New miroku 1873 owner question

[Severo Gallegos]

Thank you for helping out! I was getting kind of worried. That's a good suggestion to polish the sides, I'll probably do that.

[Cliff Fendley]

  S Gallegos   

Just scratches.  Nothing to be concerned about.  However, I built Competition Toggle Link rifles for CAS for over two decades.  When completing an "Action Job" where the customer wished a basically stock action, I polished the sides of the Links.  A very FLAT surface.  220 Grit Wet/Dry, scrub the links in a figure eight.  When they look nice, same arrangement only using 1000 Grit Wet/Dry to get a mirror finish.  This is done as the link often rides against the inside of the side plates.  Rough surfaces create drag.  Often the inside of the side plates displayed machine marks that could be felt.  I also polished those marks out.  It DOES make a difference.

Also, Polish the sides of the Bolt Lug (rear of bolt) and eliminate any sharp edges.

I actually do that to my rifles but just to add I only go to around dull 220 sandpaper on the side plates. I guess it could be the side plate or the links. When lubing and rubbing them across another mirror surface it feels no different or even maybe easier to slide. I think the reason and my theory of this is two mirror surfaces actually stick to one another.

For example when I am preparing knife bolsters to attach to a blade I have them so flat they will actually stick and pick one another up. The fine scratches left in the grooves of dull ridges actually are carrying lube to slide across the mirror finish mating surface, think of it like the frosting on the ways of a mill or lathe. Those surfaces are frosted on purpose to carry lube.

I'm sure this makes no measurable difference in the feel of working the action but it's just one of the anal little things that comes from my limited machinist background.

[Severo Gallegos]

This is what the bore looks like after around 150 jacketed rounds and some cleaning with ballistol. Im guessing thats some copper fouling here? Is this normal on a new rifle?