I've read numerous posts concerning barrel polishing. It seems the general rule is to start with JB's bore cleaning compound, followed by something something like JB's Bore Brite; with cleaning the barrel between polishing compounds. What I've read is mostly in reference to new barrels. Does the same two step polishing technique apply to barrels that have many rounds through them? My FX Dreamline .22 barrel has had over 20,000 rounds through it.
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Another Barrel polishing question
- Thread starter DaveT1
- Start date
Only thing I can think of would be to run a brass brush through it to remove any lead that's really stuck.. I'm sure some would also disagree with that idea, but I think it's mostly just holdover knowledge from when brass barrels were more common - since it's softer, brass should simply not be able to mess up a steel barrel.
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With 20,000 pellets through your barrel, your barrel is probably already polished. In most cases, guys polish to get where you’re at without having to shoot 20k projectiles.
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Push a pellet down the barrel and feel for tight spots. On guns that are choked you have to push from the breech. If no tight spots and barrel stays relatively clean between cleanings and accuracy is not an issue there is no need to lap the barrel.
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Why do you think your barrel needs polishing? Unless accuracy and the effect of routine cleaning has fallen off, just keep shooting. If pull-through patch cleaning isn't working as well as it once did, I expect that cleaning with a rod and brush might be more effective than polishing at this point in your barrel's life.
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Thanks to all for the input. I suspect my motives are a combination of falling into the rabbit hole of accuracy and too much time on my hands... elh0102 mentioned barrel life. Is there a life expectancy on an air gun barrel? I know with powder burners heat and the corrosive action of gun powder limit a barrel's life. By comparison, the forces on an air gun barrel a pretty benign.
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ThomasT
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- Apr 25, 2021
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Hello @DaveT1
One positive item not addressed about a "polished bore" on your thread so far is the fact that it is SO much easier to clean. To clean my Crown is a simple as running a cotton swab with a small amount of Ballistol down the bore one time, then follow that with 2 or 3 patches.
ThomasT
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ThomasT,
Given the number of rounds that have gone through the barrel, should I do a full polish job? 40 strokes with JB bore cleaner, clean barrel and repeat. Then follow up with the same regime with JB Bore Brite. Or just use the Bore Brite?
Given the number of rounds that have gone through the barrel, should I do a full polish job? 40 strokes with JB bore cleaner, clean barrel and repeat. Then follow up with the same regime with JB Bore Brite. Or just use the Bore Brite?
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I wasn't referring to the life expectancy of the barrel, that should not be an issue. I just meant that you have plenty of pellets through the barrel to polish away any micro burrs from the original manufacturing process. In my experience, if you have not seen any degradation in accuracy, you aren't likely to notice any effect of the polishing. Some people swear by the polishing process, but I can't honestly say that I have seen any dramatic effects. Barrels that have significant machining imperfections will not be fixed by polishing, even using a lead lapping process might not fix them. Most normal fouling is handled by routine cleaning. So, that seems to leave a very small population of issues that can be corrected by polishing. I've had a couple of barrels that were so bad they had to be replaced, and I've often had accuracy suffer from normal fouling which cleaned up with either a patch, or a brush. But, I haven't really had much in between that was enhanced by polishing. On the other hand, it's not an altogether inappropriate way to pass time while sipping your favorite bourbon or cold beer.
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I had a really bad barrel on my Texan. I hand lapped it starting at 120 grit with about 5 poured lead laps. I had to remove machine marks from rifling. Sounds like barrel polishing is for pretty good barrels to start with.
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I often wondered if that was the case.
I also always wondered if a person could go too far with polishing and make things worse.
I just clean new barrels and shoot the snot out of them.
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With pellets? Probably not really since the skirt tends to deform to make a good gas seal, so the variation probably won't matter much.
For slugs? The fit is more critical, so if it was going to be a problem, I guess I could see a person overdoing it there and ending up with an issue.
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Gents,
I do believe it was Dan Lilja of Lilja Rifle Barrels who said you don’t want a highly polished bore in a PB as it will foul heavily as compared to a regular barrel that has been through the standard hand lapping. This would explain why the barrel manufactures lap with 120 or so grit, which, relatively speaking, is pretty coarse. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this in regards to air rifle barrels. I don’t know if this line of thought applies.
