witchhunter
Member
Hondo, please follow up with this, I have never slugged a barrel, but this is a predicament that I can see getting myself into!
Slugging Disaster
- Thread starter Hondo 60
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- bore obstruction
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Not if you use a brass or polished steel rod.
rc
rc
barnbwt
member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2011
- Messages
- 7,340
Kill it with fire.
"What you CAN do from here is apply heat. You're not working with a fine target barrel here, so applying enough heat (barely enough) to melt the lead and char the wood won't harm the barrel much more than you probably already have. Remove as much of the gun as possible, secure the barrel muzzle-down, and gently heat it; start with a heat gun rather than a torch. IF you cherry the barrel, you've probably rendered it unsafe."
TCB
"What you CAN do from here is apply heat. You're not working with a fine target barrel here, so applying enough heat (barely enough) to melt the lead and char the wood won't harm the barrel much more than you probably already have. Remove as much of the gun as possible, secure the barrel muzzle-down, and gently heat it; start with a heat gun rather than a torch. IF you cherry the barrel, you've probably rendered it unsafe."
TCB
To cast lead to shoot cheap or light loads
Search tip,
copy basic address of forum you wish to search, in this case I shorten to
http://www.thehighroad.org
go to google
search "advanced search", and one result is google advanced search,
Use the one that doesn't have "ca" in the address (Canada I think)
In google advanced search, fill in all the words you want to include in the search,
Scroll down and paste the site address into the "site or domain" box
hit search,
Results will be just for the site you entered, and be much more comprehensive than the on-site search functions, at least it has in my experience. Most forum on-site search functions don't work that well compared to google advances searches.
Searched "slug+bore"
https://www.google.com/search?as_q=...l&q=slug+bore+site:http://www.thehighroad.org
This may give your gunsmith an idea.
Drilling will be essentially pecking, no more than 1/2 inch at a time withdrawing to clear chips each time. Use a drill with a clutch set lightly and keep the speed down because once the bit hits the lead slug it will bite, you don't want to break the bit. You may as well make a guide bushing for the chamber and drill that end then you will be all clear to drive your slug with a brass rod.
Drilling will be essentially pecking, no more than 1/2 inch at a time withdrawing to clear chips each time. Use a drill with a clutch set lightly and keep the speed down because once the bit hits the lead slug it will bite, you don't want to break the bit. You may as well make a guide bushing for the chamber and drill that end then you will be all clear to drive your slug with a brass rod.
ljnowell
Member
The trouble is guns aren't always the same. If they were we would never have to slug any barrels.
col.lemat
Member
In this instance the slugging process will cost more than any amount of savings for years, maybe decades.
SwaneeSR
Member
Well I don't know first hand with the nagant, but I have had a few Mausers that have been all over I have had two identical Spanish Mausers rechambered in 7.62 one measured .3085. The next .3125. So do I just assume .3095-.3100. Them wonder why one is leading and not the other. Seen this on some .303 British guns and SKS guns. Also you can detect " high and low ". Spots in a barrel to see if lapping is required.... So yeah slug a bore to cast the right bullet... Or you can just buy hard cast coated bullets and pretend a bit of lead is normal...... No I think I'll slug the bore.And then there are folks who slug bores just so they can say that they slug bores and sound like experts.
Jim
Neat trick eh?
Searching all sorts of things got simpler after figuring out the advances search and what could be done with it.
One cant even assume the groove diameters of modern sporting guns. The groove dimensions of 44 mag and 45 Colt rifles can have quite a range of "in spec" sizes. Many simply assume, 44 mag = .429" or .430". Unfortunately, saami feels that up to .433" is fine for rifles, even though they spec a bit smaller for max diameter 44 mag handguns. Some guns are that loose. Makes finding accurate loads difficult at times.
ljnowell
Member
And then there are folks who slug bores just so they can say that they slug bores and sound like experts.
Jim
While I defend the slugging of bores, I don't do it. I usually test some loads to see if there is an issue. For me there never is, except for one Ruger Blackhawk.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Same here.
I have hardly ever slugged a bore, unless there was a problem I couldn't track down otherwise.
I have air gaged more new new match barrels then I could count back in the day however.
More often, I have slugged or pin-gaged revolver chamber throats, as that is often where you will find out something useful you can do much about.
PS: But, if I was to slug a bore?
I would use a brass or steel rod.
Not a wood dowel, or a jointed cleaning rod.
And therein lies the secret to success every time!!!
rc
I have hardly ever slugged a bore, unless there was a problem I couldn't track down otherwise.
I have air gaged more new new match barrels then I could count back in the day however.
More often, I have slugged or pin-gaged revolver chamber throats, as that is often where you will find out something useful you can do much about.
PS: But, if I was to slug a bore?
I would use a brass or steel rod.
Not a wood dowel, or a jointed cleaning rod.
And therein lies the secret to success every time!!!
rc
Last edited:
WestKentucky
Member
I need to slug my 686-6 after shooting it for about 200 rounds over the weekend it basically went smoothbore for the last half of the barrel. Took a long time to clear the fouling. So now I need to know how big I need to go.
morcey2
Member
I've got one mosin that slugs at 0.311" and a couple that slug at 0.314". When I start casting lead for them (hopefully this summer), they'll definitely need different sized bullets.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
No doubt about it, it will work.
Don't even have to thread the barrel if you can make a fixture like this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6fVJP7oYAjc
rc
Don't even have to thread the barrel if you can make a fixture like this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6fVJP7oYAjc
rc
farmerboy78
Member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2010
- Messages
- 946
I have a tikka mosin that I was working on handloads for. No matter the charge, It just wouldn't shoot better than 4-5" groups @ 50 yds. Took it back home and checked out the bore. It had excellent rifling and a shiny bore, so I said hmmm. Decided to slug the bore and found it to be .3125 in the grooves. Ordered some hornady. 312 bullets and the groups shrank to less than a 1" @ 50 yds with my first powder charge. Slugging definitely has its place when all else fails!
col.lemat
Member
Amazing! and a wood rod to boot. who da thunk it
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
No, on a revolver you actually need to slug the chamber throats and size the bullets to fit them.
Don't worry about the bore size until you know the chamber throat size.
rc
SwaneeSR
Member
Amazing video. Just say NO to wood dowel rods.
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