[moffett018]

Hey again everyone. Well, someone has me scared now that the lead target rounds that I've been shooting will eventually make my gun useless (only went through 50 rounds today). I thought that the hoppes no. 9 that I've been using is supposed to remove these lead and other metal deposits...am I right or is there another product I need to be using for the bore and cylinders. Thanks

 

[cj]

I highly recommend picking up a copy of AGI's 'Professional Gun Cleaning Secrets'. I think it's free right now (just pay shipping) at http://www.americangunsmith.com/view.php?id=157

It walks through the steps to follow to basically let the gun tell you what's needed (such as by running a solvent patch through the bore, seeing its color, and understanding from there). If necessary, it also covers cleaning out badly leaded barrels. Sorry I can't give you a simple answer since I haven't needed to de-lead before, but I DO recall it being addressed in the video.

 

[Justice4all]

While Hoppes no. 9 is decent smelling (brings back memories of my granddad showing me how to clean guns) I think it's about as good as WD-40 or kerosene for removing lead deposits or copper for that matter. I really don't even like it for cleaning the carbon buildup.

After trying a bunch of products, both home made and purchased, with both being drain brammiging, I've switched to Hoppes Elite products which are actually originally produced by these folks:
http://www.mp7.com/

Or at least thats what I've read on the "Internets".

So far, they aren't a miracle cure, but they do seem to work fairly well for carbon, lead and copper, but most importantly they do so safely. I can now clean my guns to my hearts content inside the house with little to no trace of oder. This is especially important to me as I detail strip most, if not all my guns after every second or third time they're used.

 

[MrTuffPaws]

Hoppes I would say, but your going to be spending a lot of time with a brass brush as well.

 

[godadone]

Some pretty good info here on this site.

I linked to one page to show how to clean a rifle barrel. But you can search around on the site yourself and come up with some other neat tips and tricks.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu48.htm

 

[rwcreigh]

boxoftruth is a great site with lots of info and test

 

[NativeTexan]

I just fire a few jacketed bullets at the end of a range session to "get the lead out". Seems to work for me. But, most of my lead loads are light and don't do much leading. My heavy .357 load uses a gas check and it doesn't lead up bad at all.

I have, in the past, just had to scrub it out with a wire brush. Whadda pain.

 

[jwc007]

I use a Nylon Bore Brush with thick patches soaked with Noxon7 Metal Cleaner. Great for removing Lead, Copper, and Carbon! Solvents will only remove powder residue and maybe a small amount of loose lead. Noxon7's main cleaning agent is a very potent creamed ammonia compound, which fortunately does not smell. Must be the other stuff it's mixed with.

Noxon7 can be purchased at most well stocked Hardware stores and even a few Department Stores, and it's not very expensive.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Manual recommends heavy duty toothpaste for the removal of lead, but I've found Noxon7 to be far more effective and considerably less abrasive.

 

[NativeTexan]

Caution, though, for those with nickel plated guns like my 4" M66. I've read that even Hoppes No. 9 can lift the plating. Some of this stuff, if it'd do that to lead and copper, I would think might could do that to electroplated finishes. I've been really careful cleaning that M66 not to get to much solvent where it shouldn't be. I just scrub the bore with patch and WD or some other lubricant.

 

[Jkwas]

If it's stainless and not blued, the best thing I've found is the Kleanbore lead-away cloth.  It works great. Takes those nasty rings off the front of the cylinder with no problem.  It will strip bluing however so don't use it there. 
To remove leading in the barrel, take a copper "chore boy" pad you buy at the supermarket and wrap a piece of it around an old bore brush. Takes the lead right out.

 

[rwcreigh]

I just fire a few jacketed bullets at the end of a range session to "get the lead out". Seems to work for me. But, most of my lead loads are light and don't do much leading. My heavy .357 load uses a gas check and it doesn't lead up bad at all.

I have, in the past, just had to scrub it out with a wire brush. Whadda pain.

i would try this.I dont know why i did not think of saying it.

 

[Jkwas]

+1 on shooting the FMJ after the lead. It doesn't completely remove it, but it does reduce it for easier cleaning. Just be careful with heavy leading.

 

[ifishsum]

I use the Lewis Lead Remover (available from Brownell's), it will get the lead out of your barrel with one pass, and also has an attachment to clean the forcing cone very effectively. The Chore Boy copper scouring pads do work for the barrel (strands wrapped around a brush), but not as quickly as the Lewis does, and it doesn't really touch the forcing cone. Get the Lewis and never fear leading again!

Shooting FMJ reduces it some, but seems to iron down what's left making it even harder to remove. And in a badly leaded barrel it could lead to dangerous pressures.

 

[joe sixpack]

i always shoot jacketed ammo except for .22 and even then i prefer CP.

copper deposts usually dont build up so i dont bother removing them i just clean as normal and leave the copper alone.

as for leading.. i have heard of people using a jacketed round every 5-10 rounds will basicly keep the lead from becoming a problem.

i would'nt try to shoot a jacketed round after a lot of lead because you could end up with to much pressure and KB..

dont know if it works though cause like i said i try to stick with jacketed rounds.

 

[rwcreigh]

let us know if you got the lead out and how you did it

 

[parisite]

Plug one end of the bore up and fill the bore with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit a few minutes then rinse and clean and lube as usual.

 

[jwc007]

Shooting FMJ reduces it some, but seems to iron down what's left making it even harder to remove. And in a badly leaded barrel it could lead to dangerous pressures.

+1

Plug one end of the bore up and fill the bore with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit a few minutes then rinse and clean and lube as usual.

Very Interesting! I rather suspect that one might avoid subjecting Blued Surfaces to this mixture. What has been your experience with it?

A Shooting buddy of mine cleans his brass with a bath of straight Apple Cider Vinegar (20 minute exposure) with a hard rinse (Water) thereafter, and wondered if that might also be used as a bore cleaner, as most bores are chrome lined.

 

[chajohnson]

Ive been casting and shooting lead since the 70s. I concur on the 50/50 mix of vinegar and and hydrogen peroxide for an effective lead remover. After cleaning and scrubbing the bore in my autos and wheelguns, and still finding lead deposits that won't come out, I degrease the barrel and put it in an olive jar with the mixture. On revolvers, I plug the barrel with a rubber plug after de-greasing and place it in a padded vise. Pour the solution in and let it bubble. After about 15-20 minutes, the lead will be gone. Scrub the barrel with hot, soapy water and rinse thoroughly to ensure the solution is completely gone. Then lightly oil and your done.

I've found that repeated use of the solution (it's call perocidic acid) does not harm bluing or the steel. It is essentially too weak of an acid when mixing the household solutions to cause any harm. A much stronger industrial solution is used as a microbial agent in cleaning meat and poultry processing equipment.

 

[Tslepebull]

I agree with NativeTexan. I just use a jacketed or gas-checked "chaser" load as the last round of a session. The little bit of leading that is left is easy to remove. Alternative methods are a Lewis Lead Remover or an old bronze brush with some copper "Chore Boy" pad wrapped around it dipped in Hoppes #9.

If the leading is really persistant there may be an alloy hardness to load pressure problem, a cylinder throat to barrel dimension problem, a bullet lube problem, a bullet diameter problem, or an excessive copper fowling problem.

 

[mikey357]

I use Shooter's Choice LEAD Solvent--works VERY well--also, I use the "Lead-away" cloth on the exterior surfaces that get "Leaded Up"...just don't use the "Lead-away" Cloth on BLUED guns, as it WILL remover Bluing, too!....mikey357