Get the lead out

[ph4570]

My wife's 38-55 gets a little leading forward of the chamber. It is not much but after 100 rounds or so it is noticeable. My usual cleaning practice is to run a couple of patches of Ed's Red (with acetone) and let it soak. I then run a bronze brush a few times and follow up with Ed's Red, an oil patch and then a dry patch. Not a big cleaning chore at all.

The other day I decided to clean the bronze brush. I used a spray can of carb and choke cleaner. Apparently the brush was not dry by the time I ran it down the barrel. One stroke loosened the lead and it all came out with a patch. I have never used anything that got leading out so quickly and effortlessly.

The carb and choke cleaner contains: Xylene, methyl alcohol, acetone and carbon dioxide as the propellent.

Has anyone else here used this type of cleaner as a lead remover? Are there any concerns of its use for this purpose other than the standard health warnings on the label?

[rmcc]

I have a Herters 401 Mag revolver that I got in a trade. Whovever had it before me shot I don't know what through it to the point you could see it on the rifling. I have worked trying to get it all out and have not succeeded. I am going to try your method and report back.

Rich

[Wally]

I have a Herters 401 Mag revolver that I got in a trade. Whovever had it before me shot I don't know what through it to the point you could see it on the rifling. I have worked trying to get it all out and have not succeeded. I am going to try your method and report back.

Rich

Use an Outers Foul Out---nothing works better.....

[Molly]

The carb and choke cleaner contains: Xylene, methyl alcohol, acetone and carbon dioxide as the propellent.
Has anyone else here used this type of cleaner as a lead remover? Are there any concerns of its use for this purpose other than the standard health warnings on the label?

Those ingredients are all organic solvents, and none of them will have any effect on the lead as far as dissolving it goes. It is remotely possible that the leading contained a quantity of lube, and they would have done a good job dissolving any lube that was acting to hold the leading.

However, they are all good wetting agents, and it is also remotely possible that they wicked under the leading and weakened the adhesion. I don't think it is likely, but it is possible.

[ph4570]

Those ingredients are all organic solvents, and none of them will have any effect on the lead as far as dissolving it goes. It is remotely possible that the leading contained a quantity of lube, and they would have done a good job dissolving any lube that was acting to hold the leading.

However, they are all good wetting agents, and it is also remotely possible that they wicked under the leading and weakened the adhesion. I don't think it is likely, but it is possible.

Molly,
I agree with your assessment. I did not mean to suggest that the cleaner dissolved the lead. I believe the cleaner dissolved carbon/lube and thus loosened the leading in a brisker fashion than the Ed's Red that I routinely use.

I was at a match yesterday and quizzed a couple of "seasoned" shooters. They indicated that carb cleaner is commonly used by the bench-rest crowd and that an even more aggressive cleaner is "GM top engine cleaner".

[btroj]

Gm top engine cleaner is very similar to Shooter Choice solvent. I use it because it is cheaper and easier for me to get. The carb cleaner is used to clean brushes after use to make them last a bit longer.

[schutzen-jager]

old time cure is to plug + fill bore with mercury - really works - BUT highly toxic - safe if all precautions are followed !

[markinalpine]

I have an old WW2 vintage 1911A1 that started leading when I started shooting lead RN commercial reload's in an economy attempt. I used them all up, 500, and had to deal with the clean-up the best I could. This was well before I found this board and started casting my own. Anyway, somewhere else I read a thread about the benefits of (old formula, tan) JPW as a component of home made lube, and recall someone's comment that using it helped keep his barrels clean. I decided to use JPW to swab the barrel before going to the range, slop it on before leaving the house, then just one pull of a bore snake before shooting. I realize this isn't proof, but I haven't had a leading problem since.
JMHE - Just My Humble Experience.
Mark

[markshere2]

An acquaintance told me that he had great results removing lead using a mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% peroxide.
Plug the barrel, fill, let sit 10 min and dump it.
Then scrub normally and the lead falls out.

Anybody ever hear of this before?
Possible downsides? other than the obvious peril of acid treating your rifling.

[btroj]

Vinegar/peroxide will work. It can also rust the heck out of everything.
I will stick with a brush with a bunch of chore boy or 0000 steel wool wrapped around it. Works quick, easy, and safe.
Why use something with so many potential downsides when there is a simple answer instead?

[beex215]

chore boy works wonders for a handgun but on my rifle, its taking over a 100 passes. its still very badly leaded.

[Wally]

Use a jag tip--with a cloth patch---cut out an 1" of aluminum fly screen -- in a few passes you have removed all the leading...works like a Lewis Lead remover but much faster.

[btroj]

Over 100 passes with chore boy to get rid of the leading in a rifle? How much lead ya got in there?
How tight is the brush/ chore boy in the rifle? Tighter is better. None of my rifle have needed more than 5 to 10 passes.
I always run a wet patch first. Tells me ALOT about how much, or if, lead is present. Then a dry patch. Those alone get a good start on the lead. The chore boy works best for me if done on a dry barrel. Work it back and forth in the area with the leading. A few more wet patches then dry the bore. Should be clean as a whistle.

[Bret4207]

I've never found anything faster than 4/0 steel wool on a worn bore brush with and ATF type solvent for lube.

[beex215]

its a 308 gun and i have a 30 cal tornado brush. i wrapped the swirls full of copper and ran it against a dry barrel. it does remove dust little at a time but there is alot of work left. the mid section of the barrel is the worst. once thats gone i guess i would be satisfied.

[btroj]

Try using a plain old bristle brush- I wonder if the tornado brush design doesn't give the same surface contact or something.

[Dan Cash]

Swab with turpentine and a fairly tight patch. I don't understand the chemistry or the physics involved but it sure will remove lead.

[725]

Chore boy, overnight soak with Kroil, lead cloth patches, or the Outers electric cleaner have all worked well for me. Also, Flitz on a cleaning patch.

[beex215]

what i found out today while i was redoing the super leaded barrel, if i pulled the cleaning brush the lead would come out much faster. since i can only pull about 4 inches due to the brush being that size, i used a coat hanger and made a hook with chore bore on one end. push pull push pull. did a much better job than going one one. it still took kinda long but its at a very satisfying state.

[Capt Crunch]

I have had good luck with using copper cleaning pads wrapped around a worn bore brush. For really stuborn deposits I run a patch soaked in KROIL through the bore and let is sit over night. Follow with a jag and tight fitting patch