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Thread: Cleaning lead from your barrels

  1. #1
    I'm A Honcho!
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    Cleaning lead from your barrels

    Greetings,

    Life is about learning. I thought I could treat my cast shooters like I treat all of my rifles. Shoot them until accuracy degrades then clean them. Bad choice. Some of my barrels had 1500-4000 shots on them and I just noticed they started to throw shots. Proven loads would put a round 10-12 inches out of the group. Been doing it for a couple years now and I just decided to look down the barrel. 3 lands were completely fused together and the thrown shots were skidding.

    So I set about cleaning them. Hardest work I have done on firearms since I started. Tried everything... chore boy, 45 nickel scrubber, solvents Iosso paste and a solid weeks worth of elbow grease. Just to get to the tops of the lands.

    Best was the tornado brush to break the tops. Then the lead cleaning cloth of a bronze brush to start down the grooves then a little at a time it started coming out.

    My advice is not to let them get there. What has your experiences been for heavily leaded barrels?

    JB
    You never know how you rank amongst men 'til you have seen what will break another man.
    The original "Bluejay" US Army/ US Navy 1945-1970.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Chore Boy over a bronze brush and Kroil has never failed me yet. I've managed to clean some "sewer pipe" looking bores with it.
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I have not tried any of the chemical methods . Other than regular gun cleaners and solvents.
    A ,Lewis Lead remover is the best mechanical way to get lead out I have found then a bit distant is chore boy and then way distant cleaning brushes.
    You have paid your dues , I know a lot here don't but I clean after every range trip. If I am getting leading I want to know and deal with it early.

  4. #4
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    Two barrels had a smear from the chamber to the bore. I could see my progression in casting in the layers almost. It was a mix or carbon, copper, lead and uncured powder coat. I got the majority either out or started enough to bang it out the rest of the way with jacketed bullets followed by more cleaning. Lesson learned.
    You never know how you rank amongst men 'til you have seen what will break another man.
    The original "Bluejay" US Army/ US Navy 1945-1970.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Win94ae's Avatar
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    If you have thousands of rounds down the barrel, and can't see the grooves, you have a big job ahead of you. You'll just have to keep at it until you are clean; I did the same thing you did, just not so extensive.



    It took about 11 days of cleaning to get the bore squeaky clean.

    Then I had to foul it to get it shooting tight groups again.



    Good luck!

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy Dom's Avatar
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    I guess they don't make it any more. I have an Outers Foul Out. Plug the chamber end with the provided rubber plugs. put the insulated stainless rod down the barrel . pour the Outers liquid in the bore. Hook up the electrodes , plug in, turn on. Come back in about an hour to a shinny, squeaky clean bore. Bought this outfit about 30 yrs ago. Still works perfect for removing copper or lead.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Stuff the barrel with paper shop towels. Pour you favorite gun cleaner into the barrel until it drips out the end and then let it sit for a day or two. It will still take some scrubbing.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stubshaft View Post
    Chore Boy over a bronze brush and Kroil has never failed me yet. I've managed to clean some "sewer pipe" looking bores with it.
    This along with JB Bore Compound.
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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  9. #9
    Boolit Bub
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    use 100% copper chore boy, not copper plated steel

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by waco View Post
    This along with JB Bore Compound.
    I've smeared J-B on a 0000 steel wool wrapped ratty old cleaning brush and gotten some old milsurp gun bores looking really good.
    You can miss fast & you can miss a lot, but only hits count.

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    Shooting a few low velocity loads cleans a barrel well.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
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    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  12. #12
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    I normally soak in Kroil overnight. Then the next day scrub with a Lewis Lead Remover and solvent. Also, I added some ammonia (tried both sudsy and plain) janitorial strength to my gun solvent which seems to help a bit. But, I'm one of those that clean my guns often, many times the same day as the shoot, and I believe in prevention (most of my cast bullets shoot clean)...

