Tried the "blow out the lead with FMJ magnum" trick...

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Typetwelve

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2019
Messages
644
I'll start out with this...this thread is in no way meant to poke the skunk, I just thought I'd post what I found.

I've been running some 240 grain special lead reloads in my 4" S&W 629 and they are leading pretty bad. I won't go into great detail, I've found other projectiles that don't lead, I just want to use these up is all.

Anyway...I was getting tired of running the copper Chore Boy through the barrel every week so I decided to try out the "blow the lead out" approach I've heard about for decades.

Now, I fully understand this is highly disputed...I get it. I've read some that swear by it, others hate it. I've heard all kinds of claims of it working like a charm, and making the leading worse.

Long story short...After shooting some of the lead rounds in special "skeeter" loads, I had notable leading in the barrel. I ran 4 medium magnum Fiocchi rounds down the barrel and one super hot Hornady Lever Revolution round down the end...took the lead out like a charm, I was surprised, to be completely honest. I took the gun home, ran a bore-snake down the barrel and done...

Your mileage may vary...but it worked great for me.
 
You don't want to do it with heavy leading IMHO.

Another trick is to shoot some wax gas checked lead bullets through the gun, it too will clean it up squeaky clean. Even with undersized for the bore bullets.
 
Col. Harrumph said:
I have always wondered what sort of pressure spike this causes. (Apparently not enough to damage the revolver.)
Click to expand...

"Apparently not enough to cause acute catastrophic failure of the revolver" is probably more fitting. If it promotes a significantly greater pressure (as it does), it's not so different than firing +P or Proof loads, which promotes a greater rate of wear.

For me, I've never minded running some lead solvent to eliminate all doubt.
 
My ammo carrier for range trips includes two boxes, one small caliber and one large, that have what I call "chaser" rounds, FMJs to fire when ready to put up a gun after shooting lead. Some guns/loads/bullets don't need it, so I save the pricey bullets. Two rounds for each gun have been enough for me. I don't cast my own bullets but understand that some think that is the ultimate solution and always harass these discussions about leading. I have, however, pursued the ideas about throat reaming, forcing cone recuts, which hardness to buy etc. The chaser rounds kind of cut through all that and make all guns and loads equal. My context though is that guns get thoroughly cleaned every outing before being put away. Significant lead build up is not an issue.
 
Of course it works, unless the pressure spike damages the firearm by stressing, stretching or otherwise ruining or wearing something out that would have been fine if you just cleaned it.

As firearms get older they may also have minor wear and tear that makes them less capable of handling over pressure loads they once could.

It works until it doesn't. But when it doesn't you may wish you never did it.

The less buildup when you use powerful loads the lower the pressure spike, so more frequent is probably less dangerous than less frequent.
Some things I would definitely avoid using this method for though. Like revolvers that use multiple calibers and start leading the chamber when you use shorter rounds. Don't do that awhile and then decide to just clean the thing with magnum rounds without at least reducing the leading first.
Revolvers also rely on timing, and the timing mechanism is highly vulnerable to excess stresses or stretching of metal that changes the dimensions. It doesn't have to be a catastrophic failure to reduce the value of the firearm.
 
Last edited:
Mr. Walkalong please let me know the difference in "wax gas checked lead bullets" as you call them and just plain gas checked lead bullets. Thanks. Where does the wax come in? Yes I'm new to the term. Thanks
 
I used to do it. Powder Coated bullets have pretty much eliminated any leading for me
 
I don't find it at all difficult to run a brush wrapped with chore boy down the barrel, even if it had to be done every 6 rounds.
Swabbing the bore with Alox may also help.
 
total recoil said:
Mr. Walkalong please let me know the difference in "wax gas checked lead bullets" as you call them and just plain gas checked lead bullets. Thanks. Where does the wax come in? Yes I'm new to the term. Thanks
Click to expand...
Instead of a copper gas check, you use wax. Melt some Gulf Wax into a thin layer, 1/16" will do, let it harden, put powder in a primed case, press the thin wax sheet over the case mouth cutting out a nice round "check" that stays here when you peel the rest back off, seat a bullet. I imagine other waxes would also work.

Many moons ago I bought a S&W .38 S&W at a gun show (Thought was it .38 S&W Spl). Got it home, tried to chamber some .38 Spl, well heck, this thing isn't a .38 Spl.. Read up on it, bought some .38 S&W brass and did not know the barrels were not .357, loaded and shot some commercial hard cast bullets in it and within a few rounds it was leaded severely. Read up more on shooting lead bullets, discovered about .38 S&W bullet/bore dimensions, realized I had the wrong diameter bullets, and started researching what to do. Way before the internet mind you.

I loaded up the wax checked bullets to stop the leading, but instead of cleaning the lead out first I decided to shoot a couple (2) of the wax checked .358 bullets (Same ones that had leaded severely) through the revolver, looked down the bore and it looked brand new. I was very surprised.

