More on slug for honing barrel. Wordy.

[Gooddaytoya!]

Well, I made it. I bored 1 inch long holes into a piece of really dense oak, with a 5/8 forstner bit. The holes had smooth enough walls which held up even to 700° lead. I used a hammer on an anvil to taper the slug at the back end, and drove it into the barrel. The barrels only . 61, so it was a hard job. I had to keep shaving the edges off of the bulging slug. But I got it in, and drove it back out, and I'm satisfied enough with how it looks. I have a question: the slug fits really really really tight, and the finest honing compound that I found with a quick search is 320 grit. Well maybe there is 8000 grit Forgive me but it seems like 180 would work fine, followed with 320 and then 600. I wonder if any honing compound will get between the slug and the barrel. Should I file down the slug a little bit(I don't trust myself to do accurate filing) so the compound can get between the barrel and the slug, Or do I now just slather the bore with grease borne grit, and labor my *** off? PS I only intend to get the bore a little smoother, I know I can't grind off anything like 1000 of an inch with this method. Also I plan to take the OP's advice and deepen the slug's grooves to preserve the raised rifling, Thank you for your consideration!

 

[necchi]

Don't look for "honing compound". Look for "Rubbing compound" then "polishing compound" instead.
Hint; try your local AutoZone store.

 

[rchas]

To lap a bore, you should really pour the lead lap inside the barrel. Pack the bore with cloth scraps about two inches inside the bore. Insert a worn out bronze bore holding it steady with pliers. Warm the barrel, and pour molten lead around the brush. This will create the lead lap. Attach a steel rod and pull the lap part way out to apply "lapping compound" (search for this on Midway or Brownells)on the lead lap. Then start pushing the lead lap back and forth. The cloth scraps will fall out. Some say never to pull the lead lap completely out, others will pull it out and index the lead lap to the next groove. I have tried both and haven't seen a difference in results.

 

[rchas]

Meant to say a worn out bronze bore brush!

 

[Gooddaytoya!]

How long do you suggest the lead lap should be? I read about loading the lap with grit by press-rolling it on a compound-slathered smooth steel plate, then inserting it and working it back and forth until the lap needs another loading. Another writer was imperative about avoiding lapping the first three inches (the front) of the bore, to keep it and it's factory diameter. It does sound to me like some of these guys are removing too much off the inside of their barrels.

 

[Gooddaytoya!]

To lap a bore, you should really pour the lead lap inside the barrel. Pack the bore with cloth scraps about two inches inside the bore. Insert a worn out bronze bore holding it steady with pliers. Warm the barrel, and pour molten lead around the brush. This will create the lead lap. Attach a steel rod and pull the lap part way out to apply "lapping compound" (search for this on Midway or Brownells)on the lead lap. Then start pushing the lead lap back and forth. The cloth scraps will fall out. Some say never to pull the lead lap completely out, others will pull it out and index the lead lap to the next groove. I have tried both and haven't seen a difference in results.

.
OK, I'll pour a lap. I'll warm the bbl at that end to 120 F.

 

[rchas]

3 inches or so is plenty long for a lap. You can remove too much metal with a coarse grit and too many passes. I would avoid anything coarser than 320. For polishing, 800 or 1000 would be good.

 

[nhmoose]

What is needed is Clover Compound comes 100 grit into the thousands.