Improving a barrel by lapping.

[HappyWarrior]

In my safe was an old Remington 722 in 244 carrying a BalVar 8 in Stith mounts.

At an auction i bought 10 boxes of factory 244/6mm Rem ammo, so I dusted the old girl off.

She shot well with light bullets. About then I bought a Lyman bore scope that revealed the bore still had a lot of machining marks and a few pits.

Bought a fire lapping kit from Brownells and started out with the 400 and 800 grits.

Things got better (see pics) with 95 gr Hornady factory ammo but scope still showed problems.

Back to range today with 220.

Worst case I have an as new 243 AI barrel on the shelf.

 

[Bob Wright]

Maybe handloads will bring that in under a minute.
I want to vomit when I look into some of my barrels. But they still shoot great. I have to step away from the borescope at times.

 

[West Calamus]

Just got done ladder testing a 25-06. The factory load sst was by far the worst grouping, hand load sst was next worst ended up with 120 gr speers bt shooting the best group. Have a 243 I shoot 55 gr Nosler bt out of and the barrel looks like some one took a grinder to the inside of the barrel, but the rifle is highly accurate.

 

[Bob Wright]

Factory rifles: I have 3 that looks like they cut the rifling with a hacksaw.
My custom rifles: 2 premium hand lapped barrels with low round counts are fire cracked.
I'm just going to keep shooting them.
1 factory 30-06 with 500+ rounds looks brand spanking new. Go figure.

 

[LoneTraveler]

When I inherited my dad's Rem. 722 222 Rem. (First 222 Rem. that came to a dealer in Morgantown WV. about 1950.) It had accuracy problems to. Since the last Model 722's was made about 1963/64, When Remington went to the Model 700, Your rifle has to be 55 years old.

Dad's rifle shot 2" groups at 100 yds.
Dad's 722 had such a weak firing pin spring that once in a while it would allow the firing pin to come back in the bolt, The primer would pop the firing pin dent and smoke come back into the action. I pulled the firing pin out of a 700 and installed it in the 722, The rifle went back to less than 1" groups like it did when I shot it as a kid.

I got a short action 700 firing pin spring and Bill Talkington and I replaced the original spring. The 70 year old rifle still makes groundhogs lives in danger.

I would not worry about the barrel till you replace the firing pin spring and see what the old war horse will do.

 

[LoneTraveler]

Sitting here thinking back on 722 Rem. in 244 Rem. There was a gripe about the twist in the original 722 244 Rem. Check I think it has a 1-12 twist, Remington looked at the 244 as a varmit rifle. I believe the first Remington factory loads was 75 and 90 Gr bullets. The first 243 Win. had a 1-10 twist and original Win. factory loads were 80 and 100 gr. bullets. The 100 gr. loads in 243 win. met a lot of states min. caliber and bullet weight for deer and bigger game. Remington tried and reborn the 244 Rem. as the 6mm Rem. with a 1-9 twist and heavier bullets, But it never caught the 243 Win. as factory 6mm king.

I believe, The 95 gr. SST bullet has a air pocket in the nose to allow for expansion, It may make it a little long and unstable it 244 rem. barrel twist. I have had problems with a couple mono bullets in my rifles because they exceeded the barrel twist.

Good Luck in this adventure.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Sitting here thinking back on 722 Rem. in 244 Rem. There was a gripe about the twist in the original 722 244 Rem. Check I think it has a 1-12 twist, Remington looked at the 244 as a varmit rifle. I believe the first Remington factory loads was 75 and 90 Gr bullets. The first 243 Win. had a 1-10 twist and original Win. factory loads were 80 and 100 gr. bullets. The 100 gr. loads in 243 win. met a lot of states min. caliber and bullet weight for deer and bigger game. Remington tried and reborn the 244 Rem. as the 6mm Rem. with a 1-9 twist and heavier bullets, But it never caught the 243 Win. as factory 6mm king.

I believe, The 95 gr. SST bullet has a air pocket in the nose to allow for expansion, It may make it a little long and unstable it 244 rem. barrel twist. I have had problems with a couple mono bullets in my rifles because they exceeded the barrel twist.

Good Luck in this adventure.

You are correct on the twist. 243=1-10, 244=1-12, renamed 6mm=1-9.
244 did not like anything over 90-100 grain bullet. Were those ten boxes of shells you bought all Hornady Superformance 95 grainers? Can't find any 6mm with light bullets now. You need to reload some 6mm with 80 grainers or less and give it another try before you go crazy with that lapping. Might just ruin a good barrel.

 

[JMW67]

I would suggest loading up some sierra 85gr hpbt gamekings they should stabilize in your rifle and seem to shoot very well in any 6mm i have tried them in and they are a great hunting bullet not for long range but 500 and under should work very well good luck with it

 

[CVCOBRA1]

I would suggest loading up some sierra 85gr hpbt gamekings they should stabilize in your rifle and seem to shoot very well in any 6mm i have tried them in and they are a great hunting bullet not for long range but 500 and under should work very well good luck with it

What 6mm were you shooting them in? Were they all the newer 1-8 twist barrels?

 

[JMW67]

I have shot them in a 12 twist 6mm br and 9 and 10 twist in other chamberings

 

[CVCOBRA1]

I have shot them in a 12 twist 6mm br and 9 and 10 twist in other chamberings

Ok, thanks. Just wanted to make sure. Just picked up an oldie but goody 244 to match my 243 and need to work up some loads.

 

[JMW67]

Ok, thanks. Just wanted to make sure. Just picked up an oldie but goody 244 to match my 243 and need to work up some loads.

Might try hodgdon hybrid 100v I had good luck with it in a 6mm rem with that bullet Like most sierra bullets they seem to like a jump of .020 or more

 

[CVCOBRA1]

With all the shortage of powder and primers now I might just have to take what I can get or wait. 6mm dies first. Thanks for the tip.

 

[JMW67]

This powder is normally available most places I have found it to work in alot of different calibers