The old Winchester Super Grex when used as a filler will stop leading as well, but I only have a small amount of it left, as they discontinued it years ago. At some point I started shooting plated 158 gr SWC's out of my .38 S&Ws. When they were still cheap, I shot a lot of the old bulk 125 gr JHP's in them.
 
I have used the jacketed bullet "clean-out" for the past forty years or so in my guns. As noted it may "iron out" the lead. But in my experience, first of all, I've never had a heavy build-up of lead, even after several hundred rounds of lead bullet shooting.

But another practice of mine, also frowned upon by the majority, is that I use stainless steel bore brushes in cleaning my guns, and do so after each range session. My practice is to saturate the bore (and chambers) with Hoppe's No.9 Solvent and let that work a few minutes then make about ten passes with my bore brush. Dry and oil with my 50/50 mix of motor oil and machine oil.

After close to sixty years of this practice, I'm not about to change now.


Bob Wright
 
Walkalong said:
Instead of a copper gas check, you use wax. Melt some Gulf Wax into a thin layer, 1/16" will do, let it harden, put powder in a primed case, press the thin wax sheet over the case mouth cutting out a nice round "check" that stays here when you peel the rest back off, seat a bullet. I imagine other waxes would also work.

Many moons ago I bought a S&W .38 S&W at a gun show (Thought was it .38 S&W Spl). Got it home, tried to chamber some .38 Spl, well heck, this thing isn't a .38 Spl.. Read up on it, bought some .38 S&W brass and did not know the barrels were not .357, loaded and shot some commercial hard cast bullets in it and within a few rounds it was leaded severely. Read up more on shooting lead bullets, discovered about .38 S&W bullet/bore dimensions, realized I had the wrong diameter bullets, and started researching what to do. Way before the internet mind you.

I loaded up the wax checked bullets to stop the leading, but instead of cleaning the lead out first I decided to shoot a couple (2) of the wax checked .358 bullets (Same ones that had leaded severely) through the revolver, looked down the bore and it looked brand new. I was very surprised.

The old Winchester Super Grex when used as a filler will stop leading as well, but I only have a small amount of it left, as they discontinued it years ago. At some point I started shooting plated 158 gr SWC's out of my .38 S&Ws. When they were still cheap, I shot a lot of the old bulk 125 gr JHP's in them.
Click to expand...
Can you explain how wax scrubs lead deposits out of the bore? This is news to me and it sounds even more unlikely than FMJ scrubbing lead out. But I'm not the sharpest bulb in the shed
 
I have always wondered what sort of pressure spike this causes. (Apparently not enough to damage the revolver.)
Click to expand...
Not that revolver that time, at least. Doesn't mean it will always be that way with every gun.

Here's a firsthand account:

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6267604&postcount=33

I was shooting Lead in an old Ruger 44 carbine of mine. I shot a JHP to clean it out and the muzzle split and peeled like a banana.
​
Here's some interesting information:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lead-before-jacketed.351244/#post-4351926

I've had people come in with ringed barrels after shooting lead out, who told me that they'd been shooting the lead out for many years with no problem.
Trouble is, all it takes is just a little TOO much lead.
The shooter fires a new load, or fires a little more than they usually do, and the bore bulges or rings.

While you can get away with this for a long time, all it takes to destroy a good barrel is that one time where there's just a LITTLE more leading than usual.
Over the years I saw a LOT of bulged and ringed gun barrels, and people usually ascribe it to a stuck bullet or otherwise blocked barrel.
In a great many cases, it was actually shooting jacketed bullets after lead.

One gun that will blow a ring with a LOT less leading is the 1911.
Fortunately the 1911 usually doesn't lead up that bad, but when it does, the much thinner 1911 barrel will bulge with a lot less lead then most other guns.

So, I recommend NOT "shooting the lead out". If you insist, you may well be seeing one of my colleagues for an expensive new barrel.
Fair warning.​

Here's what Allan Jones has to say about it:

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/ammunition_st_lowdownleadfoul_201002/99962

A Big "No-No"
How many times have you thought it easier to shoot the lead out with a jacketed bullet? Well, don't even think about it. In extreme cases, this can cause irreparable damage. I've seen revolver barrel throats deformed and thin-walled barrels bulged. Either means a new barrel.​

Allan Jones, (20 years with CCI Speer during which he held the positions: Head Ballistician, Technical Specialist, Manager Technical Publications, CCI-Speer Operations, Author and Editor of Speer Reloading Manuals 12-14.
16 years experience as a forensic firearms examiner in the Dallas County (Texas) Crime Lab.)

Some folks do it with some guns and seem to get away with it. Others don't. I'm not sure what precise factors make the difference between those that do have trouble and those that don't, but I do know how to make sure you don't have trouble. Just follow Mr. Jones' advice.
 
