Lapping compound get out light scratches in barrel?

[springwalk]

Would the fine grit lapping compound with aluminum and silicone help get rid of any light scratches by the muzzle of a barrel? thanks. Is there anything that can be dont for light scratches in a barrel one can do without seeking professional work? I suspect its light tool marks or the previous owner heavy handed with a cleaning rod.

 

[M-Cameron]

depending on how bad the scratches are........you may actually do more harm to the barrel by trying to polish it.....


unless you are having serious accuracy problems....i would just leave it.

 

[springwalk]

I was thinking of using the finest stuff, say at least 800-1,000 grit to ensure no erosion. Is Brownells JB compound mildly abrasive and enough to get out light scraches?

 

[jimmyraythomason]

........you may actually do more harm to the barrel by trying to polish it.....


unless you are having serious accuracy problems....i would just leave it.

I agree with this. If it shoots well now,I would leave it alone as well.

 

[rcmodel]

I agree.

Lets say the scratch is .oo1" deep.

To polish it out will require you to remove .002" from the bore, or .001" on each side of the hole.

Now you got a blunderbus funnel at the muzzle that won't shoot worth beans. In fact you might expect bullets to tumble and keyhole on target, if you can even hit the target.

rc

 

[MutinousDoug]

JB bore compound will not hurt your barrel but I doubt it would polish out rcmodel's 0.001 deep scratch in a month of Sundays. Your rifling grooves are only about 0.005" deep.
I agree with the other posters that LIGHT scratches are unlikely to affect accuracy. I have an old S&W model 15 with BAD pitting on the first 1/8" in from the muzzle that shoots as well as any of my Smiths for the 1st 50-100 rounds before cleaning.

 

[GLOOB]

For scratches at the muzzle, no way. Leave it alone if it shoots. If it doesn't, then depending on the gun you may want to try recrowning it. But trying to polish out a scratch will only make it worse, especially at the muzzle. The muzzle should be at least as narrow, if not narrower, than the rest of the barrel. Polish might be ok for a rough barrel that leads too easily, but it won't do a thing for scratches.

 

[springwalk]

thanks all, your advice seems to be sound wisdom. Maybe a few mags fired off quickly will smooth out the scratches. Its just annoying to see and know that the previous owner wasnt careful with the cleaning rod.

 

[Maj Dad]

If it's keeping you up at night consider fire lapping. Brownell's & Midway among others sell kits that you can use to iron out rough bores. Some swear by them, others at them. I've never used one, but I have a 30 cal kit someone gave me about 15 years ago I've been planning on using if I ever get a 30 caliber with a crappy bore...

 

[Drail]

Don't sweat the scratches. They will become filled with lead/copper and life will go on.

 

[springwalk]

suppose fire lapping reduces barrel life in the long run being its resurfacing the barrel walls thereby opening up the inner dimensions?

 

[Maj Dad]

Not supposed to - obviously it removes metal, but so little it's negligible. Of course, if you load it up with valve grinding compound and shoot 50 of them you're going to change some dimensions. I think the idea is to polish a bit then stop. Moderation is always the key...