Henry Rifle Forums

I tripped over some debates on the web a while back on Fire lapping barrels. Doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

But in the course of reading about that I read several posts from folks that seemed to know what they were talking about. The consensus that fire lapping can ruin a barrel but they suggested that the 1st 100+ rounds through a new rifle barrel should be factory jacketed ammo. They say it breaks in the barrels and smooths any roughness caused by manufacturing processes.

I know my 44 mag Big Boy has had a lot of factory jacketed ammo through it at 1st. After a couple of hundred rounds the gun seems to have gotten much more accurate and then settled down and hasn't seemed to change any in a while. Of course the same could be said for working the action itself it is smoother than ever.

I have a new 45/70 brass. I've shot about 40 rounds of factory jacketed ammo through it so far. I've been thinking I should maybe run about 60 more through it before I start reloading for it. Once I start reloading most of my ammo will be hard cast lead or coated HC cowboy loads. I'm not hunting so I doubt I'll ever load too much of the hotter level 2 or 3 ammo for it. At my age I no longer feel the need to see just how much my shoulder can take. I prefer long days on the range instead of 10 shots that beat me up.

So do you guys think this concept has merit?

My thoughts exactly.

Squatch wrote:they suggested that the 1st 100+ rounds through a new rifle barrel should be factory jacketed ammo. They say it breaks in the barrels and smooths any roughness caused by manufacturing processes.

I don't know with Henry rifles if they would benefit from firing jacked ammo for the first 100 rounds .... that said, I can't see how it would do any harm

Squatch wrote:At my age I no longer feel the need to see just how much my shoulder can take. I prefer long days on the range instead of 10 shots that beat me up.

So do you guys think this concept has merit?

amen .... I'll probably end up firing mostly light loads of lead bullets .... we just mounted a scope on ours .... after we get it to the range we will find out how our practice loads of 45-70 perform .... if they group, we will probably stick with them .... if it doesn't, we may throw some some jacked through it and see if it helps

The 45/70 is on my list of must have Henry's. I'll try to keep up you experts on care and feedIng of the big slug.
RB.

I watched this video a few weeks ago. It's an interview with barrel-maker, John Krieger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwhOXV7lmYk

It's about five minutes long, but the last minute or so seems to speak to questions raised in this discussion.

Boy this thread is just begging for a smart aleck like me. I was thinking a little garlic, olive oil, and salt. But for hotter rounds maybe a splash of Texas Pete.
But on the serious side I am a plinker and don't own any real finicky target barrels. If I was to invest in a good quality Match grade barrel I would likely go with the manufacturers recommendation.

Squatch wrote:
They say it breaks in the barrels and smooths any roughness caused by manufacturing processes

I read something like this awhile ago and although I don't have any centerfire rifles, for my handguns, the first 40
Rds are Gold Dot +P.

RetiredSeabee wrote:Boy this thread is just begging for a smart aleck like me. I was thinking a little garlic, olive oil, and salt. But for hotter rounds maybe a splash of Texas Pete.
But on the serious side I am a plinker and don't own any real finicky target barrels. If I was to invest in a good quality Match grade barrel I would likely go with the manufacturers recommendation.

Garlic, olive oil, and salt! Sounds like a Italian barrel from my house.

Nam Vet wrote:

RetiredSeabee wrote:Boy this thread is just begging for a smart aleck like me. I was thinking a little garlic, olive oil, and salt. But for hotter rounds maybe a splash of Texas Pete.
But on the serious side I am a plinker and don't own any real finicky target barrels. If I was to invest in a good quality Match grade barrel I would likely go with the manufacturers recommendation.

Garlic, olive oil, and salt! Sounds like a Italian barrel from my house.

It's a Uberti.

RetiredSeabee wrote:

Nam Vet wrote:

RetiredSeabee wrote:Boy this thread is just begging for a smart aleck like me. I was thinking a little garlic, olive oil, and salt. But for hotter rounds maybe a splash of Texas Pete.
But on the serious side I am a plinker and don't own any real finicky target barrels. If I was to invest in a good quality Match grade barrel I would likely go with the manufacturers recommendation.

Garlic, olive oil, and salt! Sounds like a Italian barrel from my house.

It's a Uberti.

where's the GROAN button ?

JEBar wrote:

RetiredSeabee wrote:

Nam Vet wrote:

Garlic, olive oil, and salt! Sounds like a Italian barrel from my house.

It's a Uberti.

where's the GROAN button ?

found it ..

I pushed it..... I think it's broke. Didn't do anything.

oh well, I tried

I have fire lapped two bbls. both were handguns. One was to see if I could improve an already accurate six-guns accuracy. It didn't, but cleaning was a breeze after. The second was a bbl with visable chatter marks in it. Fire lapping really did improve that bbl, it didn't shoot any better, but it didn't lead after fire lapping either. I'd do it again if I had a bbl. that was leading or rough. Follow instructions & you will be fine. I got my kit from Brownel's.

Interesting. Thanks.