Lead in the barrel...

rick'o'shea

rick'o'shea

CGN Regular
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Location
Burlington, On
What do you guys use to get lead out of your barrels?
I was shooting some reloads out of my CZ, DRG lead with
titegroup powder and after 200 rnds my accuracy started
to spread out a bit. Took it home, took it apart, to the naked
eye (mine anyway) it looked ok.... add a light and a magnifying
and wow... what a mess. I used hoppes #9 solvent but it took
2 days of soaking/brushing to clean it. Is this normal?
 
Yep. Lead fouling. 200 rounds would be more than enough to throw out your accuracy. Powder coat them or switch to plated/jacketed.

Lewis Lead remover, Shooter's Choice Lead Remover. Works best if you warm the barrel up with a hair dryer. Elbow grease.
 
I use a bore snake and some bore solvent mostly, on real stubborn leading I use a next caliber up wire brush and some solvent. If it's a 9mm, use a .40 cal brush, a .22 use a .25 etc etc.
 
I have never used this product but a guy who worked at AlSimmons gun shop in Hamiton told me thier is this cloth that removes lead in barrels. you just don't want to wipe the blueing with it or he said it will take the blueing off . I have also heard pure copper chore boy dish scrubbing pads for washing dishes pushed carefully through a barrel will remove lead.

also I picked up this bore cleaner but have'nt tried it and its simular to Hoppes #9 and it claims it will remove lead but it smells. go to the Ancaster gun show the second weekend in April thier is a guy with all kinds of reloading stuff and he has a product that will remove lead without the smell and is nontoxic.
 
With lead bullets it's all about the fit. If the commercial lead bullets are sized .356 and your barrel is .356 you will get leading. I size my 9mm at .358 and have zero leading. I size 45acp .452 and my barrel is the typical size of .451. With lead you need to be 1 to 2 thou of an inch larger than barrel diameter.
 
I use the Chore Boy method. An old copper bore brush with some copper scouring pad wrapped around it. A dozen or so scrubs and it's clean. Peels the lead fouling right out.
 
Peroxide and vinegar.
But don't get it on blueing.
plug your barrel with a plastic bag and rubber band. Fill it with 50/50 peroxide vinegar and let it do its thing. You have to keep adding a bit. Rinse brush and repeat if necessary.
You'll never buy anything else again.
 
bcnorth said:
Peroxide and vinegar.
But don't get it on blueing.
plug your barrel with a plastic bag and rubber band. Fill it with 50/50 peroxide vinegar and let it do its thing. You have to keep adding a bit. Rinse brush and repeat if necessary.
You'll never buy anything else again.
Click to expand...

I've read that if you leave it in your barrel for too long it will pit it.
 
Someone here suggested using Kroil or a similar penetrating oil first (apparently it seeps under the lead & loosens it). I tried it and it worked very well. Soaked for 10-15 minutes & then scrubbed with a tight fitting bronze bore brush (never use a stainless steel brush!). Lead flakes were very easily visible on the wet patch I ran through after the scrubbing.
 
I always used the Lewis Lead Remover. I found that that worked great, better then chemicals, solvents, etc..

Not sure if you can still buy them though.
 
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