    Warning about the peroxide/vinegar solution; don't allow it to soak in the barrel for more than a few minutes. I have a Dan Wesson 44 H that has small pits in the barrel because I left the solution in the barrel for about 6 hours. Lead is turned into lead acetate and can be pretty bad on humans. Vinegar will attack bluing also...
    Last edited by mdi; 04-03-2021 at 12:22 PM.
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  13. #13
    Boolit Master

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    kroil left to soak will seep under the edges and allow the chore-boy to grab and break pieces of lead off the edges, and just keep soaking and coming back to it. Bronze wool also works (available from most woodworking and marine suppliers), since the solid copper chore boy is becoming more difficult to find. there is a lot of copper washed steel scrub pads out there that are not good for any barrel, so double check with a magnet before use. I ran into that several years ago, so I stocked-up with a couple packages of the real Chore-Boy. if u can’t fine chore-boy give the bronze wool a try, it is available in various wire sizes (coarse to fine).
    Last edited by oley55; 04-04-2021 at 02:22 PM.
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  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    If I get leading in .44 mag handguns or rifles, I just shoot 5 or 6 gas checked boolits with a magnum charge of WC820, H-110/296 or 2400. Bores so far have come out squeaky clean. My cast rifles do not seem to lead up because I use gas checks on my loads of 1600 to 1800fps. If accuracy starts to go south a little, I'll run a brass brush soaked in Ed' Red down the bore, followed by a couple of cloth patches and then I'll take a worn brass brush and wind thin strips of lead free cloth around it and make a couple of passes down the bore, taking the jag off when it passes thru the muzzel. After a few fouling shots, accuracy usually returns.
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  15. #15
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shuz View Post
    If I get leading in .44 mag handguns or rifles, I just shoot 5 or 6 gas checked boolits with a magnum charge of WC820, H-110/296 or 2400. Bores so far have come out squeaky clean. My cast rifles do not seem to lead up because I use gas checks on my loads of 1600 to 1800fps. If accuracy starts to go south a little, I'll run a brass brush soaked in Ed' Red down the bore, followed by a couple of cloth patches and then I'll take a worn brass brush and wind thin strips of lead free cloth around it and make a couple of passes down the bore, taking the jag off when it passes thru the muzzel. After a few fouling shots, accuracy usually returns.
    I can not prove it as the cause, but in the early to mid 80’s I’d sometimes shoot the lead out of my Redhawk and it developed some really fine barrel cracks. Ruger replaced it without comment, but I still wonder if firing jacketed rounds over the leading didn’t contribute to the barrel cracks by inducing some swelling of the barrel as the rounds passed over the lead. Not saying that contributed or not, but I don’t "shoot the lead out" anymore.

    edited for word cleanup after initial smartphone post.
    Last edited by oley55; 04-04-2021 at 02:27 PM.
    “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.” Ronald Reagan


  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy PBaholic's Avatar
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    I used to have a leading problem, even bought Lewis Lead removers. Soaking for long periods of time with Hoppes #9, and brass brushing worked eventually.

    Then I saw the light, and started Powder Coating. Zero leading issues now, and I hardly have to even clean my guns anymore.

  17. #17
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    https://www.amazon.com/PRODUCTS-1231...7470246&sr=8-6

    Don't pull it apart - use a scissor and wrap it around a swab. Wrapping anything around a brush simply places it inside the bristles.

  18. #18
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    50% hydrogen peroxide, 50% household vinegar for 10 minutes! Caution!!!! don’t soak the barrel! plug one end and carefully fill the barrels with a solution. I don’t know for sure as I’ve never taken a chance, but I’ve been told it can ruin the bluing! I’ve used it from everything to a severely leaded barrel to an old lead pot. I’ve even gone so far as to put a cast bullet in the solution and let it sit there for about an hour. Just to see what would happen . After that time the object no longer resemble a boolet! I have posted this recipe before and received many a cautionary warning. Cautions warning of toxic fumes, destroying finishes etc. I certainly don’t recommend it for a streak of lead here in there. All I can say is it is worked for me. Do your research, and use at your own risk. Hope this helps.
    Poppy42
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    I appreciate you posting your formula poppy42 I also appreciate the warnings , all good info.
    Last edited by onelight; 04-03-2021 at 05:28 PM.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    The Outers Foul Out is the best method of lead removal I have. If I did not have one, I would make my own version.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check