I Got Bored, So I Fire Lapped My .22

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

Got bored today, and having just traded for a couple bulk packs of Winchester Dynapoint, I decided to try fire lapping my Romanian Training Rifle, M69. Good bore as is, but could be better.

I started by cleaning the bore til it shined, using Remington 40-X and Remoil.

40-X is mildly abrasive, and will take any fouling out of your bore. It is important to use it sparingly, and follow the directions to the letter.

Oil must be used in conjunction with the 40-X, and I had some Remoil on hand.

After cleaning and drying the bore as specified, I dug around until I found an orphaned .22lr round and coated the bullet with abrasive.

I took it out and shot once.

When I came back in, I pushed a patch through the bore. Many bores have random constrictions, and mine had a couple. After lapping, they were gone.

I cleaned the bore again as specified.

After 20 fouling shots to get the barrel well lubed, I sighted it in, then shot for groups.


This is a 20 round group, shot prone at 50 yards. The fliers were my fault.

The fliers were caused by a trigger that's not match grade. Though I've done work to it, the setup is such that it must have pre-travel and some sear drag, though I've smoothed both out and shortened both considerably.

I only stopped at 20 rounds because it was getting monotonous. I took out a sparrow as I've been trying to let the native birds come back, and then shot a wasp off my bird feeder. The thing had build a nest inside said bird feeder and swarmed me whenever I got too close.

I'm thinking about buying a barrel de-resonator for this rifle, but I honestly doubt it would be worth it until and unless I can get the trigger much lighter and shorter than it currently is.

Josh <><

 

[Birdmang]

Sorry, but what does fire lapped mean?

 

[Maverick223]

Sorry, but what does fire lapped mean?

Polished by using abrasive bullets (either factory made abrasive bullets or in this case by adding abrasives to the bullet). It helps to lightly smooth out all of the imperfections in the bore. Looks like you did well...I may have to give it a try some time.

 

[rcmodel]

So, only one abrasive coated bullet took two tight spots out of your barrel and made it shoot better?

That's simply amazing!
Could it possibly be the 40-X bore cleaner that performed the magic?

Most fire lapping I have heard about takes a lot more shots then just one!

rc

 

[Maverick223]

Most fire lapping I have heard about takes a lot more shots then just one!

I have never tried it, but it is normally 3-5 (thoroughly cleaning after each shot) isn't it?

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

The tight spots weren't real tight.

Mostly though, I just wanted to take it easy on the bore.

I'd used the 40-X before, and noticed no improvement.

But yes, it's supposed to take three to five shots, but because I didn't want my bore to look like a funnel when I got done, I test fired it after the first treatment, and I figure it doesn't need any subsequent treatment.

So I dunno.

Josh <><

 

[rcmodel]

Neco fire-lapping kit includes 40 rounds of rim-fire ammo.
http://www.neconos.com/shop/?cart=226490&cat=20

Tubbs Final Finish contains 50 bullets in five different grits in centerfire calibers.

rc

 

[Bill B.]

After 20 fouling shots to get the barrel well lubed, I sighted it in, then shot for groups.

Just curious but do you have groups that you shot before doing this procedure with the same ammo?

 

[juk]

does the tubbs kit work well? Especially interested in .30 rifles. I still don't know what to think about fire-lapping.

 

[rcmodel]

Rifle magazine did a test several years ago.

I don't remember all the details, but it sometimes made a small improvement in old mil-sups.

And it sometimes made it worse in new sporting rifles.

Seemed like your chances were about 50/50 of getting better accuracy.

But any way you look at it, it is accelerated barrel wear.

I'll get my barrel wear the old fashoned way, by shooting it, thank you!

rc

 

[Uncle Mike]

Fire lapped a 22LR!?!?!?:banghead:

Those little Romanian M-69's are tack drivers. Everyone we have sold has generated good karma with the owners....

I think you had a d i r t y bore, that's all.. most of these have had 5 digits worth of ammo ran through them.

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Mike,

That wasn't all it was.

I was getting tack driving accuracy, then I'd have a random flier way out in left field, couldn't figure out why. I eliminated the human factor with a lead sled.

Cleaned it well with same results.

Fire lapped it, and the fliers just went away. I've been trying to get one; won't do it.

I figure this is 10% science, 90% black magic.

Josh <><

 

[.38 Special]

Fire lapped a 22LR!?!?!?

He didn't fire lap his bore. He fired one lapping bullet through his bore, which accomplished essentially nothing, placebo effect notwithstanding.

At least there's no real possibility of screwing it up that way!

 

[Uncle Mike]

Yea,the black magic stuff really works... if you can get it to work... I read a post the other day where a guy was saying that you should pee pee in your barrel, I asked why such a bore solvent to be used...

He said the pp drove off the bad spirits that would ride your bullets while they were in flight, causing the bullet to be... unbalanced.hehehe

... been peeing in my barrels ever since... works good too, no copper, no lead, no bad spirits...hehehe

That gritty bullet probably dislodged a chunk of goo from your bore, anyway I am glad your shooting good groups now. I wish those M-69's would become available again.

 

[hotlead]

Uncle Mike,

If pp in my barrel there would definetly be sprits involved, good spirts that is, i.e. Jameson or Jack

 

[montess85]

how did you add abrasive to a bullet?

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

I just picked the style bullet with the most and deepest lube grooves, and used my knife to add a couple more.

Then I smeared the rest of the bullet with it, being careful not to get any on the shell. Not sure it would hurt anything, but I didn't want it there.

Josh <><

 

[maulme]

nope, you can't fire lap with one round, and how did you measure "random constrictions"? And you need a control group fired bench rest before any mods.

and quit shooting at Lincoln!

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Dunno, didn't measure the constrictions, just felt 'em.

Whatever that bullet did, it worked.

I have more than a few control groups laying around here in pixelated form. Usually would get three center hits and two fliers for every five fired. The group posted would have looked like a small shotgun pattern orbiting the area where the wad hit.

Like I said, don't know what it did, but I started getting results after the first one, so I decided not to mess with it further.

I'm the type of guy who likes to polish the minimum amount to get the job done.

Josh <><

 

[hexidismal]

What compound did you use as an abrasive on the bullet ?

 

[Kindrox]

Dunno, didn't measure the constrictions, just felt 'em.

Wow. And I thought I had a good sense of touch!

 

[brian923]

my guess is that he had something really stuck in the bore that wasnt getting taken out with cleaning, since he said he cleans it spairingly. then, he fired the abrassive bullet which was able to knck out said hard spot. maybe carbon buildup, or a piece of copper plating stuck ina pit in the barrel. i dont know, just a guess. brian

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Whatever it was, it worked.

Those Romanians have near target-grade bores anyway.

When I talk about constrictions, what I mean is this: You know how you'll feel tight spots when you run a patch through the barrel? That's all I mean. Typically one about 3/4 of the way down the bore, and sometimes one 1/4 of the way down.

I'm not discounting the distinct possibility that the 40-X did some hand lapping as well. It's abrasive.

Josh <><

 

[jpwilly]

Josh,

Sounds like you managed to clean the bore out and got it to shoot again. 1 abrasive bullet isn't going to do much.

I use JB Bore Paste on my Centerfire rifles to smooth and clean them out every so often. Don't know if this is recommended for rimfire but you may want to check into it.