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Old 07-26-2018, 08:00 PM
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Cylinder leading problem? Cylinder leading problem? Cylinder leading problem?  
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Default Cylinder leading problem?

The other day I was shooting my 1984 6" 25-5. I had a box of commercial reloads made by a local company that a friend gave to me. Normally I shoot my own reloads, but I figured I'd just use these up. The ammo shot fine, but when I went to clean the gun I discovered that ammo had made a leaded mess.
The bore and forcing cone cleaned up using my lead removal tool. However, the cylinder just won't come clean. They have a ring of stubborn lead right at the case mouth where the throat starts to taper. My lead remover tool won't quite get big enough and I've scrubbed this thing with everything I've got till I'm blue in the face. I'm slowly making progress using a .45-70 rifle brush and the small end of a bronze toothbrush. But its taking forever.
Anybody got any tricks for removing this lead without working my butt off?
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Old 07-26-2018, 08:15 PM
Pisgah Pisgah is offline
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Chuck that rifle brush in to a hand drill, run 'er in/out nice and easy -- maybe a bunch of times, but probably only 2 or 3.
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Old 07-27-2018, 07:06 PM
dfariswheel dfariswheel is offline
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Best way...... Buy a BRONZE chamber brush from Brownell's.

These are not only larger in diameter, they're made of a much stiffer bristle.
These work much better then the softer bore brushes, even larger calibers.
These are also much faster then having to get out a drill and chuck a brush in it.

To use I push the brush into the chamber until about 1/3rd of it's sticking out the front end, then rotate the brush 2 to 3 full turns, push the rest of the way through, then pull back out.

Usually one pass like this will clean even bad fouling.

BROWNELLS BRONZE RIFLE/PISTOL CHAMBER BRUSHES | Brownells

Don't use stainless steel. Those are very hard on the chambers and are for use only where you have nothing to loose.
Order several of the bronze brushes, they're not expensive and they do wear out.
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Old 08-02-2018, 05:42 AM
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When using the Lewis Lead Remover, rotate the Rod while pulling it through - especially at the end. Let it work the end of the Cylinder Charge Hole a few rotations before pulling it out completely. IMHO the LLR works the best out of any method I've tried.

I also use the Brownell's Chamber Brushes as dfariswheel has mentioned above - but not in a drill as some do. Works when leading is light to moderate, but the LLR works for heavy leading.
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Old 08-02-2018, 09:31 AM
cowboy4evr cowboy4evr is offline
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I know of an old gun smith , when faced with the task of cleaning up a cylinder , be it carbon or lead would wrap a piece of " Chore Boy " ( pure copper scouring pads) around a bore brush . It usually only took a few minutes and the cylinder was clean . That would be my suggestion .
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Old 08-03-2018, 07:38 AM
stansdds stansdds is offline
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Originally Posted by cowboy4evr View Post
I know of an old gun smith , when faced with the task of cleaning up a cylinder , be it carbon or lead would wrap a piece of " Chore Boy " ( pure copper scouring pads) around a bore brush . It usually only took a few minutes and the cylinder was clean . That would be my suggestion .
I've done that too, it's a poor man's lead remover and it does work. Maybe not as fast as a Lewis Lead Remover, but it does work.
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Old 08-05-2018, 02:05 PM
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What I have is the Hoppe's lead remover made before Lewis sued and made them quit making it. Its really the same as the Lewis and even takes the same ends and patches.
I've used the rotation method and it works just fine usually. But this stuff is stubborn!
Anyway, I did order the Brownell's chamber brushes and they arrived Friday. Worked like a charm. The gun is now clean as a whistle.
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Old 08-06-2018, 11:16 AM
1sailor 1sailor is offline
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What is the difference between using the Brownells chamber brushes or using the next larger size bore brush. I've always used .40 caliber brushes to clean my .357 chambers. Does the extra stiffness of the chamber brushes make a big difference?
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Old 08-06-2018, 12:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pisgah View Post
Chuck that rifle brush in to a hand drill, run 'er in/out nice and easy -- maybe a bunch of times, but probably only 2 or 3.
While doing the brush in the drill , apply plenty Ed's Red Bore Cleaner.
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Old 08-11-2018, 10:37 AM
992B 992B is offline
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For many many years I've used WD-40 to clean revolver cylinders and barrels. Squirt the cylinder and barrel with WD-40 and let it set for half an hour to an hour. Chuck a slightly oversize bronze bore brush in a cordless drill and run it on slow speed and slowly go in and out about of the charge holes. Two or three passes in each chamber will usually do the trick. As for the bore just run a standard size brush for the caliber slowly in and out to remove fouling. Once and a while I need the Lewis lead remover to clean forcing cone and heavy fowling of rifling. gary
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Old 08-11-2018, 11:07 AM
noro noro is offline
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Couldn't you just fire a few jacketed cartridges at the end of the session rather than resort to drastic means? JMO the leading problem is somewhat overrated in a lot of revolvers.
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Old 08-12-2018, 02:01 PM
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El Biblioitecario El Biblioitecario is offline
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An inexpensive but effective brush is a USGI chamber brush in either 7.62 or .30, useful on chambers of varying calibers and inserted into the throats from the frong.
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