quote:

Originally posted by Cayoot:
Too hard of a cast boolit can promote leading also. If the base to hard to obutrate, then you will (in all likelyhood) get leading.

Only if you underdrive them.

Regardless, I am shooting Oregon Trails at about 800 to 850 fps and have zero lead problems other than on my left thumb, which rests right besides the forcing cone and gets covered in vaporized lead. So I wear a glove on my left hand while training.

quote:

Originally posted by Wyatt Earp:
Or use hard cast bullets and virtually eliminate leading.

I use Oregon Trail brand bullets and I get a very minor amount of trace leading at the bottom fo the grooves about 1/2 inch down the forcing cone after about 300 rounds. A coupe of passes with a bore brush there and it's gone. I spend more time cleaning the carbon rings out of the chambers than I do on the entire bore.

I have a Lewis tool and have yet to need it.

Hi Wyatt. I'm moving to the Buffalo Bore .38 Special LSWCHP-GC 158 gr +P as a carry load in the Model 66-3. Their bullets are very soft lead but the GC, the gas check should take care of that. I know what you're saying about the carbon rings. Really my problem was what had happened before and I've taken care of that. But I'm playing around with what practice rounds to shoot. I still have about 100 rounds of reloaded .38 Special LSWC which I think are 148 gr. They're great and they're accurate but I don't live near that gun store where I bought them now so I need to decide on a new range round. Matter of fact I think I'll begin a new thread on practice ammo. Lead v FMJ so hold up till tonight with a response if you don't mind. Thanks for the reply.

quote:

Originally posted by Cayoot:
Too hard of a cast boolit can promote leading also. If the base to hard to obutrate, then you will (in all likelyhood) get leading.

Hi Cayoot. I may or may not be using hardcast lead in my range shooting. I'm going to begin a new thread here on range rounds today/tonight and will ask opinions in there. I'll be looking at POA/POI with rounds of different weights and regular rounds v +P. Been meaning to do this all week. Hold up and I'll see you there.

Well, one easy way to get rid of lead in a bore is to slug your barrel. If you take a pure lead projectile (or evin a fishing sinker) and drive it slowly through your bore with a hard wood dowel, it seems to push all the lead out ahead of it.

I still prefer just applying some Kroil, then swabing my bore for a minute with some chore boy wraped around a bore brush.

quote:

Originally posted by Cayoot:
Well, one easy way to get rid of lead in a bore is to slug your barrel. If you take a pure lead projectile (or evin a fishing sinker) and drive it slowly through your bore with a hard wood dowel, it seems to push all the lead out ahead of it.

I still prefer just applying some Kroil, then swabing my bore for a minute with some chore boy wraped around a bore brush.

Yeah, I think I'd go for the second selection.

I have been using the Outers Foul Out system for many years to clean my barrels. This system electroplates copper/lead fouling to a rod. As you are able to see exactly where your barrel is fouling by looking at where the copper/lead is deposited on the rod.......you can then home in on possible rough spots in your bore.

quote:

Originally posted by tdan:
I have been using the Outers Foul Out system for many years to clean my barrels. This system electroplates copper/lead fouling to a rod. As you are able to see exactly where your barrel is fouling by looking at where the copper/lead is deposited on the rod.......you can then home in on possible rough spots in your bore.

I've heard of that, tdan, and then forgotten all about it. Never tried it but it sounds pretty interesting.

I was in Walmarts again today and found something I'd never seen before. It's Hoppe's Elite Gun Cleaner. No Benchrest on the label and it says it's for carbon, lead and copper. 2 fl ounces and it's in a spray bottle and it cost under three bucks I think. It says it's "Scent Free" on the label but hey, I kinda like the smell of solvent... not that I sniff.

For heavy leading I use a 50/50 mix of Kroil and Hoppes #9. I just swab it generously in the barrel and let it sit for a about an hour or two. The lead seems to almost seep out of the barrel.

No-Lead by Wipe-Out, this is a 2 part mix, not all places carry it, Its a 2 part mix, although they send it in 2 bottles that can be mixed together when you get it, this keeps the Hazmat people happy. Needless to say, I was told that you could drop a lead projectile in the stuff, and in a few hours you would see it was disolving the lead, unlike other solutions I have used. I just ordered it, and have not yet received it, but it's worth a look see.

I tried the No-Lead last night. I poured some in a glass and dropped in a .22 slug from which I had removed the wax lubricant. It worked very well and immediately started dissolving the lead. It was still bubbling after an hour. I removed the bullet from the solution and it was noticeably eroded.
I tried the same test with Shooters Choice Lead Remover and no lead seemed to have been removed - the tarnish was still there.

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by bigt5150:
For heavy leading I use a 50/50 mix of Kroil and Hoppes #9. I just swab it generously in the barrel and let it sit for a about an hour or two. The lead seems to almost seep out of the barrel.

I've heard of this mix, recently, and by all accounts it works just fine. You can be assured I'll be trying it. Thanks.

aeronut04, it sounds like you're in for a treat, according to the report from Jeff423 here. I was very suprised at your results, Jeff, this stuff sounds wild! Again, I have to try it.

Mercury is extremely toxic; it combines with the amino acids that make your brain and nervous system work, and will cause permanent damage.

Brushes you can get at welding supply stores aren't good for guns - a gun shop, and many small hardware stores, will have an array of phosphor-bronze brushes in the specific caliber you're looking for, attach to the end of a standard cleaning rod, and will cost less than three bucks each.

quote:

Originally posted by user:
Mercury is extremely toxic; it combines with the amino acids that make your brain and nervous system work, and will cause permanent damage.

Brushes you can get at welding supply stores aren't good for guns - a gun shop, and many small hardware stores, will have an array of phosphor-bronze brushes in the specific caliber you're looking for, attach to the end of a standard cleaning rod, and will cost less than three bucks each.

I do have a bunch of phosphor-bronze bore brushes, User, but I didn't want to use them for chores such as cleaning the face of the forcing cone etc. I did find my toothbrush-style one though. I call it my copper brush. Then when I went to Walmarts on Wednesday of last week I found a packet of three different brushes. Found some great new (to me) Hoppe's solvent too.

Thanks for the heads up on the mercury.

I have not received my bottles as of yet, but Jeff had steered me onto this stuff, and I can't wait to try it, they did say to make sure when you were done to then clean the gun with your standard method, to me that means you might not want to leave your barrel soaking in the stuff either, but I will run some tests, drop a piece of steel in the stuff for a day or so.