Also…and I’ve never heard it talked about here…are the burrs and sharp edges left by the chambering process, specifically in the leade area. These are present in a freshly chambered PB rifle, might they be present in a new air rifle barrel as well?
I first heard of this from a VERY well known and respected gunsmith on the BR Central forums. He opined that during barrel break-in, these burrs were what was causing fouling, not imperfections in the barrel. In fact, he did not recommend barrel break-in, instead stated that a snug patch with a bit of lapping compound on it should be short-stroked in the leade area 20-30 times to knock down those burrs and round off those edges/corners. I have had my borescope in several freshly chambered rifles and can say with certainty that those sharp edges are there, and after the lapping fix, they are gone. This process is now standard for me on a freshly chambered barrel. These burrs may explain why some rifle barrels take a bit of shooting before they come to life. Gotta smooth them out first…
I’ve never been inside and air rifle barrel or chamber…in fact, I don’t even know how they’re chambered. But I know it’s a cutting process and as such, I’d be willing to bet there are burrs present in new air rifle barrel chambers.
I’d love to hear the opinions of the more experienced types on the above.
Justin
I do believe it was Dan Lilja of Lilja Rifle Barrels who said you don’t want a highly polished bore in a PB as it will foul heavily as compared to a regular barrel that has been through the standard hand lapping. This would explain why the barrel manufactures lap with 120 or so grit, which, relatively speaking, is pretty coarse. I’d like to hear your thoughts on this in regards to air rifle barrels. I don’t know if this line of thought applies.
Also…and I’ve never heard it talked about here…are the burrs and sharp edges left by the chambering process, specifically in the leade area. These are present in a freshly chambered PB rifle, might they be present in a new air rifle barrel as well?
I first heard of this from a VERY well known and respected gunsmith on the BR Central forums. He opined that during barrel break-in, these burrs were what was causing fouling, not imperfections in the barrel. In fact, he did not recommend barrel break-in, instead stated that a snug patch with a bit of lapping compound on it should be short-stroked in the leade area 20-30 times to knock down those burrs and round off those edges/corners. I have had my borescope in several freshly chambered rifles and can say with certainty that those sharp edges are there, and after the lapping fix, they are gone. This process is now standard for me on a freshly chambered barrel. These burrs may explain why some rifle barrels take a bit of shooting before they come to life. Gotta smooth them out first…
I’ve never been inside and air rifle barrel or chamber…in fact, I don’t even know how they’re chambered. But I know it’s a cutting process and as such, I’d be willing to bet there are burrs present in new air rifle barrel chambers.
I’d love to hear the opinions of the more experienced types on the above.
Justin
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If a bore is rough with excessive surface fretting, reamer marks, or the like, no amount of shooting lead pellets will smooth it away. Lead is far too soft to accomplish anything other than abrading away and sticking to the rough surface, giving a false impression of smoothness. The only possible exception is perhaps loading pellets with dirty hands and introducing grit incidentally. If smoothing is desired, a suitable abrasive is essential.
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I've polished the grand total of one air rifle barrel. I used JBs and it made no discernable difference. Velocity and accuracy were unaffected. I don't think it is coarse enough to do much of anything. But with one barrel of experience I can't be considered an expert. JB's is intended as a cleaner, however. Something to help remove lead and/or brass fouling, not something to smooth steel.
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If you have an accurate barrel then polishing the bore could effect that accuracy. Also, there is a big difference between polishing and removing rough or tight spots from poor manufacturing. Both processes can quickly take a bore oversized to the point that a special size ammo is needed to regain accuracy.
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What makes someone think a polished bore in an air gun would be helpful ? Curious as to the effect one thinks they gain,or is just an old witches tell.
I am not talking cleaning a bore.
Accuracy is a head game,better to polish your mind.
Being a bit facetious maybe.
I am not talking cleaning a bore.
Accuracy is a head game,better to polish your mind.
Being a bit facetious maybe.Upvote 0