Commercial liquid lead removers?

[Canuck Bob]

I wish to try these products. It looks like Shooters Choice and Sharp Shooter Liquid Wipeout are available here.

Which would you suggest?

How effective are they in general use?

[Outpost75]

It might help if you describe your leading issue.

I've always used home-made Ed's Red for cast bullet shooting.

https://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php?topic=61.0

[Wheelguns 1961]

I have tried shooters choice. I don’t think it is any better than hoppes and a bronze brush, but I have solved all my leading problems. The worst leading that I had was from thread choke.

[Canuck Bob]

Outpost,
Specifically I want to deep clean a used Parker Hale P61 Enfield repro recently bought. Generally I'm converting all my rifles except a couple of 223s and a Hornet to cast lead over the winter, 303 Brit, 30-30, 32 Spec, and 32-20 all rifles. This is also to check out others opinion of the stuff. I'm using Hoppe's 9 and Balistol for now as solvents and water and Balistol for BP.

[Lloyd Smale]

I doubt your rifle is lead fouled unless you shot lead through it yourself. Copper fouling is pretty easy with something like wipe out or sweets. For lead fouling all ive ever done is shoot a couple jacketed bullets through the gun and clean it with an solvent. In all reality penetrating oil left overnight works as good as anything short of mercury on lead fouling.

[fredj338]

I have only tried the wipe away cloths & they work pretty well.

[Idz]

The best de-leading I found was the Outer's Foul-out electrolysis system. It is no longer available but there are several threads about duplicating it.

[northmn]

A trick so old it has hair on it is to get a copper dish cleaning pad and wrap the strands around a bore brush till you get a tight fit and then push it through the bore. I've done that and it works. LLoyds recommendation of shooting a jacketed load through them also is not all bad. For my 357 rifle I keep a box of those military type 130 grain jacketed 38 specials handy. I prefer to use less than max jacketed bullets for that purpose.


DEP

[mdi]

I've tried Shooters Choice but nothing special stands out in my mind. When I'm removing leading (which is rare in the last decade) I soak with Kroil and then use a Lewis Lead Remover, for my handguns, and the Chore Boy wrap for my rifles. The LLR and CB are "mechanical" lead removers, meaning they do not depend on a chemical action on the lead, and both work quite well. I have used a solution of "regular" products found in the home to chemically remove lead, but I don't recommend it any more (I got slight pitting in the barrel of my Dan Wesson when I left the solution in the barrel for several hours). Good old elbow grease and a decent solvent used with patience will work quite well (and the extra work may goad one into finding a leading free load)...

[Walter Laich]

another vote for Foul Out

wish it was still with us

be sure copper dish cleaning pad is not steel--that can do a number on rifling--true copper pads were appropriated by druggies to use to smoke weed and has in.

[GregLaROCHE]

I agree with Lloyd. If you or a previous owner hasn’t been shooting lead boolits through it, the problem probably isn’t lead. More like copper which is best to remove before starting lead boolits.

Good luck !

[country gent]

Ive been using Shooters choice benchrest mixed 50-50 with kroil to clean and it does pretty well. on these cleaners wetting the bore and then giving them some "soak" time to penetrate and work may be the key

[Outpost75]

Outpost,
Specifically I want to deep clean a used Parker Hale P61 Enfield repro recently bought. Generally I'm converting all my rifles except a couple of 223s and a Hornet to cast lead over the winter, 303 Brit, 30-30, 32 Spec, and 32-20 all rifles. This is also to check out others opinion of the stuff. I'm using Hoppe's 9 and Balistol for now as solvents and water and Balistol for BP.

New Hoppe's isn't as effective in removing copper as the old stuff. Sweets or Shooter's Choice copper remover is the best to get the copper out AFTER you have removed impacted powder fouling with either Ed's Red or Kroil. Personally, I'm not impressed with Ballistol. JP8 is alot more effective if you have access to any.

For cleaning after BP or military ammo with chlorate primers I use Camp Suds or Ivory and boiling water, then oil.

If the cleaning brings out brown rust, follow with Brobst JB paste and Kroil, or cake Bon Ami with wet patches in hot water until you get no more brown out, then repeat the Sweet's or Shooters choice to see if any copper remains. If no more green, then flush out the bore well with Ed's Red or Kroil and store wet and muzzle down so that the solvent doesn't run into the action.

For long term storage Lee Liquid Alox diluted with an equal volume of 10w-30 motor oil protects well and is easy to remove.

[Shopdog]

Ironic ain't it? The more serious shooters get with JB's.... the more "discussion" there is about cleaning protocol/products.... vs.... the more serious you are shooting CB's the less we have to deal with it?

One of the reasons I rarely discuss shooting cast with guys "on the street",the misconception about cast=leaded up barrel.

