Leaded bbl in 617 revolver

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jed

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I had been shooting some Winchester Wild Cat ammo in my 617 and it caused leading in the barrel. I noticed key holing of some rounds after shooting 250 rounds on the same day.

When I got home, I passed a plastic bristle brush on the end of the cleaning rod and it passed thru the apparent leaded region with no problem. Later, I bought a bronze bore brush and it got stuck in the leaded region.

What can be done to get rid of the leading in the bore?

Any help would be appreciated.

jed
 
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Leaded barrel

Here is what my gunsmith taught me, I have found it works very well on centerfire lead.
I run a brass brush back and forth, then plug the barrel at the cylinder end,
I use a earplug made of foam, but that is on centerfire ?
Then I fill the barrel with Hydrogen Peroxide from the drugstore.
What my mother used to wash my skinned up knee with.
Wait awhile, half an hour seems to be about right. Try the brush again, I
have had big "snakes " of lead come out, it seems to loosen the leads grip on the barrel. This has always worked well for me, I know of nothing it hurts ? He told me is was one of those secrets of his that he would have to "kill"
me if I spread it around , he charges people that are frustrated a lot and does not tell most how. He was kidding of course! It leaves my barrels gleaming clean !
 
I leaded the barrel of a K-22 using Remington Thunderbolt ammo fired on a hot day without allowing the barrel to cool. I removed the leading by using that bronze brush and a lot of elbow grease. The barrel would not lead if I allowed it to cool down after firing ca 20-25 rounds. I now only use SV lead ammo or the copper washed/plated HV variety and have not experienced any problems.
 
The only 22's I've ever used in my 617 have been the HV plated lead HP's. May explain why no leading troubles. Federal American Eagle HV plated solids or HP's are not that expensive and seem to shoot(at least for me) on par with WW Powerpoints, one of the most accurate 22 rounds I've ever used.
 
I'm the biggest fan of wrapping strands of "chore boy" copper scrub brush around my barrel brush. the copper strands have sharp cutting edges and clean my 625, 686, and m15 barrels. I enven use it on my 460 XVR when I shoot lead bullets.

For the .22 barrel, you might have to start with a .17 caliber brush to wrap the copper strands around.
 
I might add....after letting my cylinders soak for a while (pick your solvent) I chuck the same copper wrapped brush in my electric drill and clean each charge hole. It only takes a few seconds on each charge hole. On a rare occasion, I'll soak the charge holes a second time and repeat.
 
duckloads said:
I might add....after letting my cylinders soak for a while (pick your solvent) I chuck the same copper wrapped brush in my electric drill and clean each charge hole. It only takes a few seconds on each charge hole. On a rare occasion, I'll soak the charge holes a second time and repeat.
Click to expand...
Use the drill motor, a short piece of cleaning rod and a .243 rifle bore brush and your favorite solvent to clean the chambers.
 
PattonTime said:
Here is what my gunsmith taught me, I have found it works very well on centerfire lead.
I run a brass brush back and forth, then plug the barrel at the cylinder end,
I use a earplug made of foam, but that is on centerfire ?
Then I fill the barrel with Hydrogen Peroxide from the drugstore.
What my mother used to wash my skinned up knee with.
Wait awhile, half an hour seems to be about right. Try the brush again, I
have had big "snakes " of lead come out, it seems to loosen the leads grip on the barrel. This has always worked well for me, I know of nothing it hurts ? He told me is was one of those secrets of his that he would have to "kill"
me if I spread it around , he charges people that are frustrated a lot and does not tell most how. He was kidding of course! It leaves my barrels gleaming clean !
Click to expand...

Does anybody know whether hydrogen peroxide will damage any finishes if it finds its way to some of the outside surfaces?
 
rrockefe said:
Does anybody know whether hydrogen peroxide will damage any finishes if it finds its way to some of the outside surfaces?
Click to expand...

Yes, it can if concentrated enough. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent, thus it will react with metal surfaces promoting passivation which is basically a form of controlled corrosion (and which explains why it may work to help release lead as described above).

From Wikipedia:

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a very pale blue liquid, slightly more viscous than water, that appears colorless in dilute solution. It has strong oxidizing properties, and is a powerful bleaching agent. It is used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, oxidizer, and in rocketry as a propellant. The oxidizing capacity of hydrogen peroxide is so strong that it is considered a highly reactive oxygen species.
Click to expand...

Definitely not the kind of stuff you want the exterior of your nice factory blued S&W soaking in for very long unless you're interested in an accidental home-brew re-blue.
 
Last edited:
Follow Up on barrel leading 617

I used a wooden golf tee to plug the barrel up front. I tried dropping the hydrogen peroxide with a medicine dropper. Surface tension prevented filling the barrel. However, I let it sit hoping that the liquid got to the plugged area. I let soak for at least 2 hours and it had stopped fizing.
I then took the bronze bore brush and ran it throught the barrel ten times. The barrel had darkened from unburnt powder. I then used a pentrating oil and patches to clean it further. It is clean now.

Thanks to all contributors. I will not ever use Wild Cat in my revolver again. I will go the metal coated bullet route for the future.

jed
 
I have been shooting Winchester Wildcat ammo through handguns & rifles for years & years in hot weather, cold, humid etc. with no leading problems what so ever. Since I used to compete in SASS "Cowboy" matches, I would practice fast shooting (hundreds of rounds at a time) through my Colt SAA Scout revolver and have NEVER had a problem with the Wildcats.

I swear by the Lewis Lead Remover, but to the best of my knowledge it does not come in .22 caliber. There is a good product ( used to be made by RIG Corp.) that is called a lead wipe cloth. It is yellow in color and you cut a small patch of it and send it through the barrel and cylinder charge holes a few times and viola......the lead is gone! If RIG does not make it anymore, it's probably available from someone else, but it will solve your problem. Personally, I would not use the hydrogen peroxide method........ not saying it doesn't work, but I am not a chemist and I do not know what effects it might have on gun finishes.

Regards,
chief38
 
Barrel Leading

It so happens that I am a retired chemist. I do not believe a 30 min exposure to 3% hydrogen peroxide is a bad idea. However, it will probably work better in large bores than 22 LR.

I am happy for the gentleman who had success with the Wild Cat ammo,
but it just does not work for me.

jed
 
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