cleaning question

[Jeremiah10:23]

I just got me an H&R 930 (.22)and had removed the swing arm and cylinder for cleaning. When I shined a light into the barrell I noticed it was extremely dirty (maybe never cleaned). I used a patch and rod to clean the barrell and when it got about half way in it became stuck. I removed it, cut the patch in half and tried again. Still got stuck.

Then I tried a third time and the patch pusher snapped off leaving the patch stuck on the barrell. I eventually got it out with a paperclip.

Since this is a revolver I obviously cannot go from the cylinder side to clean it, can someone educate me as to a better way to clean it?
Is it safe to fire?
Is there a constriction/restriction in the barrell (cannot see one)?
Is there something that works well to remove carbon deposits (not lead)?

Before someone fusses about the condition, the price was right, I traded a Raven .25 for it.

 

[harvester]

Get the bore wet with bore cleaning solvent and use a smaller patch or better yet a bore brush of correct caliber and solvent. You may need to let the solvent soak in the barrel to loosen the hardened carbon.

 

[rcmodel]

Sounds to me like it is badly leaded up.
Meaning, it is melted lead from the bullets stuck in the rifling like solder.

Only a bronze bore brush, solvent, and a lot of elbow grease is going to get you back down to clean steel again.

rc

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Devise a method of plugging the muzzle, pouring solvent down the barrel and propping up the revolver so the barrel points downward, and let the solvent soak for a day or so.

Is there any truth to penetrating agents like Aero-Kroil working for this?

 

[rcmodel]

Probably.
I have never been patent enough to wait for it to do it's thing though.

First, I don't let my guns get in that condition in the first place.
Second, if someone else brings a gun in for me to go through, they want it done day before yesterday, not two days after tomorrow.

Probably the worst case I ever worked on was a Browning BAR 7mm Mag rifle of my dentests.
It had copper fouling in the barrel so bad there was no rifling visable after normal cleaning. It tooks me about three days of copper solvent and a carton of cleaning patches to get that one back to shooting sub-moa groups again!

rc

 

[Jeremiah10:23]

Sounds to me like it is badly leaded up.
Meaning, it is melted lead from the bullets stuck in the rifling like solder.

Only a bronze bore brush, solvent, and a lot of elbow grease is going to get you back down to clean steel again.

rc

I bought a flexible light this week end and looked in the barrell, I see you are correct. It is very bad. The only bright side to it is that I have been wanting a "project gun".

I have been unable to find anything small enough to plug the barrell and have thought about soaking the entire gun. What precautions should I take? I assume removing the grips is necessary, what else?

 

[Remllez]

Remove the grips, and the mainspring strut...it may have the plastic saddle on it. If it does, order a steel one from Numrichs while you soak the gun in some (Ed's Red.) Recipies abound on the Internet. Brass brushes are your friend and you will probably need more than one.

 

[PattonTime]

Cleaning

I have had very good luck with hydrogen peroxide.
Now, this was on a 45 Colt , but I plugged barrel with a foam ear plug, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes with the peroxide in it, the lead came out in big strips, it seemed to completely loosen it from bore.
Probably harder on a 22, but anything to plug muzzle end with ?

 

[Jeremiah10:23]

"but I plugged barrel with a foam ear plug"

Now why didn't I think of that. Just dense I guess. I saw a hint about peroxide and vinegar when I was rootin' around on the web earlier. I will try peroxide before I make the Ed's Red.

 

[PabloJ]

I just got me an H&R 930 (.22)and had removed the swing arm and cylinder for cleaning. When I shined a light into the barrell I noticed it was extremely dirty (maybe never cleaned). I used a patch and rod to clean the barrell and when it got about half way in it became stuck. I removed it, cut the patch in half and tried again. Still got stuck.

Then I tried a third time and the patch pusher snapped off leaving the patch stuck on the barrell. I eventually got it out with a paperclip.

