Treating a new barrel

powdergun

powdergun

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I am picking up a new revolver and plan on reloading lead bullets for it. My question is : Is there a treatment of some type that will make removing lead fouling easier from the barrel ? And if not what is a good produce for this.

I have been using Eds Red for most of my needs. How does that do with lead ?
 
powdergun said:
I am picking up a new revolver and plan on reloading lead bullets for it. My question is : Is there a treatment of some type that will make removing lead fouling easier from the barrel ? And if not what is a good produce for this.

I have been using Eds Red for most of my needs. How does that do with lead ?
Click to expand...

Nope.

You should not get leading in your barrel if your bullets are sized and lubed properly. If you do, wrap Chor Boy 100% copper cleaning pad strands around a brass brush and the lead will come out very quickly with a few strokes. You didn't say what caliber or firearm. I have not used any chemical cleaner that removed lead significantly and none easier than using Chor Boy available at any Safeway or food chain store.

At some point have your forcing cone cut to 11 degrees if it isn;t already. Rugers for example are usually 5 degrees. Your accuracy will improve and leading, if you are experiencing leading will be reduced. If it is a Ruger get the cylinder throats checked. 38spl/.357 should be .358. An easy way to check is push a sized bullet through each cylinder. You will know when you run into a tight cylinder. If the throats are tight have them reamed out to .3585. Again accuracy will be improved.

Take Care

Bob
 
No difference. I have the GP-100 and use both. Get the cylinder throats checked for sure. Rugers are famous for to tight of throats. Three of mine were to tight. Have them sized .3585. It would be rare for all six throats to be .358.
From my experience lead bullets will out perform plated bullets when sized .358 in a gun with a 11 degree forcing cone. Is your Ruger the GP-100 or the Match Champion. If the latter the forcing cone is likely 11 degrees already. If the GP-100 it will be 5 degrees. You might also want to track down hammer and trigger shims. This will improve the trigger pull. You can also get reduced power hammer and trigger reduced power springs. Wolf makes them, They really do help the trigger pull.

If you have not bought a holster and are looking for leather take a look at Simply Rugged Holsters, I just got one for my Model 10 and they make a great holster. http://ww w.simplyrugged.com/. I also bought a belt from them and wear it now daily.

You will not be sorry you got the Ruger. Mine has been great and I much prefer it over my 686 No Dash Smith.

Take Care

Bob
 
Depending on where you buy your components the Berry or Campro might well be cheaper than cast lead.

But as mentioned if the cast bullets are the proper alloy for .38Spl and the lube is decent you won't get any leading.

I do find that many of my guns shoot smaller groups with cast then they do plated or jacketed. So at some point it is certainly worth a try.
 
Along with what Bob has stated, Ruger revolvers also sometimes exhibit choking of the bore at the threads (a tightening of the bore). This can be eliminated by fire-lapping the bore with soft lead bullets imbedded with laying compound and loaded at reduced velocity (I have found about 700 FPS to work well). This removes the tight portion of the bore and reduces the amount of trauma that you bullet has to suffer - definitely reduces leading also.

I've done this with probably half of the Ruger wheelguns that I've had over the years and t benefit is measurable...
 
gewehr76 said:
After shooting led bullets, shoot few rounds of fmj or plated bullets. This will get rid of majority if not all led and wax from your barrel. Clean after as you normally do.
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In my experience I found that this doesn't really remove any lead, it just irons it into the bore.

Auggie D.
 
plinker 777 said:
f:P: ^ Don't fire bullets coated in lapping compound through your gun! It'll be the death nell for your cylinder, forcing cone, and rifling; wearing everything to Webley specs in surprisingly short order.V:I:
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Plinker this is the standard cure for barrels, particularly Ruger barrels, that are graced with barrel constriction. The world will not end, life as we know it will continue to exist and when done properly will eliminated the constriction. Left by itself the only thing a barrel constriction will do is ruin accuracy. The process will not do any thing you described.

