Hand lapping or fire-lapping does anyone do it?

[minmax]

I was over at the Beartooth bullet fourm, and reading about this. I read about it a long time ago, but never did it. I wanted too just never found the time.
It is supposed to increase accuracy with cast bullets. Plus make it easier to clean you barrel. Just a feeler to you guys. Does anyone do it to a new barrel? Or to an old barrel, and notice improved group size.
Now that it is winter here. I may try it, just have to grt more heat to the garage.

 

[Brad]

I have fire lapped a few barrels. Mostly Ruger revolvers with a bit of thread choke.
I would not do it to a barrel unless I saw a specific need.

 

[Farmerjim]

I tried it once on a 10-22. 6 in group at 25 feet before, 6 in group at 25 feet after. I put a Green Mountain bull barrel on it and it now shoots a 1/4 in group at 50 yds.

 

[Ian]

I've done a few revolvers and rifles that had specific problems. Paper patched bullets are very effective at smoothing up and breaking sharp edges on some rough factory barrels. Generally, I consider any sort of barrel lapping or polishing to be a last resort.

 

[Winelover]

I break my barrels in shooting J-words, clean, followed by J-B bore paste and Kroil.

 

[RBHarter]

I had a Savage 06' that had that was choked about 3" in front of the chamber and a narrowed muzzle. I suspect lots of heavy bullets .
Anyway a half dozen lap bullets in 3 shot exchanges with 2 plain cast then another lap it cured the leade,choke,bulge,choke shape in the bbl amounting to less than .001 . It opened the muzzle choke up about .002.

I've used it for Ruger choke as well .

I have not hand lapped a bbl but I have cleaned up a couple of BP bores with clover compound .

 

[williamwaco]

I did it recently with a Charter Arms Bulldog.

Converted it from totally worthless to pretty good belly gun.

I will try to find time to write up the results.

 

[fiver]

paper patching with high titanium dioxide and high clay content paper is pretty good at cleaning up those old mil-surp barrels with the dark bores..
about 20 shots usually gets them in good shape.