Drill 'n tap -- tap life question

[earlmck]

My drill and tap experiences can be counted up on the fingers of one hand, so pretty limited. Anyway, went over to the "dark side" with my buffalo gun and decided my overexperienced eyes needed the help of a scope. MVA scope and mounts plus an extra set of bases so I can also put the scope on a second gun for load testing.

4-holes for the two bases went fine on the first rifle, but got a little tougher when I started the next holes on the second rifle. And my t-handle didn't go small enough to handle the little #6 tap so was just using the drill press chuck to turn the tap and couldn't put all that much pressure on before the tap started slipping in the chuck. Finally got it done but those last two holes required me pulling out and cleaning and cleaning and trying again and again for -- maybe a dozen times before I got the number of threads I needed to get the screws in all the way.

My question is -- do taps normally get dull that quick? Only 8 holes? Well maybe it was 9 holes -- I guess I used said tap to reposition a receiver sight on the Rossi 357 a few years ago.

[GunnyMack]

No a tap shouldn't get dull that fast. I suspect that it wasn't a high quality tap, nothing is made to last anymore!
It is possible that you ran into hard spots on that second barrel.
I much prefer 'gun ' taps- these are 2 flute taps. They tend to be a bit stronger than 4 flute taps.
As for getting dull, you could grind them down a little and recut the relief to keep them cutting.
I'm sure I don't have to say LUBE the tap. I found a product years ago called SAFE TAP, light viscosity and it's almost like the tap spins itself through material. One thing I found on the ingredients is " unknown chemicals"- kind of unnerving.

[Walt]

Another excellent tapping fluid is called TAP MAGIC. Go a turn or two and then back the tap out to clear the chips and don't use taps that you buy at a hardware store.

[Grizz]

Another excellent tapping fluid is called TAP MAGIC. Go a turn or two and then back the tap out to clear the chips and don't use taps that you buy at a hardware store.

where do you buy them?

[Walt]

I would order them online. Industrial supply houses like MSC Industrial or Graingers have the best cutting tools available. Paying a little more for a quality cutting tool is way better than having a tap, for instance, break off in a hole.

[AJMD429]

Another excellent tapping fluid is called TAP MAGIC. Go a turn or two and then back the tap out to clear the chips and don't use taps that you buy at a hardware store.

I also use Tap Magic - (…and MY drilling and tapping experience would require both hands and a couple of toes ) - but I did get my tap set from Lowe’s (big box store) - HOWEVER now that I think about it, the taps I’ve used on GUNS have all been smaller and from Brownell’s.

https://www.brownells.com/

I also use ‘straight flute’ carbide drill bits on guns mostly.

An old post of mine on the topic:

http://levergunscommunity.org/viewtopic.php?t=25689

[earlmck]

Thanks for the info fellers. Doc AJ's historical post looked familiar -- I think I must have been ordering off that list because I have that expensive carbide drill that cuts like butter, and the Tap Magic, and the 2-flute tap. I must have had the right T-handle at one time but it seems to have disappeared in the clutter on my reloading benches. Or a gkid borrowed it (always a possibility when something goes missing around here). Second barrel being harder also seems like a possibility.

I'll bet if I got a correctly sized T-handle I could get some more good holes tapped with this baby. But a new high-quality tap wouldn't be amiss If I put scope blocks on some other buffalo guns. Surely makes me feel more confident in my load testing -- the MVA scope may look like a "period correct" scope from 150 years ago but it is a clear, crisp view that I doubt the boys of yesteryear got to enjoy.

[Eddie Southgate]

My drill and tap experiences can be counted up on the fingers of one hand, so pretty limited. Anyway, went over to the "dark side" with my buffalo gun and decided my overexperienced eyes needed the help of a scope. MVA scope and mounts plus an extra set of bases so I can also put the scope on a second gun for load testing.

4-holes for the two bases went fine on the first rifle, but got a little tougher when I started the next holes on the second rifle. And my t-handle didn't go small enough to handle the little #6 tap so was just using the drill press chuck to turn the tap and couldn't put all that much pressure on before the tap started slipping in the chuck. Finally got it done but those last two holes required me pulling out and cleaning and cleaning and trying again and again for -- maybe a dozen times before I got the number of threads I needed to get the screws in all the way.

My question is -- do taps normally get dull that quick? Only 8 holes? Well maybe it was 9 holes -- I guess I used said tap to reposition a receiver sight on the Rossi 357 a few years ago.

Good quality taps , no , I been using mine for 50 years and they still work fine . Cheap Chinese taps don't normally last long but they are cheap. Use plenty of cutting/tap oil .

[marlinman93]

Tapmatic or Tap-Magic can both be found at most chain hardware stores, or Home Depot and Lowes.

I use either, and also use Kroil on occasion also, but not too often since it costs more.
I can't say I've ever worn a tap out, or a die either. I've certainly broke a few when I tried to push them too far without backing up though.
I have a metric and an SAE tap sets, plus a Brownells gunsmith tap set. Use all of them a lot. The SAAE I've had since high school and that's almost 60 years now. Only replaced broken taps in that set and it was an inexpensive Montgomery Wards 42 piece set.
The smaller taps are never any good with the T handles the sets came with, so I bought a 3 handle set off Amazon for only $14 and it has 3 different sized handles to fit everything.

https://www.amazon.com/T-Handle-Wrench- ... 906&sr=8-5