Lead Removal Hint

[kraigwy]

A while back I was visiting with some BPCR shooters ( who by the way use soft lead). I found out they were using Turpentine to remove lead from their barrels.

A short demonstration appeared to show it worked.

Yesterday I went through a pretty heavy session of shooting (lead/WW) with my 642 Smith. When I was through I had quite a bit of lead build up.

I figure now was the chance to see if turpentine really worked. Sure enough, it worked like a charm. Easiest cleaning session on lead removal I've had.

It was Turpentine Gum.

Try it, it wont hurt the gun. Be sure to clean it off though it will burn skin.

 

[Unclenick]

I expect the gum and the turpentine are the other way around, but, yes. That's a good idea, provided you are careful to wear thick rubber or neoprene gloves when you are using it to clean anything other than a BP powered flintlock. Turpentine is a super penetrator in part because it contains something that makes your skin feel warm because it penetrates it, increasing circulation there. DMSO is another compound that does that and is sometimes mixed with it. It penetrates your skin really fast and can carry dissolved chemicals in with turpentine. You really don't want to fast track any lead compounds into your bloodstream. That's assuming any of the primer lead combustion products fall into turpentine or DMSO-soluble territory. I don't know if they do, but it seems prudent not to assume otherwise unless you can get it from a good authority that none are? Nitrile gloves dissolve in DMSO, by the way, if you get the turpentine that includes it.

I think turpentine was part of the original Ed's Red formula, so it's not like it hasn't been used to clean guns, but just be cautious.