the lapping compound?

I've been firelapping mod and ml barrels for about 30 years now. When I first started I was using Veral's single grit compound. It worked great. I enquired with Veral as to his thoughts on lapping a ml with an impregnated patch and a ball. He replied that he hadn't much experience with ml guns but "go ahead and give it a try". So, I did!

The results were positive but somewhat incomplete. I did it on a new GPR barrel. It smoothed things up but not everything. IOW, it smoothed out the edges of the lands and the surface of the lands but had little effect on surface of the grooves. However, it shot just fine. Probably because the edges of the lands are most of the problem when a barrel is slicing and dicing the patches. Along with sharp edges at the crown and the machined angle of the inside of the Muzzle.

Otherwise, I've always used lead slugs to firelap and with good results. I also use the Wheeler kit with excellent results and apparently it works with copper clad bullets as well.