Barrel cleaning **Update**

[LTPhoon]

There is something in the barrel of my Model 19 snubbie at the muzzle that needs to go. Opinions at my local gunshop are that it is something laminated to maybe some leading that looks more like brass than copper. It isn't rust because I wetted the area with Hoppe's No. 9 and ran a brush and a patch through the barrel and it came out clean.

So, would it be OK to soak a patch in some Hoppe's Copper Solvent, leave it on the affected area for a while and then take a brush and some OOOO steel wool and Remoil or Break Free CLP to it?

I discovered this while looking down the barrel to see if the cylinder chambers properly indexed to the forcing cone. Which they don't as I can see a sliver, however thin, of the right side of all the chambers (actually the left side from behind the gun) as viewed looking down the muzzle. I want to repair this at some point, but it is my understanding that S&W fixes stuff by stretching and punching and I would imagine a local smith might be a crapshoot.

Any advice would be welcome and appreciated! Thanks!

**UPDATE**

After many attempts to clean the affected area, I think I have a big problem. Rather than leading or copper fouling, it appears that the area is etched into the barrel, both the lands and grooves. I made a pointy object out of a zip tie and ran it over the bad spots. I can't really feel any raised area, so it must be etching. I paid $359 at a gun store and thought I was really clever. Maybe not.

I guess I need to find a beater with a good barrel and make a swap. FYI, I called S & W Customer Service today and learned that the lack of availability of Model 19 barrels is, alas, not just an Internet rumor...

 

[OKFC05]

A Lewis lead remover is good.
Copper/lead solvent is good inside the bore.
Not fond of the steel wool.

A range rod is used to check cylinder alignment on revolvers:
BROWNELLS : REVOLVER RANGE RODS - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools

 

[SMSgt]

Let solvent soak the bore and then wrap a piece of "ChoreBoy" solid copper scubbing pad around your bore brush and scrub the heck out of it. Make sure it's all copper, not copper"clad" as many scrubbing pads are. Works great in removing lead, etc. Will not harm the rifling.

 

[LTPhoon]

Bump in hopes of more input...

 

[m1gunner]

How does the gun shoot? It sounds like some light frosting (rust pitting). Often it has no effect on accuracy.

At that price, it was a good buy, even for a shooter.

 

[jepp2]

I discovered this while looking down the barrel to see if the cylinder chambers properly indexed to the forcing cone. Which they don't as I can see a sliver, however thin, of the right side of all the chambers (actually the left side from behind the gun) as viewed looking down the muzzle.

My experience is the only way to accurately determine timing is to use a range rod. Looking down the barrel isn't precise enough.

 

[Jstot]

Soak in Kroil for 24 hours and then try the Choreboy.
I've had kroil loosen leading enough that a patch stripped it out.The Choreboy is as effective as the Lewis Lead Remover, in my experience.

Even if it is slightly pitted it may little or no effect on practical accuracy. I have a couple of horrible looking old bores that shoot just fine. The worst one even shoots cast bullets with very little leading.

 

[BoDog]

Have you tried J-B Bore cleaner, its a very mild abrasive paste often used by precision rifle shooters. I have removed a number of barrel shadows etc. with it if it bothers you that much. If it doesn't effect the shootability it may disappear with use.

 

[LTPhoon]

Have you tried J-B Bore cleaner, its a very mild abrasive paste often used by precision rifle shooters. I have removed a number of barrel shadows etc. with it if it bothers you that much. If it doesn't effect the shootability it may disappear with use.

Thanks, BoDog. I'm gonna try the JB and the first day I won't freeze my tuchus off, I'm gonna shoot it!

While I'm here let me ask something else. If you look where the underlug/ejector shroud (not the barrel) joins the frame on the right side of the gun, not the crane side, there is something visible like a bead of hard material at that junction. I got some of it off last night with Hoppe's, etc and a knife blade. Is a filler used in that area for any reason during assembly? Sorry for my poor articulation, but that's the best I can do for now!

 

[dfariswheel]

Where the shroud meets the frame, there should be at least a tiny gap.
The gap is a clearance cut to prevent the shroud from scraping the front of the frame when the barrel is installed.
The width of the gap varies from very small to some that were a little too wide.

It's totally normal for crud to get impacted into the gap, and I actually saw a couple where an owner thought it was a defect and tried to fill it so he could sell it or because he didn't like the small crack of light he could see through it.

 

[LTPhoon]

Where the shroud meets the frame, there should be at least a tiny gap.
The gap is a clearance cut to prevent the shroud from scraping the front of the frame when the barrel is installed.
The width of the gap varies from very small to some that were a little too wide.

It's totally normal for crud to get impacted into the gap, and I actually saw a couple where an owner thought it was a defect and tried to fill it so he could sell it or because he didn't like the small crack of light he could see through it.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured. Thanks for the knowledge, it'll come in handy for my next buy...