Lead Removal from a Rifle Barrel

[TXCOONDOG]

I found the sticky


Used search engine and it seem to give me everything but what I'm looking for. I've only dealt with pistols leading and I caught it pretty quick, and it was an easy task using NO. 9, nylon brush and patch.

I have a 30-30 that has leading in the grooves and the above mentioned doesn't seem to be working very well. Searching on the net, the preferred method was to use a chor boy copper strands wrapped around a copper brush using Ed's Red (if I remember correctly).

Is this the best method known or?

If this has been discussed which I'm sure it has, please provide a link.

Thanks in advance.

[WRideout]

The scouring pad over a bronze brush works well; it might take a few passes. Make sure to check the pad with a magnet. Some of them are copper-plated steel.

Another trick I have used is to coat the bore with Kroil, a penetrating oil made by Kano company. Let it sit for a day, then proceed to regular cleaning. It appears to loosen the adhesion of the lead to the barrel.

Wayne

[JimB..]

Bronze brush wrapped in copper pad or the frontier 45 pad that looks like stainless. Then any of the lead specific cleaners to get anything left over.

[Sasquatch-1]

Use a cleaning patch on the brush and then wrap the cleaning patch with a couple strand of Chor-Boy. I find that this holds the strands above the bristles and keeps them from getting buried in the brush. Check to make sure the strand of Choe-Boy are not getting flattened.

[steveu]

Holland’s Witches Brew makes quick work of lead and copper fouling. 2 patches works for most of my barrels. A little of it goes a long way.

[TNsailorman]

I have always used Lewis Lead Removers myself and they work great. They also made a kit to use in rifles with a cleaning rod. These will be tough to find as they did not make them very long. Lewis is out of business now I think. james

[kungfustyle]

This stuff works great, But you need both https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014881110?pid=588466, https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101488052?pid=112089. 15 minutes with the lead out and a few patches then the wipe out. Been around for a while and they have changed the process, but it works. May have to work that cycle a few times. You can also wrap a chore boy around a brass brush but requires a good deal of scrubbing.

[BLAHUT]

Bortec eliminator, wrap a patch around a nylon brush, a few wet passes and let soak, then a tight dry patch, then soak again, usually all will be gone, if not repeat again for one or two more times, should be clean, then oil....

[TXCOONDOG]

This stuff works great, But you need both https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014881110?pid=588466, https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101488052?pid=112089. 15 minutes with the lead out and a few patches then the wipe out. Been around for a while and they have changed the process, but it works. May have to work that cycle a few times. You can also wrap a chore boy around a brass brush but requires a good deal of scrubbing.

When you say both, lead out and the Sharp shoot R wipe-out ?

[schutzen-jager]

the old time method works best - plug + fill bore with mercury + let set over night - handle it carefully only toxic if ingested, inhaled, or contact with eyes, etc. - the mercury can be reused indefinitely just use with caution + common sense -

[The Dar]

I have always used Lewis Lead Removers myself and they work great. They also made a kit to use in rifles with a cleaning rod. These will be tough to find as they did not make them very long. Lewis is out of business now I think. james

Still around and available:
https://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=lewis+lead+remover&ksubmit=y

[mehavey]

Nylon brush won't touch true leading.

Bronze brush wrapped in (true copper*) ChoreBoy / pretty much any penetrating light oil
(Kroil, Lock-Ease, PB-Blaster, Liquid Wrench, etc) will make very quick work of it.

*( Take a magnet w/ you to the store )

[M-Tecs]

Holland’s Witches Brew makes quick work of lead and copper fouling. 2 patches works for most of my barrels. A little of it goes a long way.

I will have to give that a try. I haven't found anything that does a good job on both lead and copper.

[Jack Stanley]

I haven't created leading serious enough to use the copper pads . For minor leading several gas checked bullets with enough lube seems to work .

Jack

[gwpercle]

You want the absolute best thing for getting the lead out ???

It's called a " Lewis Lead Remover "

It is made to do one thing ... which it does better than anything else .