Since this is a revolver I obviously cannot go from the cylinder side to clean it, can someone educate me as to a better way to clean it?
Is it safe to fire?
Is there a constriction/restriction in the barrell (cannot see one)?
Is there something that works well to remove carbon deposits (not lead)?

Before someone fusses about the condition, the price was right, I traded a Raven .25 for it.

Soak inside of barrel with Shooters Choice lead solvent prior to brushing it will save on "elbow grease". The H&R tend to be very accurate .22 revolvers. Two problems are they tend to rust like old nails and plastic spring/rod to hammer coupling tends to snap and according to my smith it's made of unobtainium.

 

[rikman]

I've been using Copper Chore boy pads on a bronze brush soaked in Hoppes with good luck on my revolvers. Takes a lot less elbow grease than just a plain brush & solvent.

good luck

 

[Jeremiah10:23]

Patton

I tried the peroxide trick. Man that worked well. Since I had broken the pad pusher on a previous attempt to clean this gun, I went and bought a cleaning kit that included all of the brushes and other do-dads.

After plugging the barrell with a disposable ear plug in the business end, I filled the barrell with peroxide using an insulin needle. I let it sit for about 5 minutes and then used a q-tip to soak the inside of the barrell with standard solvent (came with the kit). I pushed the brass brush into the barrell and it got stuck (like I've said, I don't think it had ever been cleaned). After some serious pushing I finally got it all the way through. It took everything I ha dto get that brush back out (I am not exactly a 98 pound weakling either) when the brush cleared the barrell it looked like someone had ground up a 22 bullet and dumped it on the old jeans I had used to protect the table. After brushing the barrell a half dozen times it actually has grooves now.

Thanks for your input. I do not intend to let this happen any gun I own but it is a good trick to remember.

 

[S.B.]

Mix up some Ed's Red and give that bore a drink!
Steve

 

[BCRider]

It's been three days since the report of the successful de-leading. Where's our Range Report? Pitter patter, let's get at 'er ! ! ! ! !

I've only had two guns which built up lead like that. Both .22's. On one it only happened when new for a little while and has been shooting fine with no leading from about 300 rounds on. The other gun came to me used but I don't think it was ever used much. Again it got leaded badly within 200 to 300 rounds. I cleaned it out and I've shot it a lot since without any repeat of this buildup.

So it's possible that your new old gun wasn't shot a lot. You'll find out more if you tend to see leading in the future for only a while or if it's a regular thing.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I wonder if it's a spitter/shaver.. anyway, that thing should be way better than a Raven.

 

[Jeremiah10:23]

BCRider,
I haven't had the chance yet. I am hoping for this weekend.

Certaindeaf,
I am not familiar with the phrase spitter/shaver. What is it so I can watch for it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It'll shave/spit out of the barrel/cylinder gap. Sometimes very dangerously so. Make sure your hands etc. and or bystanders are behind "the" line.

 

[Jeremiah10:23]

Is there an easy way to check for shave/spit? Maybe putting a piece of paper around the outside of the cyclinder the first few times?

 

[rcmodel]

Yep.

You will have better luck with an cardboard though.

The B/C blast will blow paper away.

rc

 

[Certaindeaf]

You could use paper but it should probably be about two feet away for a .22 so you just get fragments, were that the case. It's probably fine but some spit and all with a vengeance.

 

[Jeremiah10:23]

Make sure your hands etc. and or bystanders are behind "the" line.

That is one habit I have always had. Keep the family back especially the first time I fire any used gun. I was always taught paranoia is not always a bad thing.

You will have better luck with an cardboard though.

I fix something up. Thanks.

 

[BCRider]

A piece of file folder like card stock works well for testing for lead coming out the b/c gap. And it doesn't need to be anything fancy for your setup. Simply aim at the backstop and shoot one handed while holding the card stock so it's about a foot out to the side of the b/c gap. Just hold it so your fingers are back a bit and not in line with the gap. Fire a few shots and then look at the card for signs of holes from any lead fragments. Shoot it again with the other hand holding the card with the free hand to check the other side.