Should I have this revolver recrowned?

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sequins said:
It's got to be leading.
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You're right. I thought it was too hard to just be fouling, but it cleaned right off with some bronze wool and a dab of CLP. After that, the crown looks fair, to my untrained eye. Still not sure why deposits on this muzzle are so much uglier than on my other revolvers, though.

The depressing thing is how much this episode shows I mistrust my own judgement when buying guns! I guess even I wouldn't have bought something that looked like that.

It also shows that I need to back off a little on my love for dirty guns...

:oops:
 
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Driftwood Johnson said:
Howdy

So the first question is, what kind of shooting are you doing with accuracy less than you would hope?

I always say, the only way to find out how accurate a firearm is, is to remove the human element. Shooting a revolver standing, with the pistol waiving around at the end of your arm is no way to determine how accurate the revolver is. For accurate shooting with a revolver, the next best thing to using a Ransom Rest, is to shoot sitting down, resting the revolver on a rest. I usually sit at a table, using sandbags to support the revolver. Either rest the butt on the sandbags or rest the barrel on them. Start out close, closer than 50 feet, maybe ten yards. Rest the revolver, get your sight picture, and squeeeeze the trigger slowly. (Single action of course). Fire at least five rounds, without moving, to see how big a group you get. Then repeat.

If you are still unsatisfied with the accuracy, then think about what to do about it.
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I was shooting this gun and a few others off a rest (not sandbags, though) last week, and the only one I was happy with was a .22LR (Ruger MkII) with a red dot, although this gun gave me the most trouble. So, it's likely that the monkey behind the trigger is the root of the problem, and until I get that worked on, results will continue to suck.

I need to make myself some decent sandbags.
 
Buck13 said:
I was shooting this gun and a few others off a rest (not sandbags, though) last week, and the only one I was happy with was a .22LR (Ruger MkII) with a red dot, although this gun gave me the most trouble. So, it's likely that the monkey behind the trigger is the root of the problem, and until I get that worked on, results will continue to suck.
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If it’s leading you probably still need to give the barrel a good cleaning. It just may be a a buildup from the previous owner and you. You did state you don’t clean it that much. Just may be as simple as a good cleaning routine. Get that barrel shining.
 
wcwhitey said:
If it’s leading you probably still need to give the barrel a good cleaning. It just may be a a buildup from the previous owner and you. You did state you don’t clean it that much. Just may be as simple as a good cleaning routine. Get that barrel shining.
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Barrel didn’t look badly leaded. I know what that looks like. I’ve made a mess of my Redhawk a few times!
 
That's what the face of the forcing cone on my GP100 looks like. It's all burned up.
I've never heard of a barrel crown doing that. That's pretty nasty even if it turns out to be lead, it's pretty nasty.
 
tightgroup tiger said:
That's what the face of the forcing cone on my GP100 looks like. It's all burned up.
I've never heard of a barrel crown doing that. That's pretty nasty even if it turns out to be lead, it's pretty nasty.
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Have you tried a Lewis Lead Remover on your GP?

Lead on a forcing cone looks like damaged steel. It will fool you because scrubbing it with a brush and solvent usually won't take it off. It just makes it shinier.

The first time I saw a leaded up forcing cone, I thought the gun was damaged from shooting a lot of magnums.
 
chore boy it. i do find getting the lead out more easily with chore boy since i brush it back and forth over using my lewis lead remover going one way only. cheaper too but i bought the lewis lead remover first.

though not as bad when i was shooting lead in my 44 mag, my crown looks like a much more mild version of yours after finishing off with 1 to 2 cylinders of jacketed prior to going home.
 
back a few years ago a company sold a device to remove lead build up in pistols. will see if I can find one for sale and post the web site for you
 
I have some bronze wool from the marine supply shop I drive past every day on the way to work. Pretty much the same thing as Chore Boy, except it's more expensive since it's intended to be used to scrub the teak decking on your yacht. Or rather, to be used by the servants to scrub the teak decking on your yacht.

The little forcing-cone-specific tip for the Lewis tool does seem like a nice feature.
 
Just to celebrate, I got out the good camera. Not sure the phone camera didn't do a better job.

Shown with Pachmayr grips and the home-made wooden thumbrest grips I found at a local shop. They seemed to fit my hand well, so I bought them. They don't make me shoot any better! The original wooden target grips are buried in my range bags, I hope.
 

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Buck13 said:
Just to celebrate, I got out the good camera. Not sure the phone camera didn't do a better job.

Shown with Pachmayr grips and the home-made wooden thumbrest grips I found at a local shop. They seemed to fit my hand well, so I bought them. They don't make me shoot any better! The original wooden target grips are buried in my range bags, I hope.
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I would put $1 that that revolver in that configuration saw quite a few 148 HBWC’s and therefore that’s why you had a leading issue. That’s an old Bullseye Gun. Like another poster stated just a brush may not be enough. The Lewis Lead Remover or similar Chore Boy will do it. You would be surprised how much lead can be in a bore and still look clean. I use Stainless Steel Armorer brushes after shooting lead. A few passes keeps any buildup away. But if it’s from years of buildup you might need more. A leaded barrel will deteriorate accuracy quite a bit.

DCEAD8F3-0869-4B61-A42A-791BA177343F.jpeg

My 66 in the same configuration.
 
Nice job @Buck13
And nice revolver. :thumbup:
I have a 19-4. Love that shooter.

If you encounter leading like that again you could also try the Lead Away Gun Cloth from Kleen Bore. That and some Chore Boy “Copper” works wonders.
WARNING: It will remove bluing!
Guess how I know? :confused:
I wore the bluing off the muzzles of 2 Ruger Vaqueros before in noticed the warning label on the Lead Away Cloth package…Duh!…,
Cut very small patches to run them through bore.

One 100 sq. Inch sheet lasts a long time.
Best price:
https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/713073676/kleen+bore+lead+away+gun+cloth

Good price with free shipping with Prime:
Kleenbore Gun Care Lead Away Gun Cloth https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B002IEIDG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1HXWYQCJ4W56HE7ZW44R

Also:
After having to use Lead Away numerous times I got really sick of leading and started searching for a cure. Without boring you to tears and me whining I will just say I switched bullets.
Bear Creek Supply “moly” coated bullets. I have used them for 20 years for CAS competition and general target practice and plinking. Completely satisfied. Great people to do business with.
https://www.bearcreeksupplybullets.com/
 
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1240113076

These work nicely for your guns that shoot lead. You would be amazed how much things can build up before it becomes noticeable or affects accuracy but once it does it usually requires more than a few passes of a brass brush.

Not too long ago the standard target rounds were wadcutters made of super soft Swagged lead. They were lined with just a wax type coating. It didn’t take long for them to lead up a barrel with the powders being used. The standard routine was a few passes with a Lewis Lead remover then a brass brush and patches. If this wasn’t done for a while or at all a good barrel would lose accuracy. Like an earlier poster mentioned just because it’s shiny doesn’t mean it’s clean. That revolver with the right ammunition and good shooter should put them in groups that make you giggle.
 
That literally looks like strips of lead being pushed out of the rifling.

if you haven’t seriously cleaned the bore, I think there’s a lot more lead in there and it’s just smoothed and compacted when you look at it.

Lewis lead remover will prove me right. Or wrong.
:)
 
Scotch brite, solvent and your fingertip should clean that stuff right off. If it doesn't, recrown.
 
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