Bore lapping a revolver

[cs86]

I've watched some videos of bore lapping, but they involve removing the barrel and placing them in a vise. I'd really like to bore lap my GP100 357mag, but I'm wondering if there is any problem lapping from the front without removing the barrel? Any thoughts, concerns, or tips?

[detox]

Why? Your 357 gun probably does not need it.

I have been down that road. I would rather firelap using 400 grit abrassive.

17 or 22 cal bore brush works best as core for lead lap.

[Char-Gar]

Lapping of any kind involves shoving abrasive grit down the barrel to remove metal. This is done to fix problems. What problem do you have with your revolver, that requires this? Do not do it unless there is a real established need.

[daniel lawecki]

I ask why myself I own a Ruger GP 100 that has never had a jacketed boolit down the barrel. With my loads and cast boolits the D**N thing just groups awesome.

[cs86]

I guess I wouldn't think about doing it, but looking down the barrel with a bright indirect light on the opposing side you can see (would it be tooling marks?) from the tools used to cut the rifling. Very faint, but visable to the naked eye. It's not the (perfect) mirror finish I've seen in my other barrels. I thought several barrels, depending on the brand, are manufactured with sub par quality for a finish. I thought many take some time shooting to break in the barrel. I'm not trying to open the barrel up as much as I'd like to take off any high spots and polish it.

It shoots alright and I'm sure it shoots good enough to hit what I need it to, but I'm looking for better groups on a target and wasn't sure if this would be something that would help. If I was shooting jacketed bullets I probably wouldn't worry about it, but I thought lead was more prone to see problems or accuracy issues.

Any insight is appreciated. I'm trying to learn a little here. Thanks

[Char-Gar]

Lapping of any kind involves shoving abrasive grit down the barrel to remove metal. This is done to fix problems. What problem do you have with your revolver, that requires this? Do not do it unless there is a real established need.

That is all I know to tell you. If you are not having problems, don't try and fix problems you don't have.

[Wolfer]

I don't remove the barrel to lap.

[detox]

I would be more concerned about cylinder alignment. Have you ever shot lead bullets? Does barrel lead in that rough area of barrel? Shoot then decide.

[mikeym1a]

This may sound a bit odd, but, if you could come up with some paper patched boolits for you gun, they might help you get the polish you need. And before anyone scoffs, if you can patch a rifle boolit, you can patch a pistol boolit. the patch itself does the polish the bore. I had one old rifle with a horrible bore, which I could barely see the rifling. After about 60 patched rounds through the bore, The bore was much smoother, and I could see the rifling all the way through, although the last 4 inches at the muzzle were very faint. It could be done, and it might give you the polish you seek. mikey 8-)

[detox]

This may sound a bit odd, but, if you could come up with some paper patched boolits for you gun, they might help you get the polish you need. And before anyone scoffs, if you can patch a rifle boolit, you can patch a pistol boolit. the patch itself does the polish the bore. I had one old rifle with a horrible bore, which I could barely see the rifling. After about 60 patched rounds through the bore, The bore was much smoother, and I could see the rifling all the way through, although the last 4 inches at the muzzle were very faint. It could be done, and it might give you the polish you seek. mikey 8-)

What size bullet? Instead of spitting lead, you will be spitting paper. Much like firecrackers going off.

[johnson1942]

mikeymia is right, if you paperpatch and do it right not only will you get real good accracy, you will get a shiny bore. it wont wear the bore out it will just polish the bore. shooter talk about that all the time over on the paperpatch section of cast bullets.

[cs86]

I was reading a little on paper patching and wondered if you have to lube them? Or, after they dry can I size and shoot them?

[johnson1942]

if you posted that question on the paperpatch section you would get two answers. lube them or shoot them dry paper. if you want to polish your bore, shoot them dry. the lubed patch takes longer to polish the bore. now if your really interested in shooting paperpatched bullets and your casting your own bullets now you can do this. get a ream of number nine paper all wood fiber paper. you dont need the expensive 25 percent cotton paper. wrap two wraps around your cast bullet. micrometer it to the size with the paper on it. now you will have to have a push through reduceing die made for how much the paper adds to the diam. and i would go one extra thousands. an example would be. if your bullet is .451 cast and the paper makes when wrapped at 457. if you add 1 thousands that would be .458. now .451 from .458 is 7 thousands. now subtract that from .451 what your bullet is normally. so you would need a push through reduceing die that is .444. dont use wheel weight lead for these type of bullets. 20 to one or 30 to one will work fine. some shooters reduce the size of the bullet after wrapping but in my own experience it is easier to reduce the bullet first and wrap after the bullet is resized. the other thing you wont have to ever worry about is copper or lead fouling in your bore. also paperpatching wont wear out your bore. punch in bullet push through reducing dies on the internet and you will come up with guys who do this work. i use doughty enterprises. cost only 32.00 dollars with shipping. lately ive had one or two made a month. they greatly expand what you can do with most guns. warning, paperpatching is very addictive. most guys who start it love the results so much they keep doing it. also makes one more self reliant. have fun.