So the other day I was testing loads with some 41 caliber 220 grain hard cast WFN bullets with and without gas checks. I will admit that ran them pretty hot with 20.2 grains of H110. When I went to clean my guns, one had leading in the barrel and the second did not. The one that did was a Taurus Tracker and the one that didn't was an original S&W Hunter from the Performance Center. It didn't take long for me to figure out that the difference was the high polish on the S&W versus the rougher Taurus.

The question...Is there a good way to polish the barrel of the Taurus. If it was a rifle and I could run a rod straight through from end to end, no problem, but is there a good way on a revolver?

Thanks in advance. BTW, both were acceptably accurate with both types of bullets.

Do you have the ability to " Chuck Up " the revolver frame straight and true ?.

Do you own a lathe or Milling machine ?. It can be done by other means also , although not as accurately .

I prefer to chuck up frame open the cylinder swing it out of the barrel path .

I like LOW RPM with 320-600 grit wet an dry paper and cutting Oil . I prefer to go into the chamber area first

with my mandrel which is metal with a urethane coating ( it has a very narrow slot for tucking paper into ).

Attaching my paper apply oil an spin the lathe slowly by hand to ensure all is well .

Then turn on the lathe and pull my tail stock back which holds the frame . This allows the polishing mandrel

to leave the chamber and slide down and out the barrel . I inspect it after a minute or so ,repeat so on .

For final finishing I use metal polishing compound and repeat the above steps .

I probably do an over kill ,but prefer the mandrel pulling in the direction of bullet travel .

If you had a real straight set up and guide I suppose it could be done with an electric drill motor .

The above worked on a couple of my pistols including a 44 Ruger Redhawk .

Nearly no jacket fouling and shoots respectful groups . PS ; I also drew a cleaning rod with a swivel handle

through it about 50 times so as to follow rifling , an over sized muslin cotton swab impregnated with

polishing compound . BOL

Fire-lapping. See Brownell's and Precision Shooting magazine for kits and instructions.

It works.
Regards, Joe

Thanks for the suggestions. I really appreciate them. I don't have an appropriate lathe. I don't think I could fit it to my mini wood lathe.

Joe, I will look there. That's what I would do for a rifle (in some cases) as well.

Larry, the fire-lapping process was developed and publicized by Merrill Martin back in the late '80s in an article in Precision Shooting.

He did it using a pair of S&W revolvers; although rifle cures have become more popular in recent years, revolver problems are why the process was originally developed. IT WORKS! Good luck.
Regards, Joe

Thanks. I'm going to have to buy the kit and use my own bullets, which is not a problem. I don't think it is bad enough for the 220 grit, but the finer should work fine. Before I do that, I am going to scrub the heck out of it with some JB.

I have fire-lapped several revolver barrels, and for me it works.