Lapping results/Lesson learned

The lapping project is finished, the SRH now has a 430 bore, from forcing cone to muzzle.  I feel its tighter at the muzzle, but can't measure it.  It took 100 shots to accomplish, I removed about a .001 of metal.  

Lesson learned, get the brass rod.  I got sloppy using at scoop made from 22 shell and didn't get it quite full of bullseye.  No big deal, stuck a few bullets.  I used a dowel made from a maple arrow shaft ( i keep broken ones around for kids arrows) to knock it out.  Worked fine for a couple stuck bullets till it broke.  Made another dowel out of a broken cedar arrow.  As I pounded it appeared to be knocking the bullet out.  It actually splintered the arrow, drove the arrow through the bullet leaving the slug in place, locking teh cylinder shut.  Quite a dilemma as man was it tight.  I foolishly decieded to carefully hit the cylinder covered with cloth with a rubber mallet which sheared the arrow splinters off.  It didn't damage the gun, but I could have bent the crane.  I immediately went to the hardware store and bought the brass rod.  Believe me its worth three buck and 20 minutes required to safe yourselve this trouble.  It is a sick feeling.  Anyway, appears the revolver made it, and the bore is in mint shape now.  

Here is a wierd one.  My dads SBH is about 20 years old, with thousands of rounds through it.  He has about 700 pieces of brass, a typical box has 12 loading dates marked.  (pretty stout loads too)  It has been an accurate gun, real accurate.  He has bounced lead off of small rocks in teh desert at elmer kieth distances, and put on shows for us less talented by powdering clay birds with it at distances of 100 yards off hand.  We slugged it, muzzle .431, back end .430  We pushed 70 fire lappers through it, got the back end to .4305.  He wants to shoot it before proceeding.  I'll keep y'all posted.