My Colt Service Ace leads the barrel severely with almost everything put through it; plated or lead, standard or high velocity. The gun is almost new, and the bore looks smooth to the eye. I brush out the lead with Hoppe's Elite, and use J.B. Bore Cleaner profusely to finish the job. I've about run out of options, and am considering fire lapping. I understand you coat the bullet lightly with JB and fire the round. Several similiar rounds completes the process. Does anybody have first hand experience with fire lapping, and can describe the process? Are there any alternatives to prevent leading?

Do a Google search for "Tubbs Final Finish". They provide a five step process that is available as components that you load or loaded ammo that is ready to fire. The process is to fire 10 rounds of each of five degrees of polishing compound impregnated bullets. After each string of ten, thoroughly clean the firearm and then proceed to the next finer compound. I used the system on a 1911 that wasn't in bad shape so I started with number three. There was no appreciable change in accuracy but the bore was lots easier to clean afterward.

I hope that helps,

Frank

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sona si latine loqueris .

assuming that your handloading stick to the Alliant powders and quit being so OCD about "Clean burning"
Its a liability when slinging lead.
fire lapping is the slackers way of doing it. Look up hand lapping instead, you wont pound abrasives into your bore with the chamber pressure that way.
"Season" your bore. A little grease can go a long way at the beginning of a session.
use a bore mop with some grease to give it a light coat between the first few shots so as to bake on a layer kinda like what you might do for an egg griddle to keep them from sticking.
Dont be so OCD about cleaning the bore of a gun that is generally fed lead. we are well past the days of corrosive priming. You actually do not want it down to fresh metal in there ... the hard layer of fowling is your friend with lead. sure ... get the major carnage out of there but dont make a 4 hour job out of it. "immaculate contraption" efforts are better spent on moving parts like slides trigger groups and other stuff that prefers to be clean for function

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it just needs more voltage

I don't think Tubbs has 22 caliber fire lapping ammo, but NECO does. And, I sorta think it is NECO who manufactures the stuff for Tubbs.

You buy the rounds, already loaded, and follow directions in shooting them.

I've not done a 22LR, but have done several larger caliber rifles.

It's a bit of a pain to use the kit, but the loaded ammo is easy. I think it would be a royal pain to use the kit on 22s. You roll the bullets on a steel block, imbedding the various types of grit in the bullet.

After a few guns that way, I always bought the ammo or the bullets already done.

Bob

Fire lapping do anything for minor pitting?

We have Fire lapped many .22 lrs and always had good luck, You buy the compound and shoot standard velocity loads , cleaning after every 10 rounds. By round 30 you will start seeing your groups getting smaller and smaller, shoot a total of 50 rounds. If you can't find standard loads , use CB caps. That will also reduce the amount of fouling.

Fire lapping has a serious downside.
While it will make a bad barrel mediocre, it will also make a fine barrel mediocre.
If it wasn't uneven to start with, it will be when you finish.
Since hand lapping is relatively simple, why not lap it correctly if you are convinced lapping is necessary? Frankly, I'm skeptical.

If hand lapping is superior to fire lapping, how do you do it? Any directions? I'm open to suggestions. My Ace barrel leaded so severely after 200 rounds of one plated bullet I couldn't get the cleaning rod through it...without a patch on it!