Can you polish a barrel to make it more accurate ?

[NDAR15MAN]

I have a cheaper Anderson brand AR15 223 / 556 Cal gun. It is a $380.00 gun. I know it is hit or miss in getting a accurate gun. My Freind bought same gun week before I did. His gun shoots 1 inch groups my gun shoot 2 1/4 inch groups with all different ammo.
Question..... Can I polish barrel to make it more accurate ? I have checked all issues that could be causing the gun not to be accurate.
It is the barrel , it has the $40.00 M4 style barrel. I can buy another good after market barrel for $150.00.
Just wondering if there is a easy / cheaper fix on this original barrel.
Did not know if I could polish the complete bore of barrel if so what process do you think I could do myself ? Thanks. Marty

 

[David Emerson]

Marty barrel polish is not the fix. I know Dan Lilja well and he explained to me that too smooth a barrel will collect copper. My advise is to just bite the bullet and buy a barrel from Lilja. The barrel will cost more than what you paid for the rifle but to get it right it is what is needed. The navy and marines buy from Lilja and they can buy whatever they want. Tell you something?

 

[NDAR15MAN]

Ok. Will look into that. I was hoping that I could buy some kind of tool that I could run down barrel and make it more accurate for $30.00 or so. It's hit or miss on these cheaper AR15 guns. I took a chance when I bought it boy worth the $381.00 chance. . Man these AR15 guns are cheap ! Gun shoes are full of them that are good name brands 500.00 to 650.00 ! MD

 

[HARPERC]

Fire Lapping is a last ditch move that works sometimes. Tubbs final finish is one product, no idea if it comes in .224.

Good Luck.

 

[cohunt]

Check your muzzle crown, and make sure it's not over gassed....last resort, try fire lapping

 

[RevJim]

I've used NECO fire lapping products on rough barrels that helped "some". I had a 3 groove , fast twist .224 Lilja barrel made up into a .224 TTH. It was one of the "best" I ever used. For the most part though, I use Shilen. Never had one in anything that they wouldn't do sub MOA.

 

[Mram10us]

Marty barrel polish is not the fix. I know Dan Lilja well and he explained to me that too smooth a barrel will collect copper. My advise is to just bite the bullet and buy a barrel from Lilja. The barrel will cost more than what you paid for the rifle but to get it right it is what is needed. The navy and marines buy from Lilja and they can buy whatever they want. Tell you something?

How does a smooth barrel collect any more copper than a rougher one? That doesn't make sense to me. I assumed the more gaps, the more places for copper to accumulate. Help me understand please.

 

[David Emerson]

I did not mean like hammer forged rough. Dan was talking on the micron level.

 

[David Emerson]

On a used rifle I once owned a bushmaster varmint that shot very well. Maybe look for one of them for a good price?

 

[Mram10us]

I did not mean like hammer forged rough. Dan was talking on the micron level.

I understand. Since it is like a plasma, plating everything inside, it seems logical that the more gaps (on a microscopic level) would allow for more copper to find its way in.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I suggest you shoot your friends rifle, and let him shoot yours. See if they are still shooting the same size groups.

 

[Bart B]

10 to 15 micro inch bore finish tends to copper foul the least.

One important thing is the bullets need to be at least .0003" bigger than the barrel's groove diameter.

 

[Mram10us]

10 to 15 micro inch bore finish tends to copper foul the least.

Where did you find this info? Obviously a test and I'd love to see it. Thanks

 

[Bart B]

Where did you find this info? Obviously a test and I'd love to see it. Thanks

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