Author Topic: Questions on barrel break-in (Read 1012 times)

poorcountrypreacher · « **on:** June 23, 2004, 09:43:03 AM »

I guess I am the perfect example of what the traditionalists are opposed to - the only reason I ever bought a ML was because the great state of AL decided to have their first ML only season last year. A lot of folks said it was done because of money; if so, I behaved exactly as they wanted and went out and bought my first ML, a Knight Super Disk. I enjoy bow hunting, but I have found the best time of the year to get a decent buck in my area is either in the Jan rut or the first week of the gun season. Since the ML season is the first 5 days this year, I hope to improve my odds of getting a wall hanger. When they approved scopes for this year, I immediately bought one. I want the best gun (within a reasonable price range) that I can get, and I never considered a traditional gun. That said, after getting involved in BP, I can possibly forsee the day I might want to buy a traditional gun and hunt with it. I'll just need more time than I got now.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. If guys like me ruin ML hunting, I am sorry. Blame it on the people that set the seasons and regulations. Glad I found you guys here and didn't start out asking questions on the traditional forum.

Now, some more questions for you gurus. After being advised on another thread to put some Powerbelts thru my rifle to break it in, I went looking for some. Its hard to find any BP stuff around here right now, but I bought some more of those hated Pyrodex pellets - couldn't find any loose or any T7 - and also found some .45 Great Plains 285g lead bullets. Here is my plan to help break in the barrel - please tell me if I am about to mess it up.

I'm going to fire about 10 rounds using the Great Plains and 1 50g pellet. Is that enough powder for a break -in? On CF ammo, you can't drop below a listed load or it can be dangerous - that isn't a problem with BP, is it?

Then I was going to roll a few bullets in a fine barrel lapping compound and fire them, using the same load. This works good with .22's and I have done a couple of Contender barrels and a .30 cal carbine barrel with good results. Any criticism of this practice in this Knight?

Of course, I'm planning to clean it between shots and then scrub the barrel hard with a wire brush when I finish. I hope this will improve accuracy, but mainly hoping to make the barrel easier to clean. Any comments appreciated. Thanks for all the help you guys have already given me.

poorcountrypreacher · « **Reply #1 on:** June 23, 2004, 09:48:22 AM »

I forgot to ask this - the directions with the Great Plains bullets say they are pre-lubricated. I don't need to add any more lubrication, do I? Just put the pellet in and the bullet on top, without any wadding or anything, right? Thanks

simonkenton · « **Reply #2 on:** June 23, 2004, 12:27:49 PM »

error

simonkenton · « **Reply #3 on:** June 23, 2004, 12:32:23 PM »

You can shoot 50 gr in a muzzleloader, no problem.
I would hold off on fire lapping that beautiful Green Mountain barrel.
As I recall, Randy was shooting 1/2 MOA with a Knight out of the box.
Why don't you shoot it first and see how it does?

I started in muzzleloading years ago. I had a TC Hawken. I built a Tenn. Mountain Rifle in .50, what a beautiful gun. Killed lots of deer with both of 'em, hogs too.
Now my vision isn't so good. Not gonna put a scope on a beautiful traditional rifle, don't look right, bad juju.
So I have an inline and I don't apologize to anyone.

poorcountrypreacher · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2004, 04:33:31 PM »

Hi Simon - I have had the gun for over a year, but have only shot saboted bullets thru it, and somebody pointed out that plastic would never break it in. It does shoot well, and meets their 2.5" promise with a "factory" load of 3 pellets and a Knight Red Hot. But cleaning it has been difficult, and I thought some kind of breakin would help that problem.

I was going to be real careful with any firelapping, but maybe I ought to just fire some of the lead bullets and then check it. Thanks

SURVEYOR · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2004, 05:16:47 PM »

I'd use JB lapping compound before fire lapping.

Jules J.

simonkenton · « **Reply #6 on:** June 24, 2004, 01:02:11 AM »

Get a patch that fits pretty tight on a cleaning jag. Or, you can use a bore mop and wrap a big patch around that, so that it will be pretty tight in the bore.
Load that patch up with JB. Start from the breech and give it 50 strokes. Clean it out with some Hoppes #9 or equivalent, make up a new JB patch and give it 50 more strokes, then clean again.
Give it a total of 200 strokes.
This is more of a polishing than a lapping but remember the Hippocratic oath, "First, Do No Harm."

big6x6 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 24, 2004, 02:11:15 AM »

Hey Steve,
I'd had for you to waste pellets just to "break in" your barrel. Does anyone have any Pyrodex loose around there? That will serve the same purpose a 777 loose, you'll just have to use a little more of it. If you make it up to Bham in the next few day I'm sure Marks in Hoover or Simmons in Bessemer would have loose Pyrodex and 777. The Gun Cellar in Riverchase might have some as well. Where are you getting you Pyrodex pellets? Anyway, a single pellet, 70-80gr Pyrodex loose, or 60-70gr 777 should be fine to shoot with the Great Plains.

Fire lapping. I would do that only as a last resort. 100 strokes with JB IS a good idea as mentioned here. Here's where to get JB:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1160&title=J-B%7e+NON-EMBEDDING+BORE+CLEANING+COMPOUND

poorcountrypreacher · « **Reply #8 on:** June 24, 2004, 07:20:05 AM »

Looks like it is unanimous that fire lapping is a bad idea. I'll order some JB and try that. And I know one more place that might have loose powder within reasonable driving distance, so I'll give them a try this afternoon.

Chuck, by the time I pay for the gas to drive all the way to B'ham, I'd be much better off to just fire the $6 worth of pellets. Of course, I could wait until I have reason to go there anyway, but when I want to do some shooting its hard to wait.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll report back.

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #9 on:** June 24, 2004, 02:56:40 PM »

Quote from: poorcountrypreacher

But cleaning it has been difficult, and I thought some kind of breakin would help that problem.

What is the cleaning issue? What exactly do you mean by "difficult"?

poorcountrypreacher · « **Reply #10 on:** June 24, 2004, 03:16:26 PM »

Hi Randy - If you'll look thru the thread I started - "Questions on Cleaning" - you'll see what I'm talking about. I got lots of help from the guys here while you were on your bear hunt. Thanks for any suggestions, and thanks for moderating such a great forum.

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #11 on:** June 24, 2004, 04:15:10 PM »

I'd use T7, once you start with a clean barrel (J-B if needed), it should be pretty easy to keep up.

The "break-in" is hardly needed in a sabot shooter, though I suspect running a few Powerbelts through the gun does small amount of light smoothing.

Fire-lapping I'd avoid completely, most SS Knight barrels I've looked at through a bore scope look great just as supplied.