Am I about to make a mistake...

[Grasslander]

I just bought a new Axis II in .223 with a 1/9 twist. I haven't put any rounds through it yet, but I have several loads ready to test.

I thought I would try David Tubbs Final Finish to polish up my new barrel, but I'm second guessing myself.

Do you think I should go ahead, or is this a bad idea.

(the bullets in the kit are 69gn SMK)

[Hotolds442]

Shoot it first.
If you run the Final Finishes through it first and aren't happy with the results, you'll never know what it might have been capable of.
I'd put at least 150 rounds through it before deciding whether it needs the polishing, new barrels take at least that long to settle down and start showing what they're worth in the accuracy department.

[darkker]

+1
Just because it's an Axis doesn't mean it has no potential. Learn what that is first, before "fixing" what may not be broke.

[35Whelenshooter]

Well, David's thoughts on this is that after the tooling of the rifling process, and clambering .By shooting the bullets that he in pregnant with the different finishes. This will polish the high edges off the rifling and throat area. By doing this it will give the bullet a uniform start in the throat, keeping the bullet centered with the bore. As you fire them any of the rough tooling marks are smoothed out, I believe he calls it burnishing.
You could think of it like sharping a knife, it's fine out of the box, but with a little tlc you polish it to a razors edge.
If you go the David Tubb's web site, he has a lot of information on this. I have shot with David in Texas, and at Camp Perry. He spends a lot of time researching and r&d on the products.
Go and read some of his information and watch his videos that he has, that way you can make the best possible choice you would like.

Mike
Respectfully

[Jamie]

My thoughts and experience, yours may vary.....

You can spend 150 rounds polishing the barrel so it will settle down or you can run the Tubbs polishing bullets down it to polish. I have used it on multiple factory barrels and it has never made one worse. I did have one that didn't really improve but all the rest did improve. A couple were significant and some were minor.

AGAIN,
My thoughts and experience, yours may vary.....

[Grasslander]

Thanks for your advice guys..I appreciate it.

[Hotolds442]

Let us know which way you went and the outcome!

[Dennis]

My 223 9 twist is a tac driver. It does take about 200 rounds down the tube to break it in. All I did was tweak the trigger. Mine love 52 to 55 grain V-Max bullets. They will shoot less than 1/4 moa @ 100 yards.

Break it in first.