I am interested in lapping a barrel. What I need to know is what grit to start with and what to finish? Also what method to use a patch Jag or a patch on a worne brush. etc

3006ultra---

I assume you have a barrel blank that hasn't been chambered or cut to length yet........

You need to pour a lead lap in the bore and then load the grit in the lap.

What grit to start with depends on how rough it is. Most custom barrels were lapped before rifling so the lands aren't needing it, just the grooves, and more importantly, the edges and corners of the lands.......of course on custom barrels they lap them for you.

What have you got and what do you need to do. That's easier to answer.

[ 03-01-2003, 05:00: Message edited by: JBelk ]

Jbelk, I have a barrel that seams to foul and is leaving a lot of fouling in the barrel. I just won't to smooth up the roughness and slick up the barrel

3006ultra---

You don't need to lap, only polish.

Use a tight patch and JB Bore cleaner.

BE SURE TO USE A good BORE GUIDE.

You DON'T want a patch so tight that the rod bows and rubs the bore, either.

Try a hundred strokes and shoot it some more. You should be able to tell by how it SHOOTS, NOT HOW IT LOOKS, if it needs anything more.

Don't worry about copper streaks unless it affects accuracy. This ain't a clean barrel contest, only a tiny group contest.

I use a nylon brush with gauze wrapped around it so the gauze fills the spiral opening in the brush. Then coat it with Butch's Bore Shine and finish the bore with many short strokes varying the start and stop points of the stroke. Kinda like honing a cylinder, lots of overlap. Use long strokes in between to even things out, but don't do it too much or you can shape the bore like an hourglass.

Thanks for the help I just happen to have some JB bore past...Thanks 3006ultra