Guns & Outdoors Forum

You may recall my friends Ruger 10/22 going to hell in a hand basket as to accuracy and the process I went through to trouble shoot the issue. He decided to just get a new barrel and here we are.
The following will be a photo montage of my “break-in” process of cleaning, lapping and installing the barrel. Not pictured, I also used BoreTech solvent to clean between series of diatomaceous earth.

If you have any specific questions as to the pics, please ask.

Next is sight in and zero.

Nice! Can't wait for the range report.

I have no idea if it helped but on a tip from another forum, I put my barrel in my freezer overnight before I installed it.

Like I say, I don't know if it helped but it slid right in!

PFD45 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 1:57 pm I have no idea if it helped but on a tip from another forum, I put my barrel in my freezer overnight before I installed it.

Like I say, I don't know if it helped but it slid right in!

Yes, it certainly will. Just like your willy, metal shrinks when cold.

PFD45 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 1:57 pm I have no idea if it helped but on a tip from another forum, I put my barrel in my freezer overnight before I installed it.

Like I say, I don't know if it helped but it slid right in!

This one went together with no problem using anti-seize.

I think we resolved the problem. I put about 100rnds through it this morning.
Tried CCI Stingers for laughs and they were about a 1.5” group.
Stuck with the bulk ammo for the rest of the time. It got better with more rounds. Stopped a few times to put the barrel in front of a fan in my barn to cool. Not that it was really hot. Just keeping a baseline.
Settled on zeroing with the 36gr Remington HV HP but all the bull ammo kinda had the same POI. I need to measure the paster. Labeled it as 1/2” but I’m thinking it might be 3/4” paster. Oh well. At least the rifle is shooting groups and not patterns now.

That is quite the improvement, and consistent with different brands and bullets to boot

Yeah, sent pics to my friend and he’s happy. There is probably more accurate ammo that it likes. But, being a working gun, I’m sticking with bulk ammo because of availability and volume.

GM likely mentions specifically to not use stingers, as the case is longer than standard .22 ammo and will likely get stuck in the chamber.

Can confirm this is true because I don’t believe things I read.

You are a handsome, intelligent, fine example of a man.

Zee wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 8:25 pm You are a handsome, intelligent, fine example of a man.

I can also instantly spot lies.

Can you offer some specifics regarding your lapping process? What sort of pads / pellets are you using and do you use something like JB bore cleaner that has the earth stuff in it or are mixing your own brew?

Lapping in one direction?

Results look great. Particularly with bulk ammo.
The question is was there a problem with the prior barrel or was a subtle problem corrected during replacement? Inconsistent accuracy out of a 10/22 may likely be a lose connection between bolt and barrel or other component.
Nice work and problem fixed but just curious.

jkp wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 10:06 pm Can you offer some specifics regarding your lapping process? What sort of pads / pellets are you using and do you use something like JB bore cleaner that has the earth stuff in it or are mixing your own brew?

Lapping in one direction?

The felt pellets I use are VFG Pellets (.22cal).
I clean the barrel, before ever shooting, with either Shooters Choice/Kroil Oil 50/50 mix or with BoreTech Eliminator and the VFG Pellets. Once the pellets come out clean, I use Remington 40x Bore Cleaner which contains a lubricant (RemOil?) and Diatomaceous Earth (mild abrasive) and the VFG Pellets. I pass the pellet end to end and the first one always meets with noticeable resistance and comes out almost black. Pass back and forth until the pellet loses its resistance. Clean the barrel and push a dry pellet through.
I repeat the process noticing the resistance lessens and lessens and the pellets come out less black.
It’s a “feeling” process and how clean the pellets end up to know when I’m done. Pretty much, when I don’t feel noticeable resistance as compared to the start, and the bullets aren’t black, I’m done.
Then, I clean the barrel again and dry run a pellet through it until it comes out clean. Then, I shoot as normal.
I do this to all my new barrels. I can’t prove it helps. But, it hasn’t hurt and the accuracy is usually stellar.

I don’t drink barrel break in KoolAid. But, this pre-shooting cleaning/lapping process has never screwed me.

I don’t do any other shoot/clean break in afterwards. I just polish the barrel before I ever shoot it and then run it like I stole it.

I’ve given up on patches unless to just knock come carbon loose. They don’t do crap in reality.
Felt pellets are where it’s at and I usually use one caliber sized pellets larger than the bore (when I can) to provide more resistance and scrubbing when cleaning.
The pellets cost more than patches. But, it doesn’t take many of them when you use larger sized pellets and they work exceptionally well for “scrubbing” the carbon and copper out.

Just my way of doing things.

Patches are for external wiping and nothing more.

Japhy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:04 pm Results look great. Particularly with bulk ammo.
The question is was there a problem with the prior barrel or was a subtle problem corrected during replacement? Inconsistent accuracy out of a 10/22 may likely be a lose connection between bolt and barrel or other component.
Nice work and problem fixed but just curious.

I did everything I could think of prior to replacement. Including checking and tightening the V-Block on the old barrel. It didn’t cost me anything except time/effort/education to mess with the old barrel and when I couldn’t fix it, my buddy bought a new barrel. I just did the leg work. And learned in the process.

The Ruger is back in its rightful place in the Kubota. Riding behind me doing ranch work and earning its keep on an almost daily basis.
He wants me to order a new scope for it. Will be nice to have a closer parallax focus and the drops will be nice as well.

She works!! Ground Squirrel for the pot. 10yrds just under the chin.
Holy Crap!! Those 36gr Remington HVHP bullets make an EXIT hole!!
I may have to reconsider and use the 40gr SVRN if I want to eat anything I shoot.

Good to have her back riding shotgun in the Kubota.

I wonder if riding on the barrel in the rack does something to accuracy over time?

I wouldn’t think so. Maybe. It is an aluminum receiver. It’s ridden that way ever since I’ve known my friend. If it damaged the receiver over that time, I don’t think the new barrel would work either. Assumption on my part.

Zee wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 7:04 pm Yeah, sent pics to my friend and he’s happy. There is probably more accurate ammo that it likes. But, being a working gun, I’m sticking with bulk ammo because of availability and volume.

Pretty much the conclusion I keep coming to. While it's nice knowing that the bullet will go exactly where the crosshairs are when you do everything right, most of my range days are now spent maintaining skills practicing unsupported offhand, hasty kneeling, etc... Error in the human is way more of a factor there than error in the ammo. Looks like you're getting all a field .22 will ever need and then some with the cheap stuff - well done!

Any plans to apply greater scrutiny to the old barrel to learn what its major malfunction was, or just throw it out for sake of preserving sanity?