Wadcutter Cleaning Help!

[Pants]

So, I was shooting some 158 gr SWC's out of my 686 today and I'm having a pain of a time getting the lead out of the barrel. I've shot hundreds of 148 gr HBWC's and never had such a leading issue. Anyone got any helpful tips? I did multiple brass brush and patch runs and still can't get some of it.

Thanks!

 

[mfoley]

Copper Chore Boy Pads are the answer

I just went through leading removal and this method works well.

Find some of the copper chore boy scrubbing pads.

I found them in Walgreens here in Tucson.

You cut a small piece of the copper pad and wrap it around a bronze brush for your bore size.

Then run the brush back and forth in the barrel.

Then the chore boy copper helps cut the lead out of your barrel.

Worked pretty well for me.

 

[Old No7]

De-Leading...

One of the best tools for that task is the aptly named "Lewis Lead Remover", from Midway or Brownell's. It really does the job and will last for years, and all you do is replace the brass "screen" patches, as you use them up.

Or, as a cheaper/faster alternative...

Find an all-copper "Chore Boy" pot & pan scrubber at the supermarket. I say "all copper" as some are just copper-coated steel -- so bring a magnet when you shop! I did use those cheaper ones once, and they worked OK, but now I use the all copper ones.

You simply unwind the Chore Boy and cut a 2x2 or 3x3 patch and push it through the bore with a standard bore brush. The copper "coils" really do a great job of getting the lead out.

Others will be along with their favorites too, but these 2 work the best for me.

Tight groups,

Old No7

 

[Pants]

I have some Kleen Bore Lead Away. I did try a couple patches of that and it definitely helped. The patches came out black, I just think I need something more aggressive. I'll try some chore boy, especially for the cylinder. You think I should keep using the Lead Away?

 

[chuck8388]

Kano Kroil penetrating oil. Run a soaked patch through and let it sit overnight. Copper chore boy wrapped around a brush or lewis lead remover.

 

[djw]

I have had the best results using the copper chore boy DRY. If wet with solvent it tends to "smear" the lead. DRY is really gets the lead out. Then use solvent after the lead is scraped out by the copper. Just my $.02 Dave

 

[RussellD]

wipe out bore foam

 

[rwsmith]

This isn't exactly the topic

So, I was shooting some 158 gr SWC's out of my 686 today and I'm having a B**CH of a time getting the lead out of the barrel. I've shot hundreds of 148 gr HBWC's and never had such a leading issue. Anyone got any helpful tips? I did multiple brass brush and patch runs and still can't get some of it.

Thanks!

I'm curious as to why you suddenly get leading. Different alloy, diameter, velocity??? The reason I ask is that I'm just now getting into lead bullets for practical reasons but I'm not keen on leading up my barrels. I have a 686, too.

 

[zzclancy]

Good question

I'm curious as to why you suddenly get leading. Different alloy, diameter, velocity??? The reason I ask is that I'm just now getting into lead bullets for practical reasons but I'm not keen on leading up my barrels. I have a 686, too.

I have the same question as I'm just now getting into lead bullets. Leading is why I have not used them in the past.

 

[semperfi71]

A commercial cast lead bullet usually has a beveled base. And they are usually hard-cast, unless you find those that are not.

According to a lot of Cowboy Action shooters who shoot a lot of lead bullets. If you shoot a hard-cast bevel base bullet at lower velocities (800 fps or lower) you might, sometimes a lot, get leading.

The theory is that the hard-cast bullet, combined with a bevel base allows the powder gases to "run" along the side of the bullet before it seals the bore, hence the leading.

A soft bullet. And/or a real flat-base bullet will not lead.

That is why a hollow-base wad-cutter usually does not lead. The hollow-base expands and seals the bore immediately.

But...following the examples above of "Chore-Boy", Lewis Lead Remover, and Lead Out patches; leading is easily cleaned up.

I start with the Chore Boy. If it fails I use the Lewis tool, especially on the forcing cone. If there are small deposits of lead in the corners of the lands and grooves I then use the Lead Out patches.

 

[AveragEd]

As an addition to 71's fine explanation of why bullets can be too hard, visit Missouri Bullets website (missouribullets.com). They have a tutorial on that subject there and sell most of their lead bullets in several grades of hardness, depending upon how the customer will be using them.

With one exception, I use Missouri Bullets and keep all my loads under 1,000fps; I have no leading problems in 66s, 686s and 629s as well as 1911s in .45ACP. The one exception is 148-grain hollow-base wadcutters in .38 Specials - very few companies offer them because they have to be swaged instead of cast and Remington's is never available (but has long been regarded as the most accurate), so I use Hornady's HBWCs. Again, at about 700fps, no leading problems.

Ed

 

[FloridaFlier]

Another option is to load Berry's Bullets. Swaged (softer lead) with a thin copper coat. Competitively priced with good lead bullets, but you need to be careful in other aspects. No cannelure, which means COAL needs to be watched, and too much crimp can cut the copper, which will kill accuracy.

 

[Pants]

I'm curious as to why you suddenly get leading. Different alloy, diameter, velocity??? The reason I ask is that I'm just now getting into lead bullets for practical reasons but I'm not keen on leading up my barrels. I have a 686, too.

Here's the deal, I'm not even sure what rounds were leading up the barrel. Before I shot the SWC's I was shooting a mixed box of random, really old, .357 rounds. Some were wax coated, other's SWC's and some JHP. I did notice sliver lead bits coming out of my barrel on the bore brush, which is why suspected the SWC's to be culprit. Even those rounds have to be 20 years old. I got hooked up with a lot of old ammo yesterday. ha

 

[ruger-p94]

That is all I fire out of my 13-3......158 grain WCs. I make my own and have put 30 lbs of lead through my barrel. All I ever do is spray a little CLR down the barrel and run a the brush through it twice. I make my own pan lube and never have had a problem with leading. I would check the lube out or it might be a bad mixture of lead. Since it only happens with the 158 grain...that seems to suggest that the problem is the bullet maker not the type.

 

[Pants]

They were old Federal rounds. Like I said, I'm not even sure the 158's caused it. Could have been from the other stuff too.

Either way, you all gave me some great advice. I typically use MPro-7 to clean and it's usually pretty good.

 

[kudzu3]

Fire a few jacketed rounds through it, that will solve most of your problem. The small amount left should clean up fairly easily. It works for me.

 

[Pants]

Fire a few jacketed rounds through it, that will solve most of your problem. The small amount left should clean up fairly easily. It works for me.

That's what I was thinking, but I read somewhere if you don't get the lead out, it could cause an over pressure. Is this BS?

 

[BJoe]

For the Chore Boy Copper pads go to Amazon. I just bought a box for a total of $3.82. There is enough to last two lifetimes.

 

[Pants]

I used a the Chore Boy trick, although it was a different brand. Seemed liked it worked. The bore looks noticeable better. I'm soaking it now and will run some patches later.

 

[TheHobbyist]

Yep. All copper Chore Boy is the ticket.