fire-lapping

[jfowl31]

On another thread, guys were talking about firelapping a bore... it was mentioned that different places sell pre-loaded bullets for fire-lapping. I need some 223 lapping rounds to break in a barrel once it comes in, and dont have a setup for 223 yet for my reloader... itll come later.

Anyone know of any specific brands that are better than others when it comes to this, and anybody got any links to products?

It was said that they sell them at Cabelas, but I couldnt find them on the website, and I have a strange feeling they arent the cheapest out there.

thanks for thehelp
Jordan

[cimmaronkid]

Anytime I am looking for anything like this, I go directly to Brownell"s. I think this will help.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/catsearch.aspx?k=fire+lapping&ps=10&si=True

Just follow the directions and you will come out with a good job.

[jfowl31]

well.... after reading just a little bit, maybe I wont fire-lap it first... Ill see how it shoots before I do... but still, does anyone have a preferred brand for pre-loaded rounds, and how much do they run.

[Big Steve]

Read this before you lap anything. Be sure to read it all. http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/Barrel_BreakIn.asp
Steve

[Hoot]

I'm not aware that you have much choice other than NECO for pre-loaded ammunition, but I could be wrong.

Hoot

[jfowl31]

Yeah Ive read that stuff from McMillan... i thin some of it has to betaken with a grain of salt because as he says, he laps his barrels before he ships them. A customer lapping his barrel once he gets it is probably not a good idea... but lapping a barrel that has not been done before you get it seems to be a different deal... fire-lapping seems to just be too abrasive for my tastes though, and from what I read and what McMillan says, very inconsistent, and therefor not that great.

Ill just break mine in the good old fashioned way... shoot ammo, not letting anything get too hot, and cleaning often... Ill get theburrs outta there eventually... And its more fun than only being able to shoot 10 rounds in my first shooting session of the new rifle.

[Geilt]

Before you even consider fire lapping there's a couple things you should consider;

Fire lapping will not make you a better shot. It is a finishing step for a barrel. If there are irregularities, lapping is but one method to hone these out. It will hone and polish out tight spots only, it will do nothing for looser spots.

You will expierence nearly the same results by shooting the barrel in as you would from lapping. There are strong arguments that you may get better results shooting the barrel in by shooting several hundred rounds using the bullets you'll be using the majority of the time. The idea is that the barrel will take on the final finish that the bullets will need. Firelapping will finish the barrel to the finish of the rounds you're shooting in the lapping process.

While it is unlikely to happen, a barrel can be damaged if lapped incorrectly.

A few good links on fire lapping:

http://www.bellmtcs.com/FAQ/Fire_Lapping.htm
http://www.neconos.com/details2.htm http://www.rifleshootermag.com/gunsmithing/finish_0723/
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/print.php?itemnumber=9&table=faq&type=FAQ

Be aware there are ways to lap a barrel that do not involve shooting at all. The process is essentially the same as fire lapping but instead of sending an imbedded bullet down the barrel you take a cast lead slug, roll it between two metal plates with a VERY VERY LIGHT coating of lapping compound and then manually push it down the barrel with a wood dowel or carbon fiber rod. The slug will be a bit difficult to get down the barrel on the first few runs of each grit but you will be able to pick up on where the tight spots are and feel them being honed out as you go through the process. As with fire lapping you will need to change over to new slugs every time you move to a finer grit compound.

Yes this is much more labor intensive.
Yes this will take cosiderably longer.
Yes it is less expensive than preloaded firelapping systems.
Yes you will get much better results than fire lapping will provide.

[SteelCore]

on this one. My firelapping consists of putting rounds thru the pipe. Unless you're some match shooter, I don't think there's any need to do this, same with that cryo-treat fad that was going around for a while.

Case in point--the Yugo Ak with a new BBL that a buddy got shot kinda wild at 50yds at first, then after abt 300runds settled down to be pretty consistent.

Barrels abrade enough. ALso, I would not add any abrasive agent into chrome-lined bbl, since you have no idea if it will take the chrome off and really screw it up.

[texlurch]

I got mine from Cabelas for my 223. 20 rds, that you fire 5 at a time, then clean.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0044350216321a&navCount=1&podId=0044350&parentId=cat20839&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat602007-cat20839&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20839&hasJS=true

[jfowl31]

do they get progressively finer and finer grit Tex? Or are they just all the same grit?

Thats a lot cheaper than I figured it would be actually...

[texlurch]

do they get progressively finer and finer grit Tex? Or are they just all the same grit?

Thats a lot cheaper than I figured it would be actually...


I just glanced at the instructions, but it looks like two grits, 10 of each. I'll have time next trip home to take it out, weather permitting.

[Geilt]

do they get progressively finer and finer grit Tex? Or are they just all the same grit?

Thats a lot cheaper than I figured it would be actually...

As with any lapping you start with a coarser grit and work through progressively finer grits. The final grit should so fine it acts more as a polish than anything else. The coarser runs actually leave extremely fine scratches in the barrel which need to be removed. Hence the need for the final "polish". The kits I am familiar with use no less than four different grits.

I'll use the woodworking analogy. You don't start with 100 grit sandpaper and then jump right to 440 when preparing wood for finishing. You work through progressively finer grits to get the best finish possible The need for the smoothest possible finish is even more important with barrels. Any scratches left in the barrel will affect accuracy to some degree.

A word of warning, ok not so much a "warning" as something to be aware of, and that is that any lapping WILL erode the throat of the barrel and thus void the warranty.

[SteelCore]

:wow:


:nurse: