Checking a rifle for leading

[Wolfdog91]

So how would you guys go about checking a rifle bore for leading ? Had alot if people ask me to do a video where I clean my AR to see it there's any lead in it after shooting cast. I thinking I could just pull a copper brush though it dry and have a pice if paper under the muzzle to catch any possible lead scrappings.Does this sound good ? Or should I try something else ?

[Midohhntr]

I can see it in the bore. And when I clean it with a patch and solvent I can definitely tell it’s there, it will be rough to push and pull through. Withdraw the patch and I will see lead on the patch. When it’s clean the patch will be butter smooth when I draw it through the bore.

[Taterhead]

Copper brush might not have sufficient friction. Supplementing with a few wraps of copper Chore Boy could help.

[Bazoo]

Shine a light on a piece of paper stuck in the breech and you can see lumps in the bore with severe leading. Leading that just plates the rifling but doesn't build up isn't really an issue unless it causes accuracy to fall off. Shine a light down the bore and you can see the lead wash if present.

[waksupi]

If the bullet is the right size, lube or powder coat are proper, and the bore is in good condition, there shouldn't be any leading.

[Burnt Fingers]

Use "the dip" if the solution comes out black there was leading.

Be forewarned the solution that comes out is toxic and contains a form of lead that can be absorbed through the skin.


"the dip" is a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar. It will remove bluing.

To use in a bore you will need to plug the bore and pour in the dip. Let it sit for 30-60 seconds and remove it. If you let it sit too long it can and will etch the metal. After pouring out the solution run a dry patch through the bore. if you get a black sludge on the patch it's lead being removed....be careful as the black sludge is toxic.

Repeat till the patches come out clean then rinse with hot water and lube accordingly.


The other easy way to remove leading is with mercury. I wish I still had that quart of the stuff I had when I was younger.

[parson48]

I picked up one of these a while back. Super easy to use, and not too pricey. Eliminates guesswork.

https://www.amazon.com/Teslong-Borescope-Side-View-Semi-Rigid-Smartphone/dp/B07TTQF24F

[popper]

50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar Very hard on steel but not SS. If I can see it in the bore, I clean it out. White paper and light held in the ejection port and look down muzzle. Normal bore solvent on a patch will remove minor leading. Copper chore boy for major leading, bad lube or improper sizing. Shoot a couple GC bullets will usually remove the chunky stuff. If you use a toothpick and some Canola oil when seating the 223 bullets, you will not get any leading. Clean bore as normal after a session.

[gwpercle]

Pen light in one end , (Winchester Flex LED bore lite $6.99) and look down the barrel ...easy to see !
You don't have to buy no expensive scope do- dah ... a pen light with a curved plastic tube will do the job . I got mine at wally mart about 20 years ago .
Gary

[crackers]

It's the lumpy looking shadow that the patch won't push out. A bit of bronze wool wrapped around a swab will shave it out. Don't just wrap it around a brush because it will have no pressure against the bore. Can be found on Amazon. Cut it with scissor - don't pull it apart with bare skin.

[whisler]

The resultant chemical from the "dip" (Peroxide and vinegar) is lead acetate and is very toxic. As a chemist I worked with lots of deadly chemicals in a controlled environment but I would never work with lead acetate in a home environment. Then there is the problem of safe disposal.

[Randy Bohannon]

Tight fitting jag and patch soaked in Kroil tapped through the bore will take out any kind of lead fouling. Best to not get any leading with the right size,alloy,lube.

[PositiveCaster]

Tight fitting jag and patch soaked in Kroil tapped through the bore will take out any kind of lead fouling. Best to not get any leading with the right size,alloy,lube.

Not been my experience with heavy leading. That requires something mechanical like bronze ChoreBoy (discontinued, but I still have some. Copper works too.). I love Kroil, but it isn’t a miracle cure. As others have stressed, better to just avoid gas blow-by - the main cause of leading. Fit and hardness are what matters, and harder isn’t always better.





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[Burnt Fingers]

Not been my experience with heavy leading. That requires something mechanical like bronze ChoreBoy (discontinued, but I still have some. Copper works too.). I love Kroil, but it isn’t a miracle cure. As others have stressed, better to just avoid gas blow-by - the main cause of leading. Fit and hardness are what matters, and harder isn’t always better.





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I've had the same experience. I had one barrel so fouled that you COULDN'T tap a jag through it. It was a 9mm and a 30 cal jag was the largest I could get through it.

[reddog81]

On an AR it takes like 30 seconds to take the lower and upper apart. Once apart it's easy to see down the barrel. It helps to have a well lit background to look at. On many bolt actions you can pull the bolt out and get a real good view of the barrel.

Looking at a white sheet of paper through the barrel and you should be able to see the well defined grooves of the rifling. If it looks dirty run a few patches through it to clean up any of the easy to get rid of fouling.

[FLINTNFIRE]

The old foul out electro process was awesome to show someone after they cleaned their pistol and said they had it all , it would pull lead out that looked like a clean shining barrel , wrap the chore boy and check , a tight fitting white patch will show if there is any .

[M-Tecs]

I picked up one of these a while back. Super easy to use, and not too pricey. Eliminates guesswork.

https://www.amazon.com/Teslong-Borescope-Side-View-Semi-Rigid-Smartphone/dp/B07TTQF24F

Same here. I have been very happy with mine. The Lyman version not so much.

[FarNorth45]

I have a long bore scope for my phone , works great !!! Its called Endoscope , resolution is awesome...... better than some of the most expensive bore scopes !! And you can take pictures or videos while using it . Something like this , cant remember what brand mine is , but it wasn't expensive..... https://www.amazon.com/Seesi-Endoscope-Waterproof-Inspection-Semi-Rigid/dp/B07PBF6DX5/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&hvadid=78340254164650&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvqmt=e&keywords=endoscope+for+cell+phone&qid=1614932227&sr=8-4

[Stephen Cohen]

I have seen a 686 revolver so leaded a normal cleaning rod had to be forced down the barrel, even the chambers were leaded. Says a lot for SW revolvers. Regards Stephen

[onelight]

If you use a cleaning jag and a snug fitting patch with gun cleaner you can feel the lead dragging on the patch even if can't really see it but you need to know how it feels when it has no lead in it .
You can also often see flecks of lead on your patch keep cleaning until your patches come out clean. If you think it is clean run a clean copper bore brush with your CLP on it a few times followed buy a clean patch if it comes out black you are not done and may need Chore Boy or a Lewis scrubbing again . You can damage the crown if you don't or can't clean from the breech so be careful and use a muzzle protector if you can if you have a choice use a quality one piece rod .
There are a lot of ways to deal with a leaded bore not saying this is the best but it's how I do it.