44mag 310gr. Lee Firelapping load?

[AR15-SBR]

I am going to use this bullet to firelap my new SBH and remove the barrel frame constriction. Does anyone have a load to use with this bullet. The powders I have on hand that might work are Trail Boss, Unique, 2400, Clays, Universal Clays, 296 and Green Dot.

Any Ideas.

Thanks

AR15-SBR

[kelbro]

Just curious... How much constriction did you measure? Slugged from the muzzle first and then the breech to determine?

I have one SBH that might have the same issue and I want to be certain before I go shooting abrasives down the tube.

What are you using to firelap it?

[BABore]

Best to use something faster like Red Dot. For RD I would use between 2 and 4 grains. The slower the better. You only want to get the boolit out of the bbl. Be prepared for a stuck boolit on the first round or so by having a range rod at the ready. Load one round at a time til you get the charge correct. I can always see the boolit in flight, just like an old Red Ryder BB gun. I usually put a tuft of Dacron over the powder to keep it in place and use only fired, unsized cases. Just deprime, prime, and flare a bit if needed. Expanded cases keep the lapping compound from blowing back into the action. I clean completely every 5 rounds. If your using 320 grit Clover compound, it should take about 15-20 rounds to get rid of the throat constriction. If it were my gun, I would continue FL until the rifling tool marks, at the muzzle, JUST showed some initial signs of being polished up.

[AR15-SBR]

I have about .0025ish constriction at the frame. I have Clover 320 and 600 grit.

I noticed in the Ross Seifried(sp?) artical he mentioned using Trail Boss for firelapping. I was hoping to use something I had on hand and since loading shotgun shells has become rare, finding someone with redsdot is becoming hard to find.

I have firelapped 2 guns before and both helped with accuracy and ease of cleaning.

15-20 rounds works for CM steel, but from what I have read the Ruger Stainless is Harder than #$%^. :-) and it sounds like 30-40 rounds are needed.

AR15-SBR

[BABore]

I've done two stainless Rugers and was surprised that they took no more lapping rounds than a CM gun. It took about 35 rounds to do the entire 7 1/2 bbl's. Cleaning more often accelerates the process as your not abrading on fouling as much. I've heard of one guy that completely cleaned after every round and it only took 20 shots. Cleaning every 5 has worked for me and is less time consuming. I like doing wheel guns better than rifles. Before I patch the bbl, I simply hose everything off with brake cleaner first.

If you want to use your Unique for lapping, start at around 4 grains and see how it goes. The Dacron is not absolutely necessary, but it does help clean some of the fouling out with each shot.

[AR15-SBR]

I did clean my 450 Marlin after every shot( lot of time on my hands:mrgreen:) and I am a little A___ retentive. :mrgreen: I have to agree about the Dacron, compared to some of the horror stories I have heard.

I sure hope I can do it in 30 rounds or so.

I will plan on using the Unique for not unless I run across someone with some Red dot.

AR15-SBR

[NHlever]

I'm curious why you want to use so much lead with heavy boolits to lap the barrel?

[AR15-SBR]

NHlever, The amount of lead is not an issue for me as a friend an I have 4 5 gal buckets of wheel weights smelted and 5 more to be smelted. We also shoot into a bullet trap so I will get some of the lead back.

The second reason is of the molds I have the 310gr has the most surface area contacting the barrel, allowing me to complete the job with fewer shots through the barrel.

AR15-SBR/Darkside

[outdoorfan]

The second reason is of the molds I have the 310gr has the most surface area contacting the barrel, allowing me to complete the job with fewer shots through the barrel.

AR15-SBR/Darkside


Bingo! And that extra long bearing surface will make up for that boolit being a gas-checked design that you will be using without the gc for firelapping.

[RobS]

2 grains of RD may get you a bullet stuck near the muzzle end, I would work at 2.5 to an upper end of 3 grains of RD or 3 to 3.5 grains of Universal Clays/Unique. With such small charges of RD it may be better to measure the charges out instead of relying on a powder dispenser.

[AR15-SBR]

RobS, I will most likely make a couple of powder dippers for the load as I will be doing EVERYTHING at the range.:shock::razz:

AR15-SBR/Darkside

[outdoorfan]

Affirmative on using more Red Dot, like RobS stated. Last time I did FL'ing I too did it all at the range. The dipper worked very well for me. I didn't even fill it all the way. Once I got the hang of how much to put in, I quite worrying about whether it was too little or too much. 400-600 fps is what you're looking for. If you have a chrono, bring it with you. Use it initially to tell you where things are at, and it will probably save you some grief.

[AR15-SBR]

Ourdoorfan, thanks for the tip on the chrono.

AR15-SBR/Darkside

[RobS]

AR15-SBR

Also it does help to put oil down the barrel for the first slug (so you don't have a dry bore) as it give a bit of lubrication which eases the friction.

[outdoorfan]

AR15-SBR

Also it does help to put oil down the barrel for the first slug (so you don't have a dry bore) as it give a bit of lubrication which eases the friction.


Now, Rob, you're starting to sound like someone who's done this before. :kidding::kidding::p

I actually think I prefer your "other" method for getting the constriction out. Made my .45 as smooth as glass.

[AR15-SBR]

What is the "other" method.....shoot the pi$$ out of it?????:mrgreen:

AR15-SBR/Darkside

[NHlever]

NHlever, The amount of lead is not an issue for me as a friend an I have 4 5 gal buckets of wheel weights smelted and 5 more to be smelted. We also shoot into a bullet trap so I will get some of the lead back.

The second reason is of the molds I have the 310gr has the most surface area contacting the barrel, allowing me to complete the job with fewer shots through the barrel.

AR15-SBR/Darkside

More surface area makes a lot of sense. I was just curious.

[outdoorfan]

Well, after firelapping my .45 Colt BH (almost 100 rounds worth) I still had a slight constriction just ahead of the cone. I then handlapped it, which got the rest in fairly short order and retained the great taper as well (from cone to muzzle).

[RobS]

I took outdoorfan through the handlapping experience and where it is a bit scary for a person who has never done it, it can help if the constriction is large enough that a person doesn't want to over work the forcing cone and throat with firelapping the heck out of a gun. Hand lapping can screw a barrel just the same as firelapping if you don't go about it right. There are people who say don't lap your gun (firelap or handlap) no matter what and there are those who say don't handlap as you'll screw things up etc. The big thing is to go at it a bit at a time regardless what method and check often to make sure you are not taking too much metal away as you can't put it back when it's gone. :|

If you are going to lap a firearm or should I say if you need to lap then in most cases a small bit of firelapping will take care of your problems.

[RobS]

Green dot would work too..........probably 3 grains

[fivegunner]

BaBore gave you some great advice, I to use red dot for fire laping I went right to 4 grains . But I clean every shot. it take `s some time but it sure makes a so-so barrel shoot better! again go slow, do it right.:Fire: