Fire Lapping

[Griz44Mag]

You are speaking from a position of ignorance and dogma having apparently no personal experience at barrel lapping of either type.

It always deteriorates to this - name calling - when someone tries and fails to "educate" someone who does know the ropes.
I have built and shot high precision rifles for decades. However, there is excuse for bad manners. We were having a pretty good educational discussion. Both sides of the coin were being discussed, which all will learn from. But you have allowed your lack of character and bad manners to illustrate your lack of social skills. So here it comes.... I suggest you do the same.
Click on the username - click "Ignore" The bad manners and name calling go away.

 

[M. De Land]

It always deteriorates to this - name calling - when someone tries and fails to "educate" someone who does know the ropes.
I have built and shot high precision rifles for decades. However, there is excuse for bad manners. We were having a pretty good educational discussion. Both sides of the coin were being discussed, which all will learn from. But you have allowed your lack of character and bad manners to illustrate your lack of social skills. So here it comes.... I suggest you do the same.
Click on the username - click "Ignore" The bad manners and name calling go away.

There was no name calling on my part at all, simply a statement of fact. You spoke in ignorance and keep repeating the errant dogma. It is quite apparent from your statements you have no knowledgeable personal experience with either lapping method and when confronted with the truth you try to deflect and change what was actually said into a personal attack, which it is not. What you said is being contested not your person!
I don't consider correcting incorrect information bad manors.
You have and opportunity to learn something valuable here if you have the good sense to receive it.

 

[bigted]

Evidently someone totally forgot the subject of the ORIGINAL post.

Lotza great info here not withstanding the side trip. I have brought back three TC barrels from the heap yard lapping by hand. I always wondered what was involved with FIRE LAPPING.

So thanks to the poster whom began this thread and to the educated and experienced posters that contributed to the subject line.

 

[Howard Pippin]

After all the years I have shot muzzleloader's, I am surprised and amazed that some people are trying to put a round ball casted over some camp stove through the same hole as the last one.. What become of the fun side of primitive shooting? The fellows I shoot with have everything from a squirrel gun to a powerhouse, and none of them have achieved this perfection. Some shoot round balls doing so with a patch knife and a hunk of cloth and others are shooting maxi balls, and we all take turns, it seems like getting the best score. I profess we all own guns that will practically drive tacks, but this is a game for friends only.We don't even get to shoot off of a bench, but we do have fun.

Squint

 

[bigted]

Howard, I agree with the premis of your post. However I as others, have experienced this nervona of great accuracy with few if any fliers.

Small game harvesters quite often have rifles that regularly shoot into a squirrel head consistantly.

Fun is fun and keeps being the goal for us all.

Large game rifles and smoothbores often have a hard time doing squirrel head size groups anywhere further then 25 or 30 yards. However this is the fun zone and we ALL subscribe to this quest.

 

[Howard Pippin]

Thanks bigted. Some of those I shoot with, an even including myself, can cover five shots with a business card or even half of a card. Out of 10 shots, seems like there is always a flyer, but it might be that plank we are shooting off is not that secure. Me and another fellow shoot Flint, the rest are percussion, that being said, they don't really do a lot better. Most of this is done at 50 yards. Offhand is closer but never close enough for me.

 

[hawkeye2]

"First off, DO NOT FIRE LAP WITH VALVE GRINDING COMPOUND!! Read that again if you are still tempted. Otherwise you are going to ruin the barrel." (longcruise)

Speaking from experience including 17 years teaching auto mechanics I believe that even fine valve lapping compound is too coarse for use on firearms. Fine compound runs from 280 to 320 grit and coarse is around 150. I have never seen the grit listed on any valve lapping compound, even name brands, so you have no way of knowing which end of the spectrum it is.

 

[yakipreacher]

I like to use the various conicals for fire lapping. I fill the grooves with comercial grade polishing compound for autos.... Yep, it polishes them right up.
You can take a barrel that has been neglected and turn it into a polished beauty. . . fairly quickly. I sell parts off muzzle loaders so, I am interested in the labor side of it as well. You can do a couple hours worth of scrubbing in a couple of shots utilizing this approach. Just like a good wash and wax on your hotrod!