accuracy issues

[mooman76]

I went shooting yesterday with my 36 Ranger, made by Ardesa. I've been struggling with it since I got it, trying to get decent accuracy. Each time out it seemed to do a little better. It was literally destroying patches. I started using the strongest patch I had and it helped but didn't help completely. I was using 20gr of Pyrodex by the way.

I wrapped a little .0000 steel wool around an old cleaning brush and ran it down the bore a few strokes and took some fine sand paper to the mussel trying to remove any sharp edges. It helped quite abit as it brought my group at 25y down to just under 2". I had heard people talk about JB bore paste allot of the years and decided to give it a try. I ran it through the bore a couple hundred times and it really helped allot. Brought my group (except for one flier) to just under an inch at 25y. All were touching once again except for the flier. I was impressed to say the least.

 

[SgtErv]

Thanks for sharing this. I've got an Isaac Haines that destroys patches; there is a hole by each of the rifle grooves. I can't determine whether it's being done at the muzzle upon firing or when I'm loading. The crown looks sharp though

 

[mooman76]

Thanks for posting 40. I was thinking of getting it but he posted it on another forum and last I heard he was still testing it. I might get it for another project.

 

[Grumpa]

Veral Smith of LBT (Lead Bullet Technology) has been selling a compound for years to firelap bores. Guaranteed to improve accuracy with no danger to the bore. Inexpensive, too.

 

[Patocazador]

I have used the Frontier lapping lube on two guns. One was a new half stock and it slicked the barrel right up so it was smooth as silk with a dozen shots.

The other rifle is an old FIE Italian two-piece stock "long rifle" with a rusty, pitted bore. It didn't faze it.
Afterwards, I took a bronze brush with 0000 steel wool and valve-grinding compound to it (100 strokes). It's still a piece of junk.

 

[MSW]

I have used the Frontier lapping lube on two guns. One was a new half stock and it slicked the barrel right up so it was smooth as silk with a dozen shots.

The other rifle is an old FIE Italian two-piece stock "long rifle" with a rusty, pitted bore. It didn't faze it.
Afterwards, I took a bronze brush with 0000 steel wool and valve-grinding compound to it (100 strokes). It's still a piece of junk.

emphasis added


sorry to hear of your troubles with the FIE - sometimes these old beaters can really surprise you when it comes to putting lead on target, but once rust sets up, it's a diceroll to get a barrel to throw a decent group ... bummer...

I have heard from a number of sources that valve grinding compound is made up of different sized particles, whereas lapping paste / JB compound is a uniform grit throughout the mixture. I don't know if this is true or not, since I've never had reason to use either product. if, however, I was needing to smooth out a barrel, I'd use the paste and not the valve stuff.

again, I may be completely wrong, but I can't see trashing an expensive barrel to save a few bucks on lapping materials.

 

[hawkeye2]

Even the fine valve grinding compound is too coarse to use in a bore. Lapping compounds for firearms are available in different grits but are all finer than automotive valve grinding compounds. Go to Brownells: http://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=lapping+compounds&ksubmit=y

 

[Tom Compton]

Thanks for posting 40. I was thinking of getting it but he posted it on another forum and last I heard he was still testing it. I might get it for another project.

I got some a couple of months ago direct from FG.

 

[mooman76]

Even the fine valve grinding compound is too coarse to use in a bore. Lapping compounds for firearms are available in different grits but are all finer than automotive valve grinding compounds. Go to Brownells: http://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=lapping+compounds&ksubmit=y[/quote]

I got some valve lapping compound for another project and thought about using it. I touched it and rubbed it between my fingers and could feel the grit easily so I figured it was too coarse.

 

[excess650]

I knew a guy who cleaned his BPCR with Corbin bore cleaner. It seemed to have some fine grit to it like the old chrome cleaner/polish did. That barrel eventually looked like chrome inside. :haha:

Flitz, Simichrome, and JB Bore Cleaner are all very fine and smooth. At least one of the barrel makers recommends Scotchbrite on a jag. I've used fine steel wool and oil in a MLer bore.

Valve grinding compound is pretty coarse, but probably not an issue if used on a thick patch like cotton duck. I've used it for fire lapping with lead conicals in breech loaders, but only enough powder is used to push each "lap" through the bore.

 

[S.Kenton]

How do your patches look now that you've hand lapped and used steel wool? I've had to do similar things. when I first started on this forum, I had an old CVA with a pitted ( to say the least) barrel. I was instructed to use toothpaste as a hand lapping compound, I did so and followed it up with steel wool....the CVA turned out to be a shooter with no more torn up patches.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

My Blue Ridge Hunter arrived with a huge appetite for patches.

I took a normal sized, new, "3M Green Scrubbie Pad" meant for cleaning crud off pots and pans. I cut it into smaller squares, and using a modern rod with an eyelet, and a brass adapter to center it in my bore, I used the pieces of scrubbie to scrub the bore, about five times down and back, then change to a new one and repeat, until I used the whole pad...

Then I cleaned the bore to remove the tiny, loose bits, and voila, no more cut patches.

Seems the edges of the lands were very sharp having tiny burrs, which snagged and cut the patches, then when fired the holes made in the patches burned further...

The barrel was new and well made, just needed the burrs removed. You might try this first before going to great lengths ordering special compounds and firing a bunch of lapping patches and ball. If what I suggest doesn't work you can still do the detailed method, but why not try the simple, inexpensive stuff first?

LD

 

[smoothshooter]

So, what was the end result?

 

[Tom Compton]

"Then I cleaned the bore to remove the tiny, loose bits, and voila, no more cut patches."

 

[mooman76]

How do your patches look now that you've hand lapped and used steel wool? I've had to do similar things. when I first started on this forum, I had an old CVA with a pitted ( to say the least) barrel. I was instructed to use toothpaste as a hand lapping compound, I did so and followed it up with steel wool....the CVA turned out to be a shooter with no more torn up patches.

Patches look good enough to use again. I need to go back and try the original patches again to see if they hold up. I liked them better because they wasn't quite so tight.

 

[Patocazador]

The valve-grinding paste was to give the nasty pitted rusty, bore one last chance before I junked it. It was a "take that you &%$#@!" :cursing:

It has been suitably removed to a spot on a wall that is never seen. I call it my St. Helena wall.