Lapping a Ruger

[Abert Rim]

Who has fire-lapped a Ruger sixgun? Did it seem tohelp? Did you use the Beartooth stuff? Have a new SS SBH, and thought I might try it if it actually improves performance.

[Bass Ackward]

Who has fire-lapped a Ruger sixgun? Did it seem tohelp? Did you use the Beartooth stuff? Have a new SS SBH, and thought I might try it if it actually improves performance.


Albert,

I have fire lapped at least 25 Rugers. My first question is what kind of problem are you trying to solve?

[44man]

I say the same as Bass, don't do it unless the gun needs it. Won't hurt anything but if the gun measures OK, leave it alone.

[felix]

Agree 100 percent. Shoot the gun hard. Hotter you get it, the quicker it shoots in to where it is supposed to be. High antimony, having low compensating tin, boolits do indeed have a high abrasive effect, and will wear the barrel evenly but only where leading is not present. If leading appears, the gun should be shot with jacketed bullets and cleaned per a previous post. When leading no longer appears, then proceed with the high antimony, low tin stuff. ... felix

[Bucks Owin]

Even after 46 years of use, the bore of my Flattop showed rough machining marks both radial and linear. The roughness apparently has no effect on accuracy, the 10" barrel shoots like a rifle, but it did seem to "grab" at the boolit and leaded easily. My "fix" has been JB bore paste on tight patches and a couple hours (all told) of elbow grease. The machine marks are still there but I guess they're "smoothed down" enough to eliminate most of the roughness....at least most of the leading went away.

I'm sure fire lapping would be a lot faster and easier!

FWIW,

Dennis

BTW, Rugers are known for somewhat "rough" bores I'm told at the Ruger Forum, at least the earlier models. (Let's just say "not match quality"!) A "rough" bore isn't necessarily inaccurate, most Rugers are fine in that department...
To put it another way, the bores of my 6" M19-4 and 8.375" M29-2 look like mirrors! But neither one is as accurate as the rough ol' Flattop....
I doubt that the Ruger SBH in question "needs" firelapping from an accuracy standpoint....

[Four Fingers of Death]

[QUOTE=Bucks Owin]

BTW, Rugers are known for somewhat "rough" bores I'm told at the Ruger Forum, at least the earlier models.

(QUOTE]

I had a Ruger No1 in 220 Swift and an Anschutz in 22Rem some years ago and I was in my garage cleaning them. When I finished I felt suitably pleased with myself and lined up my Mini Maglite so that it shone down the Bbl of the Ruger, allowing me to inspect it. Then I put the Anschutz in the holder and put the torch in place, bent down and had a look up the barrel and I felt like I had been poked in the eye with a sharp stick. Hurt like mad, and I had visual imparment and green lights distorting everything. Obviously the Ruger barrel wasn't in the same class as the Anschutz. Both shot ok (actually both shot very well), but I approach this sort of inspection a bit more carefully nowadays.