Firelap or hand lap

[kelbro]

I have a 7.5" SBH Hunter that has a restriction at the barrel frame junction. I can feel it when I push a tight patch through. Haven't measured the constriction yet but a slug comes out at .431 and I can feel it get quite tight in that area.

I've read a lot on the perils of lapping in general but I can't help but think that the accuracy will improve without that speedbump in there. What I don't want to do is to get the barrel up over .4315 and have to lap out all of my 44 molds. They already shoot well in my 1894.

It seems like firelapping is a quick and fairly easy way to remove the constriction but I can't help but think that it is removing steel even in places where I don't need steel removed.

Can I get the same results with a tight mop, bore/muzzle guide and some Clover compound? It seems like I could concentrate on that one area better. I also have a couple of TL molds that might work well for an abrasive loaded slug if that's the better method.

I love this pistol. Just got a 2x Leupold to swap with the 4x Leupold that is currently mounted on it and I want to get it shooting as accurately as possible.

That Wheeler kit at Midway looks like it has about everything you would need to do it right.

[docone31]

I would hand lap that.
No. you will not get the same results with a brush.
Get a casting started in the bore, then put on Clover and lap away. Won't take long.

[canyon-ghost]

Hand lap the ones you love. I use a patch soaked in Clover and give it 20 passes at a time then, rinse by pouring mineral spirits down it generously. Firelapping is using more pressure, the harder you push down, the more it polishes, maybe too well.

You can always hand lap again, not always with firelapping. Then again, you could just shoot it for 20 years (that thought was brought up by fatnhappy in chat). He made some sense there.

Ron

[Daryl]

Check Veral Smith's LBT Molds website. Has lapping compound and plates if you want to use them to embed the compound into the bullets & fire lap. After reading his book, I fire lap any bore I intend to keep as a lead shooter.

[bhn22]

Lapping without a slug could round off the sharp corners from the rifling. Either firelap, or pour a lapping slug into the bore itself.

[EDK]

There is not a lot of middle ground concerning fire lapping...either it is great or it is destructive. The ones who like it say that it will apply the most compound to the tightest spot in the barrel. Therefore you could actually "choke" the barrel with taper toward the muzzle.

I have a bunch of VAQUEROS in 44 that have a minute amount of leading just past the forcing cone...which is probably from the barrel being torqued in place. It only takes a few strokes with a brush and choreboy to remove, but it is aggravating. Using the same alloy, powder and similar velocity in 357 VAQUEROS doesn't create this problem...I'm guessing that the thinner barrel shank/walls in the 44 are what creates the problem.

Anybody with a 45 have similar...or worse!...experience with this?

:Fire::castmine::castmine::redneck: