Refurbishing bore

[bang]

A Kentucky. 45 I bought some 35 years ago used cleaned and oiled and put in safe. Took it out finally to shoot. No consistency. Noticed when cleaning the bore felt rough. Lot of patch fuzz left.
Gave it the ole lapping treatment.
Still felt rough but didn't leave near the patch fuzz.
Someone here mentioned using a wood dowel rod with a bit cut from a file to fit the groove inserted in a slot in the dowel rod. Instead of using layers of paper to change the depth I put a sliver of leather under the bit to act like spring pressure.
Well I don't think the guy I bought it from cleaned it properly. Luckily though he did coat it with oil really well so there was no corrosion. But, the amount of debris I scrapped out of the grooves was astonishing. Even with all the soaking and brushing I did one would figure it would have gotten it out.
Anyway, I can't remember who shared the dowel rod tool idea and if you happen to read this thanks a bunch.

 

[rich pierce]

Mighta been me. If you’ve got the grooves clean then lapping might finish cleaning up the tops of the lands. It’s pretty satisfying to return a barrel to good shooting condition,

 

[bang]

Mighta been me. If you’ve got the grooves clean then lapping might finish cleaning up the tops of the lands. It’s pretty satisfying to return a barrel to good shooting condition,

Well I got say it worked wonders. I got enough debri off each groove to pile up the diameter of a dime. I got it to where it runs smooth with no resistance. There is very little fuzz and after polishing with steel wool there is even less. Think after 15-20 rounds it will be about like new.

 

[homebrew .357]

That's thinking outside the square, I had a problem with my cut rifled barrels, the cut rifling was rough in the groves and lead lapping was not smoothing it out. So doing a bit of square thinking, I made up a brass lap to screw onto my cleaning rod and to fit in the bore then milled a slot to fit a small bit of cast iron that fits in the grove. This had a spring under it to keep pressure on it and keep it in place, a bit of fine diamond past on it and away you go, lapped out the groves and polished the top of the lands as well. IT`s the little things that help.

 

[bang]

All I have to do now is get to the range. Hard to do now that it's summer here. Gets hot pretty fast plus I tend to be a night owl in summer then sleep durring the day. Might be late September before I start getting up early.

 

[bang]

This dowel rod and bit does the trick.
Got the Kentucky 45 down to 2.5" group at 25 yards, no swabing in between, which with my old eyes is good and considering it shoots a bit high at 25 I think it will tighten up at 50 because the sighting won't be so tricky.
The Hawken 50 at 25 yards closed down to 2" no swabing in between and should improve at 50 due to same, shoots a bit high at 25.
My new Zouave with .562 n .020 is awesome. Typical high at 25 and even 50 but still will put holes touching.
Shoots .575 minies just as good. No swabing in between. The added sniper sight is great for old eyes. Can't see the + but it's easy to center on target.