Shotgun barrels need a smooth, clean, oil-retaining finish that resists corrosion and wear, reduces fouling, and promotes a consistent shot pattern. So how can shotgun owners tell if the bores of their long guns have an optimal surface finish? For starters, it’s important to remember that looks can be deceiving. If you hold a shotgun barrel up to the light, much of what you’ll see is the light’s reflection rather than the actual surface of the bore.
Fortunately, maintaining shotgun barrels can be easier than trying to tell where the reflection ends and the gun metal begins. In How to Smooth Up a Shotgun Bore, a gunsmithing article in The Shooting Times, Reid Coffield describes the benefits of flexible honing. Coffield also explains how to use Flex-Hone® for Firearms tools. Made in the USA by Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), these easy-to-use gun tools are built to solve surface finishing challenges.