Bore Polishing

[ord sgt]

I have used 0000 steelwool to clean and polish rifle bore. Wrap the wool around your cleaning jag and stroke, stroke, stroke!

 

[LME]

I have used 0000 steelwool to clean and polish rifle bore. Wrap the wool around your cleaning jag and stroke, stroke, stroke!

I have used steel wool to remove crud but not to polish a bore?

 

[rich pierce]

Ok...perhaps a stupid question... but how does one know that their barrel requires this sort of polishing? I have a Lyman GPR that I've had for less than 5 years. I don't log my shooting sessions, but I also don't shoot a lot either--probably shot around 50 or so lead balls through it. My accuracy is what I would consider to be " "moment of deer vitals" at 100 yard max--patterning about the size of an orange at 50 yards and a little wider at 100 (plus the clean-boar flier that always seems to be the case on my first shot of a session).

I've read that new barrels need to be broken in to wear down factory rough spots--some say with as many as 200 shots. I'm not likely to burn through 200 lead balls for another 10 years at my current rate of enjoyment. Is bore polishing something I should consider doing?

If your barrel becomes significantly harder to load or starts tearing patches that were fine before, it needs polishing.

 

[BP Addict]

For a really rough bore I like to use a lead lap with with a fine grinding compound. But for a mildly rough bore a simply bronze bore brush and automotive buffing compound does well. For a simple "deep cleaning" a cotton "mop" with tooth paste( thats right- tooth paste) gives your bore a bright smile.

I've always used just plain "paste" which is becoming harder to find without being mixed with gel. Does it matter?

Walt

 

[Henry Miles]

If you experience uneven pressure required to seat a bullet or notice tight spots in the bore, try polishing. Better yet, get a bore scope (endoscope) and look inside your barrels. You WILL be surprised! They ain't as clean as you might think unless they have already been polished.

 

[nhmoose]

GM guy I shot with at FT TY said use +1 steel wool to knock any sharp edges off the lands. He holds many record targets in the NMLRA that have yet to be beaten
\
Same guy showed me how to lap barres using the clover compound and a cast lead lap on a rod.

 

[Springerpanhead]

Years ago someone smashed the stock off an unmentionable, took the bolt and left it in my woods, ( Must have had a bad day ) . One of my carriage drivers found it and brought it out. To say the bore was in bad shape is an understatement. I purchased from I believe it was Brownells,, something called Ground Ruby Bore Lapping Compound. Can’t be more specific because the label has long since fallen off the bottle. This stuff is AAAAAGRESSIVE. 10 strokes and you are done. 50 strokes and your rifle becomes a smooth bore. Anyway, new stock, new bolt, and the Ruby Compound, made it shoot 1 in groups at the 100 all day long. Sold it to the LGS for $600. Dont know if Brownells still sells that stuff.

 

[bldtrailer]

Top 2 targets before bore polish with steal wool(Mr Dixons advise) and after