Lapping Question

B

BangFlop

Member
What is done when you lap a barrel? I really don't know anything about gunsmithing and what not?

Also, what is the difference between stainless and blued barrels other than the color? Different materials entirely or just more polishing goes into a stainless barrel where they cover it up with the bluing?

How would an anodization process work on a barrel and receiver?

Thanks,

Steve
 
BangFlop,
It would probably be easier for you to do a search on Stainless and Chrom Moly barrels then too explain it all here.
Unless some one else wants to help in explaining it?

Lapping can also be searched. For there are different methods of lapping - Hand or Firing lapping (done with firing bullets impregnated with lapping compound).
 
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Never lapped a barrel. I had great interest in this when putting together my first predator rifle but every time I brought this subject up to some of the local gunsmiths they told me this process just eliminates barrel break in procedures. I was told to just go out and shoot it and that this process was mainly for competitive target shooters that needed no error in their rifle. Well from all my readings the magazine articles I have read say there really isnt a need for for barrrel break in as well? Confusion at its finest. The same went for chrogenicaly treating my barrels. I did it anyways...could have been throwing money away but it wasnt going to hurt anything.
 
BroncoGlenn nailed it.
The time to lap a barrel is before it has been chambered and cut to length. Lapping a finished and fitted barrel is a recipe for disaster, just about impossible to do without screwing up the throat or crown or more likely both.

Jack
 
Stainless is a metal mixture (alloy) of different composition than chrome-molly. Stainless is a class of iron alloys with chromium, selenium, and manganese as well as other addetives such as carbon (of course), sulphur, selenium, silicon, and phosphorus. IN GENERAL it is more resistant to erosion and air oxidation than chrome-molly gun metal.
Chrome-molly is an iron alloy with predominantly chromium and molybedinum as the major addetives. It is generally easier to work with, easier to make a smooth surface (important inside the barrel) but less resistant to air oxidation and erosion. Usually some type of protective finnish is used on CM Steel barrels to keep it from oxidizing.
As stated by others, lapping is the process of smoothing the inside of the barrel. I do hand lap my factory barrels; a cary over from competition days. Does it make a difference? I tend to think so, in particular with stainless barrels from Savage. If you are patient and use the proper alignment techniques and stop devices, you will not harm your barrel.
 


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