Towards the OP,pick a good copper cleaner and follow directions, let it soak if it's not ammonia based,over night. May take a cpl evenings.Then if you want it cleaned "to the bone" .... follow up with JB bore paste.This is for copper. For lead,if something screws up?... bronze wool/wrapped brush and pick a flavor of cleaner.... the main thing is keep it dripping wet. Ideally,if your cast load is tuned,dry mopping should be about all you need. It's frequency based on certain issues that each shooter needs to decide on.

[Catshooter]

Excellent info Outpost, thank you.


Cat

[winelover]

Been very happy with Bore Tech Eliminator. Just follow the directions. Works on copper and or lead. Environmental friendly, to boot.

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/2093155799/bore-tech-eliminator-bore-cleaning-solvent-liquid

Winelover

[Petander]

Bore Tech Eliminator here. Foul Out is great but can't find the liquids anymore.



I have used a solution of "regular" products found in the home to chemically remove lead, but I don't recommend it any more (I got slight pitting in the barrel of my Dan Wesson when I left the solution in the barrel for several hours)

Do you mean "The Dip"? Was that a stainless barrel?

[25ring]

After you've tried all the methods posted for removing leading and think you've got the bore cleaned out,take a very tight fitting patch soaked with turpentine and tap it through the barrel.You'll probably find you don't have it as clean as you thought.

[dondiego]

another vote for Foul Out

wish it was still with us

be sure copper dish cleaning pad is not steel--that can do a number on rifling--true copper pads were appropriated by druggies to use to smoke weed and has in.

I was told by the rural store owner that Chore Boy was kept behind the counter because druggies used it in glass pipes to smoke crack cocaine and they never bothered to pay for the Chore Boy so now you have to ask for it.

[mdi]

Bore Tech Eliminator here. Foul Out is great but can't find the liquids anymore.




Do you mean "The Dip"? Was that a stainless barrel?

I never heard it called the dip until today. Several years ago a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar was "common" among cast lead shooters. It works if one is very, very careful. I left some in the barrel of my very nice Dan Wesson 44H, not SS,
for a few hours and it etched/pitted the barrel ID. Since then I've read the dangers of the solution like etching, damaging/removing blueing, and producing lead acetate. When I tried it I didn't notice (?) the warnings which are common on the web today. FWIIW it's a mixture of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, (I think I used 12%), 50/50, and I added a few drops of Dawn.
http://www.texas-mac.com/Warning_Hydrogen_Peroxide_and_Vinegar_Will_Etch_Bo res.html
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/07/05/the-dip-a-toxic-mixture-used-to-clean-silencer-parts/

[Petander]

I never heard it called the dip until today. Several years ago a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar was "common" among cast lead shooters. It works if one is very, very careful. I left some in the barrel of my very nice Dan Wesson 44H, not SS,
for a few hours and it etched/pitted the barrel ID. Since then I've read the dangers of the solution like etching, damaging/removing blueing, and producing lead acetate. When I tried it I didn't notice (?) the warnings which are common on the web today. FWIIW it's a mixture of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, (I think I used 12%), 50/50, and I added a few drops of Dawn.
http://www.texas-mac.com/Warning_Hydrogen_Peroxide_and_Vinegar_Will_Etch_Bo res.html
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/07/05/the-dip-a-toxic-mixture-used-to-clean-silencer-parts/

The Dip that is. Distilled vinegar and strong (30%) hydrogen peroxide react even faster with lead. Here is a bullet in a bottle cap with The Dip. The bullet disappears overnight.

229705

I bought a stainless Marlin so I can use The Dip. The problem is, I got the right bullet and good coating from the start, never needed The Dip.

EDIT: yes,lead acetate was the major ingredient in Outers Foul Out lead removal solution.

[Canuck Bob]

Thank you all very much. I've decided to drop the use of lead removers as noone really raves about any of them. I restrict my solvent choices to friendly solvents so I'll pursue the all copper Chore Boy mechanical cleaning method. I didn't know Hoppe's changed the formula but it was likely with the new toxicity rules. Hoppe's is as toxic as I plan due to bone marrow cancer. That is why Balistol will be primary clp style cleaner with No. 9 for added punch when needed. When this stock is used up Ed's Red test is planned using some free Marvel's Mystery Oil and no acetone, I guess Kinda Ed's Red Solvent. I can't find Kroil locally but will keep looking as folks really rave about the stuff.

I watched a "Plate of Truth - Lead Removal Testing" youtube vid on testing solvents and lead removal. Hoppe's worked well and Bal almost as well. A simple test but worth the watch for interest sake.

[Wayne Smith]

I get areoKroil from their website.

[Canuck Bob]

I get areoKroil from their website.

Thanks but the shipping to Canada plus the exchange rate is too pricey. I may have found some locally.