Cast boolits - cleaning

[crossdraw]

Hello Boolit Team,


Just started shooting cast boolits. I need to know how to minimize leading and how to clean it once I get it.

As with most of here, my hobby is shooting not cleaning. So, if I can minimize the time I spend cleaning (with the most productive cleaning method) then I can spend more time having fun - shooting.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[btroj]

Run a patch with your solvent of choice. Run a dry patch. Take a bronze bore brush wrapped with some Chore Boy brand pot scrubber or 4-0 steel wool. Run that thru the bore a few times. Dry patch and look down the barrel. It should have no remaining lumps of lead, of it does then repeat the brushing. Follow with more wet patches and dry ones til cleaned to your satisfaction.

Removing Lead isn't that tough but it requires a physical means of removal, no solvent is going to make it go away.

[**oneshot**]

+1 for the chore boy.

[captaint]

cd - Welcome. I'm not a very wordy individual, so I'll be brief as usual. You mentioned you are shooting cast boolits. You didn't say anything about casting boolits. So - I'll take the liberty of assuming you've bought some. If you're shooting an auto pistola, things can be relatively simple. First, forget the "hard cast" business as being beneficial. It's beneficial for shipping. Take the boolit lube. I, personally like softer lubes, especially for pistol boolits. The commercial casters use hard lube because it ships well - doesn't get messy if you just throw 500 boolits in a box.
DIAMETER - My GENERAL rule is to shoot boolits that are .001 to .002 larger than barrel groove diameter. I do that because it normally works - lead free barrel. You will have to slug your barrel to get the groove diameter. You need a soft lead slug, or soft boolit larger than groove diameter. Tap that slug through your well lubricated barrel and measure it with micrometers.
If we're talking about a revolver, there is also the cylinder and its dimensions at the throat. Again, we need to tap a slug through each cylinder throat and measure with mic's. The throats need to be the SAME as the barrel groove dia. or a little larger for best accuracy. OR, after you are done measuring your barrel slug, drop it through each throat and see if it just falls through or pushes thru with MINIMAL effort.
OR - and this is the one you wanted to hear - load em up, shoot em - at midrange velocity and see what happends !! Maybe you'll get a break and shoot small groups and have a clean barrel. Let us know how it all works out. Sorry, I said I would be brief. Oh well, enjoy Mike

[Bret4207]

You stop or prevent leading by shooting boolits that fit. FIT IS KING WITH CAST! Remember that and you are 3 steps ahead already. You remove leading by using a bore brush, worn works fine, and wrapping a bit of 4/0 steel wool around it. Add a little solvent for lube and go to it. 4.0 steel wool is what is used to polish your barrels outside to make it glossy, it will not hurt the bore.

[1Shirt]

As usual Bret is right. However if you undersize, lead your bore, etc., go with the advice given by Btroj!
1Shirt!

[crossdraw]

When slugging the revolver, do you go from the muzzle?

Thanks for all the help.

Usually if I throw lead with the auto, I drop the barrel in the utra sonic afterwards to remove the lead. Seems to work. Of course, I still have to use a rod with brush/patch to fine clean it

The steel wool, do you just break off portions or cut it to specific sizes? What do you push it with, the rod? Any attachments?

Thanks

[btroj]

Wrap the steel wool around a bronze bush. Great use for the old, worn ones.

Not sure how you can slug a revolver other than front he muzzle. How are you going to push it from the breech?

[Lead Freak]

When slugging the revolver, do you go from the muzzle?

Thanks for all the help.

Usually if I throw lead with the auto, I drop the barrel in the utra sonic afterwards to remove the lead. Seems to work. Of course, I still have to use a rod with brush/patch to fine clean it

The steel wool, do you just break off portions or cut it to specific sizes? What do you push it with, the rod? Any attachments?

Thanks

Ideally you would want to start your soft lead slug into the barrel at the forcing cone in front of the cylinder. If you don't want to disassemble the revolver to allow you to do that then go muzzle first. You may be able to get by with using a length of oak dowel rod, depending on how small the caliber is. If you need something more substantial, use a brass rod or a steel one with protection. Slide a thick drinking straw over the length of the rod and slip an empty piece of .22 brass on the end going in the barrel. Even then, keep the sides of the rod centered in the bore as you tap the slug down the barrel. When using the Chore Boy or fine steel wool, put a brass jag on the end of your cleaning rod. I would avoid using steel wool for anything other than removing light surface corrosion from the outside of the gun.

[44man]

I had to clean my cylinder today, it was getting stiff on the pin and needed new lube. I never touched the barrel.
Many of my revolvers go two years before I touch the bore and I will not get out any lead.
It does take thought and finding what your gun does but bad leading from cast is blown way out of shape. I hate to see a new cast shooter think it is a huge problem. Most of our guns shoot better with cast.
Copper can build up worse.
You will get a million answers and most will work for you. Just relax, shoot and we will try to solve a leading problem best we can.
Do not expect it out of hand.