Firelapping a Stainless Single Six

[Racer X]

I have a 5-1/2" stainless Single Six that has poor accuracy (3" - 4" groups at 25 yards). I have heard firelapping greatly increases accuracy, but have also heard of people ruining barrels.

My questions are, has anyone tried firelapping a Single Six or any other 22 rimfire handgun? If yes, did it help or hurt accuracy?

[kynardsj]

Don't know about the firelapping but have you tried different kinds of 22 ammo ? I've never heard of a Single Six that shot poorly.

[Brett]

Different ammo may help but that is pretty poor accuracy.  I would check the crown on that one.   

[Mikey]

RacerX:  I would go with Brett's recommendation - check the crown to see if there are any dings, etc., that could impede accuracy.  I would then check your bore for any visual obstructions and also check your chamber mouths for the same, dings or visual obstructions.

Lapping a 22 lr barrel is pretty easy but for the specifics I would recommend you go down to Veral Smith's Forum down the forum list here at Graybeard's, as he has spoken to lapping 22 lr bores previously and the process has proven quite productive. 

Your ammo may also be a culprit and as kynardsj asked, have you tried different brands of ammo??? HTH.

[Racer X]

I have heard getting a Single Sixe that is accurate from the factory is a crapshoot. I've tried enough different ammo. The best groups were with RWS Target ammo, which yielded ~ 2" at 15 yards off a bench. BTW, 2" at 15 yards is "within factory specs" according to Ruger. Pretty pitiful.

I couldn't detect any dings on the crown...not sure about the cylinder throats. I'll probably try firelapping. If I ruin the barrel, I don't think it will shoot any worse.

[Keith L]

I'll probably try firelapping. If I ruin the barrel, I don't think it will shoot any worse.

Be sure to let us know how that works for you.

[Uncle Howie]

Is it possible that the rifling is full of lead? I've had that happen, and it seems to be reported on various forums regularly. It's usually blamed on high-velocity ammo w/plain lead bullets. Remington Thunderbolts are often blamed for leading up a barrel.

I know I leaded up a barrel on a S&W 617 once. When I finally got it cleaned out, it made a world of difference!

Good luck!

[S.B.]

I have firelapped several .22 handguns with moderate success. Doubt you'd ruin any gun if you use manufactures suggestions that come with kit for this? Biggest benifit is less cleaning after shooting seccions. Accuracy benifits are minumal and hard to prove unless you own a machine rest to prove. Owned a Ruger Redhawk once that had very rough bore(would lead up in very few rounds fired) and did this gun with good success and solved accuracy problems with this technique. Remember, your going to remove metal from the bore but very little. If you're going to try this proceedure, be careful and follow manufacters advice!
Steve

[SAA]

Have you checked that the cylinder line up properly with the barrel? if not, it could be shaving lead off the bullet on its way into the forcing cone and thus ruin the accuracy.

[SAA]

Another thing.. My Single-Six has good accuracy, but it gets even better with the use of this tool.
http://www.leverguns.com/store/acurizer.htm

[S.B.]

Been considering ordering one of Paco tools. You may have me getting on the ball and completeing an order?
Steve

[Swampman]

The Single Six has an oversized bore so that it will work with the .22 Magnum cylinder too.  Lapping will only make it worse.

[saddlebum]

Sometimes the end of the barrel that is screwed into the frame has a tight spot in the bore from tightning the barrel onto the frame. It is sort of crushed a little causing the tight spot inside the frame. When the bullet passes through this tight spot it is swaged down in size and fits loosely the rest of the way down the barrel. We are talking only microscopic size measurements here, but enough to screw up accruacy. Fire lapping will cure this. Swampman's comment brings up an interesting point and makes me wonder about the dimentions of the bores in a barrel meant to handle LRs and magnum rounds. Do soft lead LR bullets arburtrate,(expand), enough to fit the bore when fired? How is your accruacy when you use your magnum cylinder, if you have one? Now I'm getting a headache. You can use a pure lead slug or a very tight patch to push through the barrel and feel for a tight spot in the bore. I don't think I have ever heard or read of a barrel ever being damaged or made worse by fire lapping with lead bullets. Use lead unplated bullets only for best results. Don't get discouraged if it takes alot of lapping for a stainless barrel. It is a much harder steel and the proper lapping compound will remove very minute amounts of metal. It is meant to polish the bore more than to increase it's size. If there has ever been a case of over ,"fire", lapping I have never heard about it. I believe once you get to a certain point where there is less presure from the bullet against the barrel the less affective the lap compound is. We are talking about the amount of metal removal it takes to polish jewlery, to smooth the sharp edges of the rifling and fix any small tooling marks in the bore. I use LBT lapping compound and it has improved my barrels. Make sure your barrel is totally lead and copper free and clean before you start. If all else fails, the Single Six makes a really cool paper weight. GOD BLESS and GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!          added:          (GO TO "ASK VERAL SMITH A QUESTION, "LAPPING 22 RIMFIRE"  http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,177974.0.html )

[zermatt7]

RacerX

Send a pm about your problem to "Duane" on here.
Super nice guy and knows alot about single sixes from the inside out.

Hope this helps,

Eric

[S.S.]

The Single Six has an oversized bore so that it will work with the .22 Magnum cylinder too.  Lapping will only make it worse.

Right on the mark here! Bigger bore than .223 dia. Never known lapping to be condusive to better accuracy anyway.