the best way to remove lead?
- Thread starter stegar1
- Start date
Put PB Blaster or Kroil or Gunzilla in the bore and let it sit overnight. Then a lot will brush out. A lot of folks like to wrap a strand or two of pure copper scouring pad (e.g., Chore Boy) around a one-size undersized bore brush and scrub with it. Usually works quite well. The Lewis Lead Remover uses a bronze screen patch for this and also does a good job.
If you still can't get it out, you can buy Wipe Out No-Lead, which is an actual lead solvent. You could also buy an Outer's Foul Out, which removes the lead electrolytically.
If you still can't get it out, you can buy Wipe Out No-Lead, which is an actual lead solvent. You could also buy an Outer's Foul Out, which removes the lead electrolytically.
My situation might be different than yours but I chuck the barrel up in a leather jawed vise with it pointing slightly down. I put paper on the floor to catch the non-chlorinated brake cleaner that I spay in the barrel to turn it ice cold quick. As quickly as possible I push as tight of a clean patch as possible down the barrel and the lead falls out of the other end. It's the cold and dis-similar metals contraction thingy that makes it turn loose. The same brake cleaner is fabulous for a barrel that won't clean but keeps pushing out black patches. Just a spray down the barrel and patches come out like they went in-clean.
Another lead removal technique
Back in the day (1970-1990) the easy way consisted of
1) scrub bore with brush and solvent
2) run dry patches to dry bore
3) place a small cork in the bore at muzzle
4) drop a pea sized quantity of liquid Mercury.
5) Cork Chamber
6) Shake for 1-2 minutes
7) remove cork (either end) pour Mercury into a sealable glass bottle for reuse later
This quantity of mercury will do 100-200 cleanings.
EPA blah, blah, blah....Mercury hazards? Wear gloves, glasses, don't heat mercury or use it as cereal topping duh!
Back in the day (1970-1990) the easy way consisted of
1) scrub bore with brush and solvent
2) run dry patches to dry bore
3) place a small cork in the bore at muzzle
4) drop a pea sized quantity of liquid Mercury.
5) Cork Chamber
6) Shake for 1-2 minutes
7) remove cork (either end) pour Mercury into a sealable glass bottle for reuse later
This quantity of mercury will do 100-200 cleanings.
EPA blah, blah, blah....Mercury hazards? Wear gloves, glasses, don't heat mercury or use it as cereal topping duh!
Brake cleaner works very well on lead but melts plastics and doesn't do wood any good either. Use carefully! Oil barrel afterwards as bk strips all oils out of steel.
Depending on how much lead you shoot, removal usually isn't a problem if you run a patch or two while shooting.
Problems arise when lead is left to build up.
Some say after a mag or two of lead, shoot a couple jacketed projectile's to clean lead out then resume shooting lead. I've never quite mustard up the courage for that method. To afraid of pressure spike
.
Depending on how much lead you shoot, removal usually isn't a problem if you run a patch or two while shooting.
Problems arise when lead is left to build up.
Some say after a mag or two of lead, shoot a couple jacketed projectile's to clean lead out then resume shooting lead. I've never quite mustard up the courage for that method. To afraid of pressure spike
.g.willikers
New member
Some zing is wrong here.
Your trusty ole' 1911 should not be leading up like that.
Lead swc are all mine has ever digested, by the thousands, and even after two or three hundred rounds in an afternoon, there's hardly a trace of lead.
Just a little in the throat area.
Bullet hardness match to velocity?
Bullet diameter match to barrel diameter?
Roughly machined barrel, especially at the throat?
Or maybe what's in the barrel is bullet lube.
Something is not right.
It should not oughtta' do that.
If your gun will feed them, it's hard to beat the accuracy of the 200 grain lead swc.
That's why match competitors use them by the zillions.
Your trusty ole' 1911 should not be leading up like that.
Lead swc are all mine has ever digested, by the thousands, and even after two or three hundred rounds in an afternoon, there's hardly a trace of lead.
Just a little in the throat area.
Bullet hardness match to velocity?
Bullet diameter match to barrel diameter?
Roughly machined barrel, especially at the throat?
Or maybe what's in the barrel is bullet lube.
Something is not right.
It should not oughtta' do that.
If your gun will feed them, it's hard to beat the accuracy of the 200 grain lead swc.
That's why match competitors use them by the zillions.
+1000
Something is very wrong. All of my handguns digest a steady diet of lead and as long as it is properly sized and the right hardness for the velocity there is virtually no leading.
BUT to remove leading, the easiest solution I have found is to wrap some strands of copper Chore Boy scrubbnig pads arouns a brass brush and scrub for a minute or so. It doesn't take much effort to remove leading.
I used to have a leading problem in my 686. Couldn't resist loading "HOT" with lead bullets. To clean out the lead buildup I used this:
Lead Remover
IIRC, it used to be available under the name "Wipe Away" and I was able to buy it in actual patches. A couple of strokes through the bore and the lead would come out, sometimes in long threads where it was released from the rifling.
Also was great for cleaning the powder burns off the front of the cylinder. They did warn against using it on the bluing though.
Lead Remover
IIRC, it used to be available under the name "Wipe Away" and I was able to buy it in actual patches. A couple of strokes through the bore and the lead would come out, sometimes in long threads where it was released from the rifling.
Also was great for cleaning the powder burns off the front of the cylinder. They did warn against using it on the bluing though.
Bill DeShivs
New member
It may not be the best way, but a convenient and easy way is to simply use 0000 steel wool. It will NOT harm your rifling (unless you use it 3-4 times a day.)
Just stuff a tight wad of it in the chamber or bore, pour in a little solvent, and push it back and forth (or only one way, if you're anal about it.) Finish with patches. Oil.
Just stuff a tight wad of it in the chamber or bore, pour in a little solvent, and push it back and forth (or only one way, if you're anal about it.) Finish with patches. Oil.