Take Care

Bob
 
Don't want to hijack this thread but I have a similar question: I generally shoot fmj .38 special but by mistake bought 2 boxes of lead cartridges that have no jacket. This is factory ammo. Will shooting these 2 boxes lead up my bore ?

Thanks

Gilbert
 
plinker 777 said:
f:P: ^ Don't fire bullets coated in lapping compound through your gun! It'll be the death nell for your cylinder, forcing cone, and rifling; wearing everything to Webley specs in surprisingly short order.V:I:
Click to expand...

This is me over here raising the BS flag...

I've done this to several dozen wheelguns, and since nothing you've predicted has come to pass I guess I've just been inordinately fortunate. I shall cease my obviously ill-advised activity immediately. Actually probably not...
 
Gillis2 said:
Don't want to hijack this thread but I have a similar question: I generally shoot fmj .38 special but by mistake bought 2 boxes of lead cartridges that have no jacket. This is factory ammo. Will shooting these 2 boxes lead up my bore ?

Thanks

Gilbert
Click to expand...

Gilbert, you'll notice that the factory lead cartridges will have a flaky, waxy, type coating on the bullet. This is lube that is designed to alleviate leading. Unless there is something wrong with your rifling (I know there isn't, as I know you take care of you guns) like rust spots or bulged rings, the bullet should slide through the barrel with the benefit of the wax/lube like sh1t through a goose. :p
 
There is nothing to iron in to the bore. Led has brinell hardness of 20, barrel hardness is 600-900, copper alloy of fmj has 40. What material will give?
Led will be pushed out from the barrel by copper alloy. Barrel will never ingest led no matter how hard you try.
Its like trying to stab a tank with plastic knife. lol
Auggie Doggie said:
In my experience I found that this doesn't really remove any lead, it just irons it into the bore.

Auggie D.
Click to expand...
 
gewehr76 said:
There is nothing to iron in to the bore. Led has brinell hardness of 20, barrel hardness is 600-900, copper alloy of fmj has 40. What material will give?
Led will be pushed out from the barrel by copper alloy. Barrel will never ingest led no matter how hard you try.
Its like trying to stab a tank with plastic knife. lol
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Ahem. However, if one were to fire an abrasive projectile (or as suggested, several of them under psi) through that same barrel it will leave indelible markings which will forever capture lead and copper alloys...no?
 
plinker 777 said:
Ahem. However, if one were to fire an abrasive projectile (or as suggested, several of them under psi) through that same barrel it will leave indelible markings which will forever capture lead and copper alloys...no?
Click to expand...

No.

The method of removing a barrel constriction you are referring to is a tried and true method. You might want to look into the method. You will be surprised what you will learn about leading, and about one of the side benefits of using this method to remove barrel restriction. I could lay it all out for you but you probably would not benefit from me doing so as much as you will if you investigate the method yourself.

When you polish metal how do you think polishing compounds work?

A peak at what causes leading and how lube works will also prove interesting subjects to investigate as well.



Take Care

Bob
 
Lapping compound is not polishing compound...two different things. Lapping compound is effectively a fluid file that will remove a surprising amount of material (steel) in a very short order. I've personally hand "lapped" I don't know how many valves to seat them in cylinder heads (before hardened seat inserts) using this compound. Trust me it's quick.
 
It has been my experience that some revolvers will lead the barrel even with proper fitting bullets, and some won't. This can be fixed, but might cost more than some are willing to spend.

The cylinder throat should be about the same diameter as groove, or maybe .001 bigger for best results, but if the timing is off a bit, or the forcing cone is rough, it still might lead.

I have had barrels that were shiny smooth that leaded up bad, and rough ones that didn't, so there are no guarantees.

I had a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 that would not shoot well, and was a real lead mine.

The barrel groove diameter was .456, and the cylinder throat measured .459

I tried different size bullets right out to .460, but nothing worked.

A call to Ruger accomplished nothing, they insisted everything was up to their standards, and I should not be using reloads. Kind of soured me on Rugers for awhile.
 
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