sharp lands and grooves

[jbwilliams3]

Howdy, I just sighted, tuned and figured my load for my .45 cal blue Ridge- .44 RB and .012 ticking with 50 grains of 3f. Incredibly pleased at its accuracy and precision. My only concern (reiterated by my shooting partner) was that the rifleing seemed pretty sharp (to handle conicals?). Noticed that my discharged patches were cut on the sides- also seemed to be a tad difficult to ram home ball. My partner has 30 years of experienced and suggested swabbing a little steel wool with oil down the barrel to blunt the rifleing a tad. Of course, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," so would anyone advise something else or recomend ignoring the "problem"? Thanks a ton

 

[captaincaveman]

barrel needs broke in. Get a couple hundred balls through it and it'll calm down

Josh

 

[Goldhunter]

I'd finish shooting it in.

Also, instead of steel wool you can use one of those green 3M scour pads. Add a little JB bore compound to take the roughness out. But shoot it in first, then try that if it's still rough/sharp. .02

 

[Leonredbeard]

Jb,
you could put a little valve grinding compound on your patches. That would slick it up in a hurry. You would want to check it after each shot so as not to go too far.
volatpluvia

 

[mloader40]

Ted Hatfield told me to wrap the loading rod with 4-0000 steel wool (approx 3"-4") and make about twenty passes up & down the barrel, then flush out the barrel completely.
Good Luck,
BPWRL

 

[roundball]

Noticed that my discharged patches were cut on the sides- also seemed to be a tad difficult to ram home ball.

If it was my new rifle, I wouldn't want to start tinkering with "try this/try that" methods of altering the bore to chase an insignificant little problem.

Your description of "difficult to ram home the ball" might mean it's happening right at the muzzle...the sharp "ends" of new lands can nick the material in multiple places when it's short-started into the rifling at the muzzle..had a new GM .58cal barrel do that...100-150 short started patched balls later and it had taken care of itself.

My .02 cents :v

 

[john armstrong]

Lapp it. Pull the breech plug, melt some lead and reform it in your barrel, get some lapping compound and spend a few quality hours pushing the slug from on end to the other over and over. It will reduce fouling and even shoot better than it already does. I buy nothing but, $250 plus barrels and do it to every one. Good shooting.

 

[ffffg]

i have a getz .62 that cut patches for over a year.. tried 0000 steel wool with limited sucess, the green pads just tore holes in it getting it started, and etc etc.. two things helped, presoaking .020 patches from track of the wolf, and fianlly coarse steel wool up and down the barrel many times. and many times on entry of the muzzel as it was where the real problem was, it had sharp or even a knothced crown.. poorly made barrel. but all seems to be working ok now.. first rounds out of it were very accurate, then leadding started in with cut patches and accuracy fell until i finally stopped cutting patches and leading was shot/cleaned out of it with uncut pathces and cleaning with old style hoppes.. worked for me, you may nothave the same problems or cures.. black powder is a lifetime sport, im learing things that i shure wish i knew 20 years ago all the time..dave.

 

[Blackfoot]

I have the same rifle and the same "ISSUE" but I hate to touch it as it shoots a ragged hole @ 50 yards, My luck it would ruin the accuracy of the rifle if I did anything inside the barrel.

I am wishfull that it will take care of itself after I put a few hundred rounds through it.

 

Save yourself the trouble and go to a thinner patch and Crisco lube. I can thumb start my .54 Blue Ridge with an .05 patch and there is no (like in none) loss in accuracy and a whole heap of less aggrivation in the loading process. Do not touch them lands and leave that crown alone. You do not need to cone the muzzle. :thumbsup:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

What is the diameter of the ball you are using? An .05 patch is going to take up a lot of space.

 

[ryoung14]

Best advice is "Leave it alone.". If it's putting the balls where you aim them, who cares what the patches look like?

Think of how hard you'll want to kick yourself if you start fiddlin' with it and accuracy goes to pot. Been there, done that...more'n once.

Then, if accuracy goes downhill on its own, you can try some of these suggestions. You'll at least have justification for messin' with it at that point.
Bob

 

I am using a .530 + an .05 patch. I guess I do not understand you comment about it taking up a lot of room. I have never seen patching (commercially available) less than .05 - but I am willing to learn. I can literally see through the .05 stuff and was using .20 befoe them and had to fight it and literally hammer the rounds at the muzzle and fight them the whole way down the bore.

 

[Rebel]

I think you mean an .005 and not an .05 thick patch. That is what he was refering to. An .05 is kinda thick. :grin:

 

[Stumpkiller]

I'd only resort to the abrasives if you discover a rough spot. You spent a lot of money to get that nice, new & crisp rifling. If it's still cutting patches after 200 rounds then you might try the JB lapping with a 3M pad. Could be a burr, most likely just crisp edges.

By the way, JB says right on the container it "will not remove barrel metal" so it can't do much harm. It's for removing leading and copper fouling. :winking:

 

[renovato]

Before you consider lapping it, I'd suggest putting a couple hundred rounds through it first. The problems usually sort themselves out with a little break in. You can always lap it later on if it ends up needing it.

 

[jbwilliams3]

Thanks, folks. My decision's been reiterated here to just keep shooting, shoot a couple hundred balls before I decide to "fix" anything. Actually, my PRBs are already seating much easier and no loss in accuracy. I'm def. not worried about the "problem" now.

 

[Dphar]

Howdy, I just sighted, tuned and figured my load for my .45 cal blue Ridge- .44 RB and .012 ticking with 50 grains of 3f. Incredibly pleased at its accuracy and precision. My only concern (reiterated by my shooting partner) was that the rifleing seemed pretty sharp (to handle conicals?). Noticed that my discharged patches were cut on the sides- also seemed to be a tad difficult to ram home ball. My partner has 30 years of experienced and suggested swabbing a little steel wool with oil down the barrel to blunt the rifleing a tad. Of course, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," so would anyone advise something else or recomend ignoring the "problem"? Thanks a ton

Steel wool wrapped on a wood rod with spiral grooves or a metal rod with a jag, will help deburr it.
It will not be very aggressive. Should work.
I would also look carefully at the crown. It could be where the patches are being cut.

Dan

 

[xxgrampa]

greetings jb,

if you ever do decide to treat your bore with any type of up and down with a rod in the bore. or even loading at the bench, please, always use a bore protector.quite often people think their bore is shot out, but it's not. it's crown wear from the ramrod. recrown it and the accuracy comes rite back.

this happens to rod bouncers more than anyone else. after the ball is seated, they will give it about three short thows with the ramrod bouncing it off the ball.. don't think that helps the ball, bore, crown or accuracy..

..ttfn..grampa..

 

You are correct sir. :bow: This, is one of the reasons I failed Engineering 101.