Many years ago when I shot lead bullets, I hated it. I didn't know much about shooting lead and wound up with lots of lead in the barrel. I used my normal powder solvent, brushes, Lewis Lead Remover, and still took forever to get the barrel clean.
I have learned a lot more about lead now and most of my guns don't get any significant leading. But while I am working up a load, sometimes I will get some lead. It now is very easy to remove. Here are my steps:
- As soon as I get home I coat the barrel bore and cylinder with Ed's Red. You could use Kroil if you don't make your own bore cleaner. It is about the same thing.
- Let the Ed's Red soak at least over night. I usually let it sit for 24 hours. The reason is because it will work its way under any lead deposits and make them much easier to remove.
- After the 24 hour soak for the barrel I take a pure copper Chore Boy pad and unravel a thread. I wrap it around a worn bore brush. After a few passes through the barrel you will have literally chunks of lead flake lying on cleaning bench. The barrel will be 95% clean now. For the forcing cone, I use the Lewis lead remover with the FC adapter. It is the solid aluminum one. A couple of turns and the FC is now perfectly clean. If I happen to have any minor specs of lead remaining in the bore, I use some JB Bore Cleaning compound on a patch. All that is left is a shiny bore with NO lead.
- for the cylinder I use an double tuff bore brush
link. I rotate them slowly soaked in Ed's Red. They cut most of the carbon ring and lead from the throat. These are very tough brushes and will work best with a rotation method rather than a back and forth.
- Then I take the Lewis Lead remover adapter for barrels (the one with the rubber and knurled nut) and with it adjusted to a larger size rotate it in the restriction portion of the throat.
In just a few minutes of cleaning, your revolver is perfectly clean from lead. You do know to remove all the copper from shooting jacketed bullets BEFORE shooting lead, right? This is a very important step.
For the donuts on the front of the cylinder, I don't try to remove the flash burns. I do remove all the carbon but I shoot my guns too much to worry about normal shooting. If it was a safe queen and not to be shot, I would take the time to clean to bare metal on the cylinder front.
