# Fire Lapping



## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I recently read and then posted an article on Fire Lapping muzzleloaders on my web site. The author said to use special bullets, lubed extensively with a lapping compound, then loaded and fired out of the muzzleloader. Cleaning between shots was an absolute necessity and he suggests cleaning it very well, not just a swab out.
20 shots is what he said would clear out any burrs and constricted areas in the riflings. 

I have my favorite muzz and I can feel a spot about 2 inches above the powder that I have to push hard through to get the bullet to seat on the powder. So I feel like if I was to fire lap my barrel it would help smooth that spot out.

So, here is my question to you guys. What if I ignored the special bullet idea and just lubed my patches with the lapping compound. I think by doing this for all of the shots one takes at a rendezvous (around 100), it would have the same effect as shooting 20 of the special bullets lubed with the compound. Is my thinking wrong on this? Should I just go ahead with his advise?


----------



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

You are on the right track. DO NOT FIRE LAP. Go down to NAPA, and buy med and fine valve lapping compound. put this on your patch and do it slowly. You are trying to "polish" the bore, not file it down. Use LONG strokes, bore to breech and vs versa. Avoid short strokes. You shouldnt need more than a few passes with med grit before switching to the fine grit to polish.

It does work, expecially with abused, pitted ML barrels.


-DallanC


----------



## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

I agree with DallanC on the fire lapping and his recommended hand lapping method.
I haven’t fire lapped a muzzle loader but started to do it to a center fire rifle once and stopped because the pressures were obviously varying really a lot and getting way too high in some instances. I had bought a David Tubbs kit and was following the instructions to the letter. I would imagine the abrasive would cause pressure issues in a muzzle loader as well. Even if it’s not as dangerous it would vertical string like crazy.
I have hand lapped some muzzle loader and center fire barrels with good success. The muzzle loaders especially respond well to a finely lapped barrel. They load more easily for more shots and clean far more easily.
Depending on how rough it is I start with 400 grit Clover, go to 600 grit then finish with J-B. If it isn’t bad start with 600 grit or just use J-B. I use a bore mop that is big enough I can just barely get it in the barrel and move it. The final polish with the J-B is 60-80 strokes, you can feel it getting slicker. Much fewer (20-30) with the actual abrasives. Clean the mop thoroughly between grits.
When I ran out of 600 grit Clover I tried to buy more and haven’t found any yet. I bought Permatex valve lapping compound at the local parts house instead and won’t use it. It is way too coarse. I have bought J-B from Brownells and Sportsman’s Warehouse. 
If anybody knows where to buy Clover compound please let me us know.


----------



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I use a cleaning jag several sizes smaller than the bore of the gun, then I can add /remove layers of patches to adjust how much pressure I want to apply to the barrel wall.


-DallanC


----------

