Lead Removal

New guy to the site and to shooting cast bullets. I just got a Browning 1885 45-70,never paid that much for a rifle in my life(I'm 71), it sure is purddy though. I just loaded up some Oregon Trail 350gr. with H4198 36 to 40 gr and Varget 48 to 52 gr. Not a lot of data for a 350gr CB, I believe I'm in the medium range power wise so hopefully leading won't be an issue. Just wondering what the best way is to remove lead from the bore.I did what I would call a med.heavy crimp with the RCBS seater die into the bullet crimp groove. Bullets are seated a bit over 1/32" from lands,Starline brass and CCI 200 primers.

bigiron,
You won't have to "remove" lead from your bore if you use the correct size and boolit hardness to match the chamber pressure. Leading is almost always the result of high-pressure gas leaking past the too-small boolit in the bore. A light lead "wash' or film near the muzzle may mean the boolit ran out of lube. In both cases, it is easily removed with a nylon bore brush wrapped with bronze wool or copper "chore-boy" strands. This is done dry as oil slows the process. One of our members published a book on the Browning BPCR a few years ago. His username is "TexasMac." You would be well advised to get a copy. His information about loads is priceless.

Let me welcome you to the forum, but be advised your username was once made infamous on here by a notorious scammer and crook

bigiron:
Welcome! I hasten to add to curator's excellent post that not all copper scrubbing pads are really copper. At least some are steel with a thin copper plating and those can harm your bore. You must be certain you're not using steel scrub pads to clean your barrel - best to check them with a magnet. "Chore Boy" brand are said to be OK although I have no experience with them.

The other part of curator's post is also correct - a lead boolit of the proper size and hardness with enough good lube won't lead your barrel - not even a little bit. If you DO get leading toward the chamber end of your barrel it's likely the boolit is too small, too hard, or both. Leading that starts toward the muzzle might be lube or hardness issues or both, but you'll see that less often.

I think you'll like this place, there are a lot of stickies to study and much to learn. I had been casting and shooting cast for thirty years or more when I found this place, and I learned more here in the first year than I had in the previous thirty.

Uncle R.

Thank you for your replies.I live in Maine and we are in blizzard conditions at the moment. Was hoping to chrono these initial loads to see where I'm at for velocity and recoil. For now I'm looking for a lite to moderate lever gun load. Sure hope no one thinks the bad guy is back as per my username. I'm not him

I've used Choreboy wrapped around a worn bore brush to remove lead. Works well.

I've found that Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner does a fair job of removing lead. Repeated applications does a very good job. It seems to work like a penetrating oil does on moly-coated bullet fouling and lifts the lead off the steel. I get lots of sparkling lead on my cloth patches following bore cleaner in my revolvers.

Birchwood Casey makes a lead remover/polishing cloth that can be helpful as well. I always begin with the Choreboy.

The magnet check is a good idea (thanks Uncle R).

I believe that Brownells also sells a bronze scrub pad (old guy memory).

Welcome to the world of 45-70.
rch

Lewis Lead Remover or copper wool/scrubber strands on a bore brush.

A well fitting jag with a tight patch does a good job of removing the lead soaked with Hoppe's #9.

Best way is to have the right size bullet, and a good lube. Then you won't have leading. If you are getting leading, check back here, and find the solution. It is unacceptable.
If you DO get leading, fire about a half dozen light loads, it will remove most of the leading, if not all.

Bigiron,

First, welcome aboard. If you like your "Bigiron" 45/70 and cast bullets, this is the place to be.

I was not sure by your post if you already had leading or were expecting leading. Either way, both of your projected loads are up there for the 45/70 and a 350 grain bullet. You'll probably be over 1,700 fps with the upper end of those loads, so yes, I would expect leading at those velocities as well as some recoil. They ought to kill big bears pretty well!

I shoot a lot of 45/70 loads every year and my most enjoyable loads mimic the US Army's carbine and infantry loads which push a 405 grain bullet at 1,100 fps and 1,300 fps respectively. I use plain base designs (Lee 405 grain and Lyman's 457299 at about 410 grains) and have never had any leading issues at these velocities.

I drive through Baker City, Oregon on average once or twice a year. I sometimes stop at the Oregon Trail Bullet Company and buy their 45/70 405 grain bullet (as well as 30 cal designs) unsized and unlubed from them. That way I can size them to .460" and .310" with my lube for some very good results with a commercially cast bullet. They do produce a good quality product and you should enjoy good accuracy with your OT 350 grainer.

I recommend that you pick up or order Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook (either #3 or #4) as it will have a plethora of info and data for cast bullets in the 45/70 including your choice of a 350 grain weght bullet.

All the chorboy around here is the new stuff which is steel with a copper wash. I've been pointing folks to use brass wire mesh, a 16x20 sheet at the local art supply store is 14.00 and will last a LONG time. Just cut to the size you need with wire snippers (sheet metal cutters).

Do you wrap it around a brush?

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Originally Posted by reed1911

All the chorboy around here is the new stuff which is steel with a copper wash. I've been pointing folks to use brass wire mesh, a 16x20 sheet at the local art supply store is 14.00 and will last a LONG time. Just cut to the size you need with wire snippers (sheet metal cutters).

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I used to use a small patch of brass screen around a jag. But I haven't had any leading in any of my firearms for so long now that I'd almost forgotten how to remove it!

Remember lead will oxidize. Wait a couple of weeks for it to fuzz up then a oversize bronze brush will get it out of there. That tip wasfrom Allan Jones of Speer reloading.
Best, Thomas.

I happened on a nifty trick to shoot them clean. Well, lead-free, anyway. It involves loading some rounds with a well-reduced (starting) load topped with a card wad, a soft lube cookie (I use Emert's, as is) about 1/8" or 3/16" thick and whatever cast boolit I happen to usually use in that caliber. Usually three to five rounds will do the job, maybe more if it's so soldered up you can't see the rifling. Commercial reloaded ammo at shooting ranges will do that to some guns. Or incorrect diameters.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tranders

Do you wrap it around a brush?

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Yes, wrap it around a bronze or nylon brush.

Depends on how you want to do it. If you cut it into a small 1/4" strip then yes you wrap it around the brush, the length depends on the caliber so you will had to see, wrap it enough to fully cover the brush but don't leave any overhang. The overhang will not cause a problem, you are just not getting any work out of it. I leave it on the old brush and use it when needed, you can continue to use it that way until it no longer works.

If you cut it into squares, you need to use a jag for the next size down to form it to the barrel first, so cut a square that is equal to the bore dia. + 25% (a .35 cal bore would be .446" or just a .45" square) and use the jag for a .33 cal to start it and form it into the round shape. Then swap over to the .35 cal jag and clean as normal. I would suggest making a handful up if you plan to use them, all that swapping back and forth would drive me nuts over the lost efficiency.

Needless to say, cutting a strip is the easiest and fastest way, but everyone likes to do things in different ways.