Rough Barrel

[cornstalker]

I have a Savage that the factory barrel is pretty rough. It copper fouls pretty bad and takes forever to clean. It now has 50 rounds total through it and has not been shot more than five times between cleanings.

Is there a way to smooth or lap the bore without jacking the throat up?

Should I try moly bore conditioner? Moly coat my bullets?

 

[varminthunter1]

Hi Cornstalker. You don`t mention what caliber, but, Here is a link to David Tubb`s final finish.
Great product.
might cure your fouling issues.
available in .17, .204, .224/5.56mm, .243/6mm, .25, .264/6.5mm, .270, .284/7mm, .308/7.62mm, .303, .323/8mm, .338, .358, .375, .45-70, .50 bmg (call)

http://www.davidtubb.com/finalfinish.html
Jeff

 

[cornstalker]

It's a 6.5. Thanks for the tip. I was a little worried about the Tubbs system tearing up the throat, but they claim it will actually improve it.

Guess I had probably better order a kit.

 

[SS427]

My Savage barrel started to foul much less after about 200 rounds without any sort of treatment other than a couple cleaning sessions with JB Bore cleaner and Bore Brite. The Bore Brite is a polishing compound and probably does the same thing as the Tubbs system.

 

[CoverDog]

The Bore Brite is a polishing compound and probably does the same thing as the Tubbs system.

llI guess it might come close if you can move you brush about 3200fps.

 

[Rustystud]

Buy yourself some cast lead bullets of the caliber you are having trouble with. They should be slightly over bore in diameter. They should also have lube rings in them. Get a short alluminum or brass rod 4." in length smaller than the bullet diameter. Get a wood mallet, pair of vice grips a uncoated steel cleaning rod, a squirt can of 30wt Non detergent motor oil and some 180 grit lapping compound. Remove your barrel from the action. Squirt about 3-4 squirts of oil into the barrel. Take a nylon cleaning brush and work the oil into the bore. Then start a lead bullet loaded up with lapping compound into the bore. Start it with the short piece of alluminim or brass. Push it to the chamber throat then change ends and push it to the muzzle. It will get easier with each pass. You may have to use 3-4 bullet loads of lapping compound. Then clean the bore thoroughly removing all the remaining lapping compound.
This can significantly improve the bore on most barrels that have not been lapped.
Nat Lambeth

 

[gtl1946]

Totally agree with Rustystud's method IF you have the equipment. If not, the Tubb's System works and works very well on factory,rough barrels . Would I suggest using it on a custom barrel--NO ! You paid to have that work done on a custom barrel that's why you pay what you do for them . The factory barrels do very well for the parameters they have to work under. I've used this system on factory barrels and would not hesitate to do it again. The worst that would happen is a smoother throat/barrel that's no more accurate and the best ,smooth AND accurate (which is what I found ) .

 

[spclark]

I have one each .223 and 6mm Final Finish kits - unopened, unused - I'll part with for $32 & shipping's on me. If interested, contact me off list please.

 

[garytex]

I had pretty good luck with a Savage 22-250 LRPV barrel that was rough thru & thru using a patch wrapped around a worn out brush, a bore guide and 220 then 400 grit lapping compound. The caveats however are two. 1) I didn't care if I trashed the barrel so it was an interesting experiment with a happy outcome and 2) I wouldn't have done it without use of a borescope to gauge progress. Most of the rough was on the tops of the lands & it came right out. I was able to polish the throat enough to get out the machining marks, then stay away from it for the rest of the process. The corners of the lands improved some, but naturally were the least affected.
The above mentioned lead slug method sounds like a more perfect way to do it, this method is quick and not as perfect, but it sure worked. Accuracy was unaffected. Good luck

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063HCD2M/?tag=accuratescom-20

This is what I used recently on a Remington 700, 22-250. Brownells sells a threaded tip for your cleaning and round pads that you screw on to the tip. Using this compound and Kroil I ran the rod 300 times with each grit. Saturate the tip with the compound and then put oil on it. I changed the tip after 100 strokes and after 50 strokes I added more compound and oil. It is messy, but when finished the barrel cleans so easy. Absolutely no cooper fowling. To make it easier, remove the action from the stock and place it in a vice.

 

[AckleymanII]

One of the issues is that the hole was not lapped after it was drilled, drill marks on top of the lands, you can lap to an extent. It would sure help you to have a bore scope to monitor your progress.

I used cast bullets. I had the lapping compounds from 800 grit to 180grit.

Using two pieces of flat steel, I would roll the bullets inbetween the two pieces of steel. Then I would load the bullets in a case and shoot them at what I determined was 1200 fps or so using load data from an old Lyman reloading manual for cast bullets.

Also, a Lyman M sizer is used to expand the neck to where the bullet is easy accepted in the neck of the case.

Be warned, 180 cuts steel real fast.

I used this same method of lapping RF barrels in factory rifles. Use standard velocity non copper coated bullets, and boy what an improvement in accuracy afterwards. I would only shoot 3- 5 shots of 180 grit max. Concentrating on 320 grit, then 500 grit after firing a few shots of 180 grit will pay off big dividends.

I ruined a great shooting Ruger target pistol shooting 10 shots of 180 grit through it.

Slow and easy

Slow and easy

find a way to monitor your progress, even if it is only a slug you a pushing through the barrel. You will feel the difference in resistance as you progress.

If you can find any of the old Rem Clean in the Yellow container, this stuff is a serious abrasive. Brush with this Rem Clean, and it will smooth up a lot of the surface, but easy does it, as this stuff will round the lands with repeated use.

 

[Don_Parsons]

How does the rifle shoot CS.

Does it produce good groups less the sketchy rifling, I've seen some poor quality barrels shoot good groups, some not so much.

I agree with the idea of clean, shoot clean,,, then luanch a few hundred rounds to settle it in,,, there is nothing wrong with partly fouled up rifling so long as it produced constant groups time and time again.

I run un lapped Heavy Bull Barrels for F Class and target shooting, the trick for this is the barrel maker as we get them to profile the specs we're after when he cuts the rifling .

At least you have a few options, Lapp the barrel your running, leave it as is "if" its shooting good MOA,,, then re-barrel or buy a quality rifle on your next up grade.