Bore Polishing, or How Shiny is Your Barrel's

[Rasch Chronicles]

Fellow Blackpowder Enthusiasts,

After a long and exhausting day of building what I now call "Albert's Wall" (A 500 meter barrier of eight foot high HESCOs), I was contemplating my future Fowler build when the thought traipsed through my mind about polishing bores.

To what level of polish do you take your smoothbores?

Those of you that do polish your bores, what process do you follow?

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Albert A Rasch In Afghanistan

[omark]

they have found that trap guns start losing their patterning abilities after many rounds, which have polished the choke very smooth. also found they can return the patterning by roughing the bore a little. i cant tell you how much. but i wouldnt get it mirror bright, especially near the muzzle. the idea is that a little roughness tends to hold the wadding back a bit, thus not blowing holes in it.   maybe someone with more experience can help you more.     mark

[Longknife]

I have honed barrels with 320 flex hones and occasionally will run a red or grey scotchbrite down the bores when cleaning. They realy don't need to be polished, a matt finish works best. If its a new barrel I would'nt worry about it unless there were problems....Ed

[Acer Saccharum]

In many cases, as in machine journals and bearing surfaces, a high polish will cause problems. Oil doesn't carry on a really smooth bearing surface as well as one with a little 'tooth'. Piston bores are honed to give a criss-cross pattern to hold lube, and prevents the cylinder from scoring.

Does a really smooth finish on a barrel could cause pattern problems, like wad sticking or buildup of films? I don't think felt or paper wads would be any trouble, but plastic wads could start to heat and melt to the bore.  

[Dphariss]

Fellow Blackpowder Enthusiasts,

After a long and exhausting day of building what I now call "Albert's Wall" (A 500 meter barrier of eight foot high HESCOs), I was contemplating my future Fowler build when the thought traipsed through my mind about polishing bores.

To what level of polish do you take your smoothbores?

Those of you that do polish your bores, what process do you follow?

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Albert A Rasch In Afghanistan

Cast a lap in it and lap it with 220 then 320 till you get tired. You can go to 600 if you want and it will likely shoot better and clean easier
In a smooth bore  a brass barrel lap will work well
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1024&PMT4NO=100049532&PMT4TP=*ITPD&PMITEM=05060405&PMCTLG=00.
Lapping is the best way to polish and even out a bore.

An oiled lead lap upset to be tight in the bore will find loose spots and if they seem too extreme another barrel is in order. Minor imperfections can be lapped out with abrasive.

Dan