Typetwelve said:
I'll start out with this...this thread is in no way meant to poke the skunk, I just thought I'd post what I found.

I've been running some 240 grain special lead reloads in my 4" S&W 629 and they are leading pretty bad. I won't go into great detail, I've found other projectiles that don't lead, I just want to use these up is all.

Anyway...I was getting tired of running the copper Chore Boy through the barrel every week so I decided to try out the "blow the lead out" approach I've heard about for decades.

Now, I fully understand this is highly disputed...I get it. I've read some that swear by it, others hate it. I've heard all kinds of claims of it working like a charm, and making the leading worse.

Long story short...After shooting some of the lead rounds in special "skeeter" loads, I had notable leading in the barrel. I ran 4 medium magnum Fiocchi rounds down the barrel and one super hot Hornady Lever Revolution round down the end...took the lead out like a charm, I was surprised, to be completely honest. I took the gun home, ran a bore-snake down the barrel and done...

Your mileage may vary...but it worked great for me.
Click to expand...


What?!?!? You're telling us that you didn't blow up/ruin your gun like the "innernet" said you wuz going to???

This is where common sense comes in. If you let your barrel lead to the point that you can't see the rifling then try to clean out the lead with a jacketed bullet, you have no business shooting. If however you have sense enough to do it after minimal leading you'll be fine.

That's said, it really is simply to prevent leading in the first place, use the proper bullet sized and lubed properly.

35W
 
1KPerDay said:
Can you explain how wax scrubs lead deposits out of the bore? This is news to me and it sounds even more unlikely than FMJ scrubbing lead out.
Click to expand...
Can't explain it, just know it works. And very well as far as how clean it came. Lube gets under the buildup? Dunno.

I have always said not to shoot jacketed to clean it out if the leading is heavy, just common sense in my mind, but it does work with light leading (Maybe heavy, haven't tried it), and many people do it.
 
JohnKSa said:
Over the years I saw a LOT of bulged and ringed gun barrels, and people usually ascribe it to a stuck bullet or otherwise blocked barrel.
In a great many cases, it was actually shooting jacketed bullets after lead.
Click to expand...

I've often wondered about that. I have a Dan Wesson .41 with a ringed barrel... never had a squib as far as I know, but there is a ring nonetheless, that I can't account for. When I'm load testing I often mix bullet types, particularly for chrono testing. When I noticed the ring, it was after a fairly long session of cast bullet use (maybe 200-300 rounds) followed up with some test loads... jacketed bullets.
 
That's great that it worked for you...I've read testimonial after testimonial of the flip side of that....running a jacketed bullet through a barrel with lead build up can and does cause the dreaded "barrel bulge" in some cases. Especially in the high pressure rounds like the .357. Even though in most cases it doesn't damage the barrel other than appearance and maybe some accuracy. I prefer to run a bore brush with a liberal amount of Hoppes thru the barrel after shooting lead, then carefully inspecting with a bore light.

But that's just me as I'm kind of anal about that.
 
I have done it, never a problem. But I would not try if it is severely leaded. But then again I have never had much of a problem with leading.
 
I’ve never had great success with shooting out the lead in a bore. Lead can be tough to remove if you have a good build up. My “trick” for lead removal is the Lewis Lead Remover. It works well and I have no fear of damaging my guns with high pressure loads in a leaded bore. To each his own so, do what works for you.
 
I used to to this after shooting the falling plate matches back in the early 1990's. Never had a problem. And it did remove the lead. And you don't need magnum loads. Just as long as its a jacketed bullet.

In an old Gun Digest (I think) they mentioned the British would fire a shell with a foil (aluminum?) cap that would remove most of the copper fouling from cannons and Naval guns. I only read that once. Maybe someone else can elaborate.

Way back when, when gun magazines actually had content worth reading there were a couple of articles on Wax Gas Checks a fellow was selling. I still have the sample of one sheet they sent me to try. I finally learned that the sheets are just dental wax and they were written up as removing lead from the bore. It was explained that you need to keep the sheets warm(place them under your arm pit) or in a warm area. Powder your brass and then press over the case mouth. IIRC it was Mike Venturino who wrote one of the articles. You can still buy the sheets on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Meta-BesQu...576047?hash=item281e54f4ef:g:rmYAAOSw6n5XsiBv
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Copper FMJ - will it remove the lead in a barrel?
Replies
21
Views
2K
pps
P
D
  • Locked
Lead in cylinder?
Replies
15
Views
895
SAA
S
I
  • Locked
Get the lead out...
Replies
4
Views
627
IrvJr
I
C
  • Locked
Best way to remove leading from gun barrel?
Replies
15
Views
8K
jfh
jfh
S
44 magnum SAAMI standards; handgun vs rifle question
Replies
1
Views
361
.308 Norma
.308 Norma
Back
Top