Barrel Lapping vs. Tubbs Final Finish

[LoneTraveler]

I first experimented with fire lapping when my brother and I bought 2 of the first 22 LR CZ 452 Varmit model rifles available. Shoot the rifle 3 or 4 shots and accuracy went (&^%$#). Soak the barrel 5 minutes with Kano-Kroil and back to one ragged hole at 50 yds. Every time cleaned little slivers of lead was on the patch. Fire lapped the barrel with then Midway's Fire Lapping Kit. (Now called Wheeler Engineering Fire Lapping Kit) sold by Midway. I made a lapp and lapped a friends 22 LR. gun. Took several sessions and when I got the barrel smoothed out, One hole about .300 dia. at 50 yds. with Eley subsonic HP. Squirrels look out.

I done a sort of dumb thing about 1994. I wanted a Kimber Montana 300 WSM as I was close to retirement. All the writers said the Montana was not the best in accuracy. Some barrels did not clean well. I had a bunch of Cast 30 cal. Bullets I played with in my 308 Win. work Rifle. I rolled 10 in 320 grit and 30 in 600 grit. Loaded them and went to the range. Shot 320 then the 600 grit cleaning every 5 shots. Cleaned the barrel good. Then started shooting jacketed bullets. First group of 180 Gr. Sierra, bullets went in .625 at 100 yds. A 7.5 lb rifle with 2.5 X 8 scope, I was a happy camper. The load was from Hornady on line at the time.

 

[Mikecr]

Technically, barrel life is endless. Even with all rifling gone, the barrel will still function.
'Accurate barrel life' is completely different.
On that:

"Any" kind of lapping reduces barrel life because it removes barrel material.

Barrels don't wear out to cause loss of accuracy. This is shot out via formation of carbon constriction.

"A premium barrel should not need to be lapped because most are lapped by the barrel maker before it is sent out..

And this does NOT reduce barrel life.

"Fire lapping only addresses the throat end and buy the time the abrasive projectiles reach the muzzle most if not all of the abrasives are spent and no longer do much for the bore.

This is exactly what we need. The throat area is heat damaged most, while the muzzle area is not heat damaged at all. Fire lapping at least addresses the roughest part of our bores, and no more.
Now if you're trying to address a loss of lapping near the muzzle, perhaps copper fouling up in excess because it's too smooth, then fire lapping wouldn't help. That's true. But by then you're way past the accurate life of that bore.

 

[J E Custom]

Sounds like I need to clarify what I said on my last post.

1= I don't consider any barrel that Is not accurate, still a barrel. it may have once been accurate but is just a pipe/tube once it looses its accuracy.

2=When barrels wear Out, They change dimensions in the lands, the bore and the throat. carbon builds up decreasing some dimensions and wear increases the dimensions. That's why we call it wear, Barrel material that was there in the beginning is no longer there. to be accurate these barrel dimensions have to be very close tolerance. once these tolerances are gone,some of the accuracy is lost.

3= The reason barrels that are lapped from the maker does not reduce barrel life Is because the barrel maker allows for the increase in barrel dimension from lapping by reaming the bore slightly small and Lapps to the correct barrel diameter (Normally this is less than .0001 to .0002 10 thousandths.He Lapps to a minimum barrel bore, when a barrel is lapped after it is delivered, It starts at the required dimension and these dimensions are increased.

4= Fire lapping DOES effect the throat area the most and the reason It would not be my choice for long term improvement. In many ways fire lapping is the quick and easy way to improve accuracy on rough barrel bores. A realy good barrel is dimensional'y consistent end to end and has a very good and even finish that minimizes fouling.

J E CUSTOM

 

[LukeMc]

Leave it just like that. No worries about scratches bumps or anything. We all hopefully have atleast 2 truck guns like this that are just do it all dont matter guns. Of course 30-338 could be overkill on some critters

For a while the only rifle I had in shooting shape was my 300 win mag. Dead is Dead and if you shoot'em right no meat damage.

 

[cheechin]

I looked into doing it but got cold feet at the last minute. I will say the loaded product is a much less refined system than the bullets for reloading. The reloading version uses several finer grades of bullets. If you reload don't buy the loaded ammo version... buy the bullets.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

When you lap a barrel you cast a lead slug of the bore and impregnate it with compound. You lap all of the bore evenly with the idea of a consistent finish and size. A bullet is not a lap. A bullet will have more force on the tops of the lands and center of the grooves and the lead angle. I think if fire lapping is actually being thought of as a fix for something, that barrel is not worth the effort.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I fire lapped a few barrels. Everyone became easier to clean. None lost accuracy. One increased accuracy and velocity. One increased accuracy only.