Well lo and behold, my beloved 18-3 has a lead problem! Oddly, it is not in the barrel/bore but around the shank of the barrel where it protrudes into the cylinder window of the frame. The little space between the bottom of the top strap and the top of the shank of the barrel is clogged up with lead or maybe also lead and grease. It is hard. I don't want to damage my revolver by being overly aggressive cleaning the gunk off. I've currently got it soaking in Shooters Choice Lead Remover. I've been shooting this revolver pretty heavy since retiring (6/23) and just didn't notice the build up. Any ideas? Sincerely. bruce.
Getting the Lead Out
- Thread starter brucev
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DWalt
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Not much help to you, but liquid Mercury is a most effective lead solvent. Except finding liquid Mercury is very difficult today. It is not anywhere nearly as hazardous as it is made out to be if stored and handled correctly. I keep some for special occasions.
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I use a metal dental pick to reach in those tight spots. Just go slow and pick away.
dfariswheel
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This is not uncommon on revolvers short with lead bullets.
Before WWII most revolvers had a "dimple" on the frame just above the barrel specifically to give the leading room so it wouldn't interfere with cylinder rotation.
To remove, soak as you're doing, or use Kroil, then make up a small screwdriver-like or chisel-like tool from brass rod and use that to scrape and push the leading away.
Finish with a liberal scrub with a brass toothbrush.
A brass scraper won't damage the finish. A scraper can also be made with brass sheet or even a brass rifle case with the mouth smashed closed and filed to shape.
Before WWII most revolvers had a "dimple" on the frame just above the barrel specifically to give the leading room so it wouldn't interfere with cylinder rotation.
To remove, soak as you're doing, or use Kroil, then make up a small screwdriver-like or chisel-like tool from brass rod and use that to scrape and push the leading away.
Finish with a liberal scrub with a brass toothbrush.
A brass scraper won't damage the finish. A scraper can also be made with brass sheet or even a brass rifle case with the mouth smashed closed and filed to shape.
OP
Thank you all very much! I've got it soaking in the Lead Remover. That has produced some progress. Must say, if I knew where I could get my hands on some mercury, I'd give it a go on this lead. Sadly, I have no idea for where I could find such stuff. So, I figure tomorrow I'll get a .30-06 casing and modify it into a scraper. I'll also buy a dental pick which I have seen out and about at various hardware stores. If they have any brass rod, I can buy some and make a scrapper. That might be more useful for the tight spots. Then, I'll sit down and start the picking and grinning, i.e., the picking to get the lead out and the grinning when I'm finally finished!!!
We used mercury for years to clean lead, but I haven't had any for several years now.
A Brass or Bronze brush will get that buildup off that corner but please do not use a steel object of any kind as it will scratch the bluing and scratch the metal causing a rougher area where lead will build up even more.
adrianolsen
Member
First, put on some Led Zeppelin is a good start. Ha ha! Second, a few drops of wipe out, let it sit a bit, brass brush with long Brssels
They now make "dental tools" out of semi-hard plastic just for this sort of thing. Hard enough to do the job but unlikely to scratch.
Apply cold gun blue to the area and the lead will chip right out. Apply with toothpick or Q-tip.
Model 15-4ever
Member
Buy some Chore Boy cleaning pads. Remove a half dozen strands from the pad and wrap it around an old bore brush of correct calibre. Add Shooter's Choice lead remover, and start scrubbing the bore as normal. Has worked on every stubborn lead deposit I've seen, which is plenty.
nicky4968
Member
For your narrow space, a length of tightly rolled aluminum screen material will work. Happy sawing.
OP
Re: Alum. screen. Great idea!!! THANK YOU!!! Sincerely. bruce.
CAREFUL use of a dental pick in this area won't hurt anything and the blue is replaced by burn marks
OP
My mama didn't raise an ignorant child!!! Sat down and cogitated through lunch and a mug of coffee and then headed for the hardware store!
Thank God for ACE Hardware! The local store is family owned and is awash with lots of stuff both new and old and really really old. Found no copper chore boys. Did fine a rather large roll of aluminum screen. But, then I got to thinking about a brass saw. A screw is just a wedge on a cylinder. Little time with a file and the screw becomes a quasi-saw. So, bought a couple of tiny brass screws ... machine and wood.
The machine screw was a trifle to large, but the wood screw worked. Cut the head off. Chucked it up in my drill and used the tip of the screw to abrade the wadded up lead/grease mess that had previously defied every effort of mine to remove it. Went very slow, brushed frequently and in less than 10 minutes, the entire mess was completely removed. Not a single scratch or whatever at all!!!
Got everything completely clean. Got the grease out of the cylinder where the crane tube is inserted. Now the cylinder turns nice and smooth and easy. There is no gunk at all anywhere. So glad I didn't have access to a Drimill or I'd already probably have messed up trying to use it to "get the lead out!"
I want to thank everyone for the ideas and suggestions! If the aluminum screen had not been suggested, I'd never have thought along the lines of using a brass screw modified into first a saw and finally a screw tip pick. Thank you very much! Sincerely. bruce.
Thank God for ACE Hardware! The local store is family owned and is awash with lots of stuff both new and old and really really old. Found no copper chore boys. Did fine a rather large roll of aluminum screen. But, then I got to thinking about a brass saw. A screw is just a wedge on a cylinder. Little time with a file and the screw becomes a quasi-saw. So, bought a couple of tiny brass screws ... machine and wood.
The machine screw was a trifle to large, but the wood screw worked. Cut the head off. Chucked it up in my drill and used the tip of the screw to abrade the wadded up lead/grease mess that had previously defied every effort of mine to remove it. Went very slow, brushed frequently and in less than 10 minutes, the entire mess was completely removed. Not a single scratch or whatever at all!!!
Got everything completely clean. Got the grease out of the cylinder where the crane tube is inserted. Now the cylinder turns nice and smooth and easy. There is no gunk at all anywhere. So glad I didn't have access to a Drimill or I'd already probably have messed up trying to use it to "get the lead out!"
I want to thank everyone for the ideas and suggestions! If the aluminum screen had not been suggested, I'd never have thought along the lines of using a brass screw modified into first a saw and finally a screw tip pick. Thank you very much! Sincerely. bruce.
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