David LaPell
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What the best thing you ever found to clean leading out of your barrels and cylinders?
Whats the best thing you ever used to clean leading?
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David LaPell
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What the best thing you ever found to clean leading out of your barrels and cylinders?
duckloads
Member
Copper chore boy wrapped around a bore brush with No. 9.
G
Guest
Works VERY good and you can spend lots of money on other ideas such as SS Steel Wool or Bronze Wool or one of the other softer metals. Do NOT use regular steel wool on a SS gun as this will leave small bits of the wool embedded in the metal and will increase the likely hood of rusting. SS bore brushes can be used on either type of barrel/cylinder because these brushes are made from a softer grade of SS than the guns are and also aren't put through any hardening or heat treating process so they are very soft.
+1 just a few passes will bring lead out in slivers.
canoe on the yukon
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Oversized bronze brush for the chambers.Patch coated with JB bore cleaning paste wrapped around a worn bronze brush for the barrel.
It's always worked for me.
It's always worked for me.
44forever
Member
I use something called "miracle cloth"(sp?) (similar to "lead away"). Just cut a small strip and wrap it arround a subcaliber bore brush to make a snug fit. The cloth is chemically active so give it 5 or 10 minutes to work then clean with solvent as usual.
Also good for cleaning the front of cylinders but use cautiously on blued surfaces as it can remove the bluing if over-rubbed.
Also good for cleaning the front of cylinders but use cautiously on blued surfaces as it can remove the bluing if over-rubbed.
Frank237
Absent Comrade
I've virtually eliminated leading by gauging cyl throats and bores. Casting at the needed Brinell hardness. Then properly sizing my cast slugs so they are the optimim size.
#2.... Lewis Lead Remover.
#2.... Lewis Lead Remover.
Amici
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Second the motion.
Of course, preventing leading works even better. To that end, I primarily shoot poly-coated bullets. One or two jacketed rounds after a session doesn't hurt, either. Neither does a BoreSnake when the gun is still hot.
FrankD45
Absent Comrade
+1 on preventing leading. I lightly coat my commercially cast lead bullets with Lee Liquid Alox and found leading almost a non-issue. When I do have some I use an old bore brush wrapped with a couple of turns of Chore Boy copper mesh. I also use a Lead Free cloth to clean the cylinder face and frame.
I hope that helps,
Frank
I hope that helps,
Frank
ChuckS1
US Veteran
+1 on mercury. Works great. LOL, it's funny; back in 1972 we used to play with it in chemistry lab all the time. Made little balls, rolled 'em around, and then brushed it off on the lab floor. No one gave it a second thought then.
Used to turn copper pennies silver!!
Steve C
Member
For lots of leading a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar in the barrel will remove leading chemically. I use a vacuum plug from the auto store of the right size to plug the chamber, set the barrel vertical and pour in the mix. You need to watch the reaction and when it stops bubbling its time to pour out the solution and rinse with plain water as if left any longer it will attack the barrel and pit it. Its best not to leave it in the barrel for more than 10 to 15 minutes. Clean with patches afterward and oil.
The scum that floats to the top contains the lead and as such is toxic so dispose of where it won't contact food (ie. not down the kitchen sink). While all the cautions eem like a lot of trouble, it does save hours of scrubbing with a bore brush.
The scum that floats to the top contains the lead and as such is toxic so dispose of where it won't contact food (ie. not down the kitchen sink). While all the cautions eem like a lot of trouble, it does save hours of scrubbing with a bore brush.
Alk8944
US Veteran
Best, as in easiest? Mercury. Run a clean, new, bronz brush through to abrade and claen the surface of the leading, pour in the Mercury, pour out and set the gun aside 30 minutes or so. Just use a tight patch and most, if not all, of the lead will come out with NO scrubbing at all. If not, just apply some more and wait. Don't recall ever needing more than three applications.
As toxic as the greenies want you to think Mercury is, it is amazing anyone born in the 40's didn't die of Mercury poisoning!!!!
As toxic as the greenies want you to think Mercury is, it is amazing anyone born in the 40's didn't die of Mercury poisoning!!!!
+1. The safest, most effective way to remove leading.
+1000 !!! This is an OUTSTANDING recommendation to anyone with a SS firearm; NEVER use steel wool. Worst thing you can do to a SS firearm.
SS firearms are passivated in an acid bath during manufacture to remove microscopic free iron particles remaining from metalworking and processing. Without removing the free iron, those tiny invisible bit of iron and steel will initiate corrosion sites in the stainless, and under the right conditions will do some significant pitting.
Noah
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Unless the leading is of biblical proportions I just shoot a few jacketed rounds through my gun and it takes it right out. That and a gentle scrub with a bronze brush.
whelenshooter
Member
Flat based bullets sized to the same diameter of the cylinder throats with a nice soft lube will keep them from leading.
If I get bad leading from some factory loads or undersized lead bullets, I chuck a short length of cleaning rod in my electric drill. I wrap a BRONZE bore brush with coarse BRONZE wool (like others said, DON'T use steel wool, no matter how fine, or you will wreck your gun) so that it is tight in the cylinder or barrel. I coat the bronze wool wrapped bronze brush with JB Compound, then shove it into the bore or cylinder and hit the trigger of the drill. Work the wrapped brush back and forth in your barrel or cylinder while the drill is running. It only takes a five to ten second shot in each chamber of your cylinder, and a ten to fifteen second shot in your barrel to clean the whole nine yards. Use a tapered bore guide on your rod, because all you have to do is hit your chamber mouth or end of your barrel for a second with the cleaning rod and you'll mess up your barrel crown or chamber mouth.
This works REALLY well and is VERY fast, but you have to be VERY careful! It is the only thing that will clean lead out of the polygon rifling of a Glock (which is why they tell you not to use lead bullets in a Glock). If you wrap the bronze wool a bit thick after running the brush through your barrel this method cleans your forcing cone slicker than greased owl manure! This is the fastest and most certain way I know of cleaning lead out of a handgun.
If I get bad leading from some factory loads or undersized lead bullets, I chuck a short length of cleaning rod in my electric drill. I wrap a BRONZE bore brush with coarse BRONZE wool (like others said, DON'T use steel wool, no matter how fine, or you will wreck your gun) so that it is tight in the cylinder or barrel. I coat the bronze wool wrapped bronze brush with JB Compound, then shove it into the bore or cylinder and hit the trigger of the drill. Work the wrapped brush back and forth in your barrel or cylinder while the drill is running. It only takes a five to ten second shot in each chamber of your cylinder, and a ten to fifteen second shot in your barrel to clean the whole nine yards. Use a tapered bore guide on your rod, because all you have to do is hit your chamber mouth or end of your barrel for a second with the cleaning rod and you'll mess up your barrel crown or chamber mouth.
This works REALLY well and is VERY fast, but you have to be VERY careful! It is the only thing that will clean lead out of the polygon rifling of a Glock (which is why they tell you not to use lead bullets in a Glock). If you wrap the bronze wool a bit thick after running the brush through your barrel this method cleans your forcing cone slicker than greased owl manure! This is the fastest and most certain way I know of cleaning lead out of a handgun.
I remember the same from the late fifties, early sixties. What gives? I believe that it is poisonous, probably more so than we thought then, but surely less than we are being led to believe now.
Does anybody know?
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