Lapping a Handi barrel

[anweis]

i've read on this post about many owners experiencing poor accuracy from new barrels, or barrels that shoot well when they are dirty but not when they are clean. Also, it seems that many owners recommend shooting a few hundred rounds for wearing out the machining marks before actually looking for consistent accuracy.  

How about shooting a few of those Tubb's final finish bullets in a new Handi ? They come in different grit and they seem to do a very good job by polishing the rough machining ...

[jeff223]

if you are having accuracy problems with your rifle i would make sure everything is tight,your scope base,rings and scope.use a good ammo USA stuff or good hand loads.if still having trouble after all these things are cheched out then have a smith look at the crown on your barrel.a bad crown means poor accuracy.if you want to lap your barrel i would hand lap it with a cleaning jag and a patch with a mild lapping compound.i wouldnt fire lap it.a lapped barrel will clean much faster and copper buildup will be slower.you will not see better accuracy from lapping.dont get me wrong,lapping is a good thing,but the crown is where its at

[like2shoot]

I think that lapping helps the smoothing and accuracy of barrels. The exact method may be open to debate , but I think that firelapping works fine. Also check Midway-USA , they have a kit that will do numerous barrels. Veral Smith elsewhere on this sight has a book on lead bullets that has a chapter on lapping and he may still sell his compound. Do some research, go slow, and I think that you will speed the process of smoothing the barrel.   :grin:

[Wlscott]

Before I post a response to this question, I have to say that I have never fire lapped a barrel, nor have I hand lapped one.  This is my opinion that is based on reading material, and listening to people who have done it.

I considered fire lapping a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 300WSM that was copper fouling terribly.  I talked to several gunsmiths that advised me NOT to do it.  When you fire lap a barrel, you run a chance of moving the throat forward.  This would only serve to compound an existing problem with a Handi Rifle.  

I have also been advised by custom barrel makers to not use abrasive compounds on a patch, pushed through the barrel with a rod.  The reason is this;  if you lap a barrel in this way, you 'round off' the edges of your rifling.  This can affect the way spin is imparted to the bullet as it travels down the barrel.  

Now, all this being said, I do know that there are people on this board who have run a patch down their bore with Flitz metal polish on it, and claim that it helped to 'break in' their rifle.  I don't doubt it either.  I think Flitz is on the extrememly fine end of polishers.  

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

[safetysheriff]

I recently read somewhere, maybe on one of the sniper sites, that shooting one shot at a time -- and then cleaning the rifle, is the best way to break in a barrel.    They said one shot and then clean for at least 20 shots.    What makes sense about this to me is that they said you're removing the copper after every shot while you are smoothing the bore without embedding copper into it.

My next new rifle, if ever, will be broken in that way -- for maybe forty shots just to be sure.     I'll use some cheap fmj's as projectiles and will expect it to work very well -- if all else has been done properly in building the rifle.   It just makes sense to me.

Take care.

[Longcruise]

I have firelapped many many guns.  Centerfire rifles, handguns and muzzleloaders.  Every single one benefitted from the process...... except my .223 Handi   It remained a poor shooter even after firelapping.

What the smiths say and the custom barrel makers too is IMO true though.  And the process Safetysherrif described is probably the best way to break in a new barrel.

OTOH, most barrels are of the common everyday production kind and do benefit from firelapping....but, the methods described with the Midway kit for example can probably do some throat damage.  They advise rolling your jacketed bullets in the compound and firing them at regular velocities.  Veral Smith OTOH recommends lapping with lead bullets of a BHN in the 12 to 16 range and that it be done at very low velocities.  Just fast enough to get it out the end of the barrel.  The last time I firelapped was with a 45-70 and I could see the bullets going down range and dropping on the ground about 75 yards out :-)   That rifle improved nicely.