Smoothing a rough factory barrel

L

lilabner

Guest
I have a Savage .243 which is accurate for a light hunting rifle. The bad news is the bore is rough, collects crud very quickly and is nasty to clean. I searched Tubb Final Finish and didn't like what I found. Is there some less extreme method of smoothing out the rough spots? I would settle for less frequent and less energetic cleaning.
 
Savage 243 barrel

lilabner: I also had a Savage 243 (12BVSS) that would copper foul heavily. Went into the bore with my "Hawkeye" and found one groove, approx. 6" long that was filled with copper. Rest of the bore looked OK, except for the usual reamer tool marks across the lands and grooves. Went to work with JB bore paste (blue label) and a cleaning patch wrapped around a worn-out 243 brush. Gave it 80 or 90 (lost count) passes from the chamber to the muzzle, removing the brush each time at the muzzle. Gave it a good "normal" cleaning with "Butchs". Shortly after that (400 rounds) saw the beginning of firecracking in front of the chamber, set-back the barrel & re-chambered to 6BR. Copper fouling is minimal, easily cleans out with 1 or 2 soaking with "Butchs", and the factory barrel is producing some excellent groups: 5 shots at 300 yds. that measure under 1", center to center, is common. Savage barrels, as ugly as most of them are inside, will shoot, with a little care. I know others have tried "fire-lapping", and report success, and for them I say "great", glad to hear it. I tried it, followed directions, by-the-numbers, and got a lot of throat erosion, the bore then slugged a larger diameter, by about .0005", and accuracy was non-existant. Anyway, JB worked for me, and I'm sure IOSSO would also do the job. Both fine products.
 
I've got a savage 300 Win Mag BBL(tach model) one of the best shooting rofles I own. I fire it 15-30 times during a deer season(sighting ,hunting,checking), after season it would take 3-5 days to clean using hoppys, then brush,,,,, then sweets soaking a hour @ the time. Couple years ago went to WIPEOUT with accelarator, 2 patches of accelarator, shoot bore full of foam, leave over night,, 3-4 patches then next day,, one patch of sweets for 30-45 minutes to reassure myself, oil and stick in back of safe until next october. I've never looked in it with a bore scope, might look like 50 grit paper,,,,BUT it shoots like a house on fire and now cleans easy,,,,,,, who cares what it looks like inside if it shoots?

the wind is my friend,,,,,

DD
 
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