Lapped Barrels | Doug's Message Boards

edge
Administrator

Posts: 6,998

Lapped Barrels Jul 14, 2005 21:03:40 GMT -5

Post by edge on Jul 14, 2005 21:03:40 GMT -5

As some of you know, I have retired my Savage barrel after many thousands of shots and bought a Krieger Barrel.

By dumb luck my rifle shoots great with standard bullets/sabots!

When deciding on the bore, I measured the standard sabot base and found that it was about 0.495
I decided to buy a 0.495/0.505 ( 505 gibbs) barrel. I knew that I would be making inner sabots for under size bullets so the actual size did not matter.

I did not count on the fact that a lapped barrel has VERY little friction ;D

I had some time after work tonight and shot 7 (2) shot groups using from 72-75 grains of H4198, 250 SST (blem), short petal MMP sabot, and Win 209 primers.

Worst group was 1.1 inches using 75 grains.
I use a false muzzle for loading and the "noodle" ramrod.

Would a standard 50 caliber highly lapped barrel shoot standard loads......I don't know, but I think that it would take a lot of experimentation.

Do two range sessions prove anything, NO!
Will this barrel soot the same when the temps are cool...who knows!
Would I buy a lapped 508/510 barrel, probably not.
Would I suggest a 0.495/0.505 lapped barrel......I don't know.

Many things still up in the air but looking promising

edge.

RBinAR
Mossy Horns

If you're gonna play may as well win

Posts: 2,086

Lapped Barrels Jul 15, 2005 7:04:21 GMT -5

Post by RBinAR on Jul 15, 2005 7:04:21 GMT -5

edge said:

As some of you know, I have retired my Savage barrel after many thousands of shots and bought a Krieger Barrel.

By dumb luck my rifle shoots great with standard bullets/sabots!

When deciding on the bore, I measured the standard sabot base and found that it was about 0.495
I decided to buy a 0.495/0.505 ( 505 gibbs) barrel. I knew that I would be making inner sabots for under size bullets so the actual size did not matter.

I did not count on the fact that a lapped barrel has VERY little friction ;D

edge.

8-)I think your choice of barrel diameters is probably the best. Most muzzleloaders (including the 10-ML) are somewhat shy of the common .510 barrel diameter used by .50 BMG and Beowoulf shooters. So deciding on the Gibbs is an excellent move.

I also think that the sabot makers who have noticed that not all muzzleloader bores are percise have done everyone a great service by making sabots for different diameters.

As for shooting the rifle under different conditions I think it will only get better as time moves toward cooler weather. Heat (least the type we get here) is a deterient to accuracy and consistency.

The only lapped barrel I've dealt with is the Pac-Nor .45
It does not like every load but when it does like something it really likes it. Like your many two shot groups I once tested the Pac-Nor for seven consecutive days. I shot three shot groups. Alll the groups were less than 1 3/8" and all shot to the same point of aim.

Last Edit: Jul 15, 2005 12:42:00 GMT -5 by RBinAR

10-ML .45 caliber conversions rock

SW
Mossy Horns

Posts: 3,556

Lapped Barrels Jul 16, 2005 8:50:59 GMT -5

Post by SW on Jul 16, 2005 8:50:59 GMT -5

:)Edge,
I think a lapped barrel can really shoot. My firelapped stock SS Sav barrel is really slick. It shoots std loads somewhat slower than a stock barrel, but shoots hotter loads a little faster. It will shoot faster than the stock barrel before sabot failure. It doesn't shoot every thing well at all - it is more picky of its load but its most accurate loads are more accurate than the most accurate loads out of either of my stock barrels, 1 CM, 1 SS. Its most accurate loads are fast.The lapped barrel fouls much less than the stock barrel. The faster, the more accurate, up to where I won't go past. So my conclusion is that a lapped barrel can really shoot well but only fairly fast and will be a little more load critical. I've been able to get accurate loads out of my 22 twist Pac Nor 45 which I believe is lapped. For the record, my SS Sav was one of the very 1st Sav SS barrels and it was essentially unusable. Firelapping was an act of desperation which has a happy ending. Not for everyone but certainly made an unusable barrel very good. I understand the SS barrels are much improved now.