What's that black stuff?

[DalesCarpentry]

In the last couple days I have polished the bores of the 450 Marlin and the 308 bull using Flitz. What is the black stuff you get when you do it?

[quickdtoo]

Just metal, you'll get it forever, so don't expect it to "come clean" using flitz. It's not just specific the H&R barrels either, I've got it from every barrel I've ever polished.

Tim

[DalesCarpentry]

So Tim you are saying it is metal. I just wonder how when Flitz has no abrisive. I am sure you are right but still wonder how.

[quickdtoo]

Of course it's an abrasive, it's just very, very fine. JB Bore compound or Bore Bright which are meant for bores will do the same, it removes very slight amounts of metal, not enough to cause harm when used properly, just smoothes the rough edges and generally makes the bore more bullet friendly and cleans easier. If you go over to AR or Benchrest Central, there are threads on extended use of JB bore compound, there're shooters that have been using it for over 20yrs in the same bore with no degradation in accuracy and they swear by it.

I'd give you a bunch of links, but my cable modem is in limp mode, I'm getting less than dial-up connection speeds @ 5kbps, this page takes about a minute to load!!

Tim

[stimpylu32]

Dale

Think of it as 5000 grit sand paper compaired to 60 grit , the 5000 will remove wood but it will take forever .  and it will be very smooth when your done .

stimpy

[PHATINJUN]

I have been using the JB compound and other than being black and dirty sure seemed to polish the bore nice. I even went back and started over with all my guns and used it to give them a good cleaning. Kurt

[DalesCarpentry]

Thanks guys. It all makes sense now.

[stimpylu32]

Thanks guys. It all makes sense now.

Now we are going to have to stop that or people will expect it all the time . 

stimpy

[DalesCarpentry]

Stimpy. Trust me alot of things don't make sense. This just happens to be one that dose. LOL 

[Roudy]

Dale,
  I've polished a few bores with Flitz and one of the things I always notice is how much smoother the patch feels after pushing it through the bore a few times.  Seems that the more I polish the easier it gets.....that's just the bore getting smoother.

Roudy

[trotterlg]

Stands to reason that if the black on the patch is part of the bore then, at some point, all of the bore will be on the patches you have used and there won't be any left in the barrel.    Larry

[LaOtto222]

I think the polishing takes the high points off, including the grooves and the lands. We are talking microns not thousands of an inch. I have had very good results polishing bores. I have had it help tremendously in some bores and in others some, but it has always helped. The only bores I do not do this to is a hand lapped barrel, because this has already been done. Polishing is not as aggressive as hand lapping, and not as precise; but it simulates this. A bench rest shooter would not even think about shooting in competition with out a hand lapped barrel.

[Coffee_Boy]

Stands to reason that if the black on the patch is part of the bore then, at some point, all of the bore will be on the patches you have used and there won't be any left in the barrel.    Larry

If B can jump higher than A, and C can jump higher than B, and D can jump higher than C, it stands to reason that someone can jump up onto a three story roof?

[Tack Driver]

Stands to reason that if the black on the patch is part of the bore then, at some point, all of the bore will be on the patches you have used and there won't be any left in the barrel.    Larry

If B can jump higher than A, and C can jump higher than B, and D can jump higher than C, it stands to reason that someone can jump up onto a three story roof?

NICE! 

[DalesCarpentry]

Can someone tell me the difference between hand lapping and polishing?

[LaOtto222]

Hand lapping - lead is poured into a barrel and cast. it is 2 - 3 inches long with a rod cast in it. When it cools it shrinks just enough to pull out and add lapping compound to it. It is then stroked back and forth the length of the barrel. It is usually done before cambering and barrel shortening and crowning. This is so that any lapping done will not effect the throat or the muzzle end. It produces a very smooth bore if done right. It does take material away lapping out or rough spots, but it is very uniform through the whole length of the barrel and it laps the same amount from the grooves as the lands.

Polishing - A patch is wrapped around a brush and stroked up and down the bore with metal polishing compound (it should fit tightly). It is not as uniform (follows the bore contours). It also takes material away, but it will effect the low spots as much as the high spots (tooling marks, etc) because the patch will follow the contour of the bore. It does put a little more pressure on the high spots and rounds off burrs and tooling marks in the high spots as much as the low spots. This usually done after a barrel has been chambered and crowned. It is not as aggressive as lapping a bore.

Even with lapping a bore, only a small amount of material is taken away, even less with polishing. This is a very brief explanation.

[DalesCarpentry]

Thanks that was a very good explanation.