Bore polishing to help with fouling: it worked!

[leadhoarder]

Are you supposed to use the scotch brite dry or are you supposed to use an oil or other lubricant when this is done? Watching the video it looks like he used the scotch brite dry.

 

[zneufeld]

Are you supposed to use the scotch brite dry or are you supposed to use an oil or other lubricant when this is done? Watching the video it looks like he used the scotch brite dry.

I did what he did in the video and used it dry. Worked fine for me.

 

[Joemolf]

It will definitely be a project to find the best lube and patch. But before I polished this bore, I would challenge anyone to load it after 3 shots, no matter the lube. Just a rough bore, I guess. I remember someone else on here had a similar problem with a GPR awhile back.

Mike is a great source he explains and tests before your eyes. Seeing is believing!

 

[ormond tony]

I started and found that I needed to make the pad (Ace metal finishing pad that Mike uses) thinner. I ran two pads through the bore about 30x each. Here is the after process movie. I am hoping someone can describe what I am seeing. Thanks.

 

[Grenadier1758]

You are looking into the chambered breech of your Lyman GPR.

 

[ormond tony]

If you play the video, there are white patches and other stuff that I don't know what they could be. I hope people can view the video.

 

[Joemolf]

It will definitely be a project to find the best lube and patch. But before I polished this bore, I would challenge anyone to load it after 3 shots, no matter the lube. Just a rough bore, I guess. I remember someone else on here had a similar problem with a GPR awhile back.

I expirenced what you describe this on new 50 cal wood runner 70 grains 2F Swiss. Part of the problem I used prelubed patches which were pretty dry. But again as you described certain areas within the barrel were harder than other areas all in all thank fully i had a steal range rod. I made a few passes with the scotch brite today. I’ll make a few more tomorrow. Then back to the range this weekend.

 

[akroguy]

MY GPR .54 was also a rough bear to load until the scotchbrite treatment. Loads nice and easy now. Some commercial barrels are just rough as a cob.

 

[kyron4]

So is there a point where you can polish a bore to smooth ? As in shiny chrome like finish ? It would seem the rifling would need a little "roughness" to bite/grab on the patch and too slick could effect the spin. Just thinking out loud , I don't know , just wondered.

 

[ETipp]

My .54 GPR came to me basically new even though its a 1991 model. It was accurate but I noticed that a few cleaning patches would come out cut. Retrieved shooting patches were fine with the exception of a little fraying around the outside edges. I used some lapping compound and after about 100 strokes I have no more cut cleaning patches. Last time I checked, accuracy was the same with holes touching from 75 yards, minus one flyer of my own fault.

I still have to run a cleaning patch down the bore after about 3 shots, which I don't mind at all. Any time I feel any resistance when seating the patch/ball I run a damp patch with Windex down the bore the next time. I'm a hunter first and do very little target shooting. Every shot to me is important and I strive for everything to be as good as I can get it. I use TOTW Mink Oil patch lube so perhaps that's one reason why I get some crud after a few shots? Honestly, I do not see what the issue is with running a couple of damp patches down the bore after a few shots. I do the same with my Crockett squirrel rifle when out hunting even though I can go a fair amount of shots between without doing so.

Also, and of note, when I'm back from a hunt, even after I've fired 6-10 shots at squirrels, I find the rifle is pretty darn clean at the end of the day and very little crud comes out. A clean bore works for me and always has.

 

[82ndPA]

+1 for Mike Beliveau's scotch brite method. My CVA .45 cal Kentucky is easier to load, and I get more shots (20+) between swabbing.

 

[SHAGBARK]

This is what I use, whenever I want extra clean. I swab between shots and like to keep the green mountain barrel nice and shiney. Blue wonder I get it at the car part store

 

[springfield art]

Took my Lyman Great Plains .54 flintlock out to the range today for the first time after following duelist1954's instructions for polishing the bore with Scotch Brite (link here).

I had the same problem that Mike had, which was the rifle was extremely difficult to load after just 2 or 3 shots because of fouling. With mine, there was a spot about 8 inches down the bore that practically required a jackhammer to pass with a reasonably tight load (.015 patch and .53 RB).

I did what Mike did, and cut 7 or 8 patches from a Stotch Brite pad and ran them down the bore 10 times each with an undersized jag (.36 cal).

Today, I got to 10 shots without noticing any difficulty loading, and went all the way to 13 before I cleaned. I probably could have kept going, but I needed a break anyway.

Success! Thanks, Mike!

Now all I need is the time and place to do a proper sight-in. I have no idea where I'm hitting at 50 yards, but our local range doesn't allow BP on the shorter ranges.

Great! I have a .54 lefty GPR and worked it with the abrasive paste; you could just peer down the bbl. and see all the tiny, sharp, machining marks. Good luck!

 

[M. De Land]

So is there a point where you can polish a bore to smooth ? As in shiny chrome like finish ? It would seem the rifling would need a little "roughness" to bite/grab on the patch and too slick could effect the spin. Just thinking out loud , I don't know , just wondered.

Yes, paper patching of muzzle loading bullets can form a glaze that deteriorates accuracy but this is only experienced from bench shooters as a rule as most of our sports are offhand and the accuracy difference would probably not be noticed.
This is why I never lap higher than 400 grit at the finish. in lead slug hand lapping. If one starts out with a 400 grit lap the compound breaks down and wears by the the time the lap is worn out and the grit size and sharpness in much finer than it started out as.

 

[olskool]

i never ever swab between any shots. 40% dawn and water patch lube, and you can literally shoot all week!

 

[ETipp]

i never ever swab between any shots. 40% dawn and water patch lube, and you can literally shoot all week!

I can see that happening if one is target shooting. However, I doubt it would work so well for a hunting load that might remain in the ML for hours on end, or sometimes a couple of days.

 

[olskool]

I can see that happening if one is target shooting. However, I doubt it would work so well for a hunting load that might remain in the ML for hours on end, or sometimes a couple of days.

yes, it does work as a hunting lube. you can leave it loaded with it overnight and it shoots with no problem.

 

[kyron4]

yes, it does work as a hunting lube. you can leave it loaded with it overnight and it shoots with no problem.

Not sure how cold it gets in South Carolina, but up here in Indiana it can be well below freezing during hunting season , sometimes single digits. That soap and water patch would freeze up for sure, I use TOW Mink Oil for my hunting patch lube, stays pliable even below zero.

 

[olskool]

Not sure how cold it gets in South Carolina, but up here in Indiana it can be well below freezing during hunting season , sometimes single digits. That soap and water patch would freeze up for sure, I use TOW Mink Oil for my hunting patch lube, stays pliable even below zero.

yea i guess that would make a difference for sure. if it is freezing i stay my butt near a heat source! LOL, i have hunted all my life here in SC, sometimes in 100-degree heat with 100% humidity! our deer season runs from Aug 15 - Jan 1, so we hunt in the heat most of the season,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[kyron4]

yea i guess that would make a difference for sure. if it is freezing i stay my butt near a heat source! LOL, i have hunted all my life here in SC, sometimes in 100-degree heat with 100% humidity! our deer season runs from Aug 15 - Jan 1, so we hunt in the heat most of the season,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I couldn't imagine dressing a deer out in that kind of heat and having to rush to get the meat on ice before the flies get on it. Usually I'll hang the deer in my barn for a few days, if temps stay between 32* and 45*, before I butcher it.