Brownell's has them maybe . I believe Hoppe's and maybe another company now make a knock off of the Lewis tool ... do a search .
The lead remover still exists in one form or another .
Gary

[Walter Laich]

another approach
I use brass pile screens 1" for .45 caliber
they are round mesh that fit over a jag
they are tight to the bore which is what you want
Kroil overnight then this works fine for me

https://www.amazon.com/200pcs-Brass-Screens-Screen-Storage/dp/B09336K93W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21JQ4C1DAXB35&keywords=1+inch+pipe+screen&qid=1676585675&s=hpc&sprefix=1+inch+pipe+screen%2Chpc%2C126&sr=1-1

[TXCOONDOG]

The leading in the rifle was due to my son shooting someone else's cast reloads through it when I loaned it to him. I was able to get a cleaning rod (brass brush/chor boy) through once I let the solvent set a while. It looks clean/clear now by the naked eye. I ordered a bore scope (gave me an excuse to buy one) to take a closer look.

[Barnowl]

another approach
I use brass pile screens 1" for .45 caliber
they are round mesh that fit over a jag
they are tight to the bore which is what you want
Kroil overnight then this works fine for me

https://www.amazon.com/200pcs-Brass-Screens-Screen-Storage/dp/B09336K93W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21JQ4C1DAXB35&keywords=1+inch+pipe+screen&qid=1676585675&s=hpc&sprefix=1+inch+pipe+screen%2Chpc%2C126&sr=1-1

Now that is a good find!

[JimB..]

The leading in the rifle was due to my son shooting someone else's cast reloads through it when I loaned it to him. I was able to get a cleaning rod (brass brush/chor boy) through once I let the solvent set a while. It looks clean/clear now by the naked eye. I ordered a bore scope (gave me an excuse to buy one) to take a closer look.

Noooooo!
Never use a bore scope!
It’ll just drive you mad.

[kungfustyle]

When you say both, lead out and the Sharp shoot R wipe-out ?
Yes, The new directions say to run a nylon brush through with the lead out, wait up to 15 minutes, dry patch and then a brush with wipe out to neutralize the Lead out. Works great! Repeat if necessary. Don't leave it on for longer.

[TXCOONDOG]

Noooooo!
Never use a bore scope!
It’ll just drive you mad.

LMAO...you mean like seeing particles left by a cleaning patch, dust, or the heat cracks in the metal near the throat, etc. Even though I like things being done right, I try to be reasonable and not OCD....at least most of the time :)

[waksupi]

Noooooo!
Never use a bore scope!
It’ll just drive you mad.

Most don't know what they are seeing when they DO use one. I had friends looking at a rifle with one last summer, and they thought the bore looked perfect. I took a look, and saw the barrel was frosted from one end to the other. Once I showed them what I was seeing, they didn't think that much of that particular barrel.

[Snakeoil]

Cylinder & Slide used to see a very mild steel version of a pot scrubber that would not hurt barrels and did a number on lead in short order. Same process, wrap it around an old worn bore brush. Check their website.

[OS1880]

I've been using a piece of chore boy wrapped around a mop. Was just thinking of taking the mop with the chore boy and attaching it to a drill and using a low speed running it through the barrel . Yes or no.

[Sasquatch-1]

I would think the spinning of the drill would defeat the purpose of the ChorBoy. You want the copper strands to slide down and grab the lead. The spinning may just rub it into the grooves more.

[mehavey]

-- DupeDelete --

[mehavey]

The only chore-boy "spin" should in slowly following the grooves to scrape them out in the direction of travel
No other rotation.
.
Ball-bearing cleaning rod handle helps here.

[Larry Gibson]

I have always used Lewis Lead Removers myself and they work great. They also made a kit to use in rifles with a cleaning rod. These will be tough to find as they did not make them very long. Lewis is out of business now I think. james

As mentioned they're still in business. Got a 30 cal kit from Brownell's a while back. It threads into a regular 30 cal rod to pull through.

[35 Rem]

Glad I read this discussion. I went to the Brownell website and got a 30/32 caliber Lewis Lead Remover kit on the way. Put in a request to be notified when the 35 caliber version is back in stock. I know how well they work because I bought a 44 caliber pistol version 40 years ago for my 44 Magnum revolver.