Lead Away Cloth

[Werewolf]

I just started using Lead Away Cloth because I just recently acquired a Stainless Steel Revolver.

This stuff works - really well. So well in fact that it worries me a bit.

The instructions that come with the stuff state you can use it to clean a barrel of lead and copper. Cool.

I'm no fanatic about cleaning but I do what I consider a decent job of it after each firing. I usually start out with Hoppes #9 to get most of the crud out of a barrel, swab it dry until patches come out clean. Then I'll run BC Bore Scrubber (ammoniated) to get out lead and copper and follow up with some CLP. After that the bores shine. This procedure works well for me - or so I thought.

After getting the Lead Away cloth I figured what the heck. I'd run a patch or two thru a barrel - so I did and the thing came out as black as coal. So I ran a clean cotton patches thru the barrel until they came out clean and repeated with the lead away cloth. It too came out black as coal. (Note: with the exception of cowboy action shooting and a .22 rifle, I don't shoot lead in any of my weapons. Barrels that have never felt the pain of a lead bullet still result in a black patch).

QUESTION: *** - can there be that much lead and copper still in a barrel that has previously been scrubbed or is the cloth actually chemically reacting with the steel and slowly eating it away?

Worrysome...

 

[Waitone]

Lead Away works good, too good.

I use it only for really bad build up. I believe a lot of the black you see is a chemical reaction.

When I finish at the range I take a bore snake dobbed with Hopps or a more convenient solvent and give the barrel the once over WHILE IT IS STILL WARM.

That makes a detailed clean up much easier. I've also been known to spritz the dirty parts of the frame before packing it away.

 

[FW]

I have used the lead cloth too. It does work great, but I have come to the conclusion it may be abrasive. I figured this because one time I was using it on a stainless steel revolver cylinder that had a satin finish. After a little rubbing, the lead and carbon was gone, just as advertised. However, I noticed the metal was a bit glossier than the sides of the cylinder where I didn't rub. I then took some of the lead cloth and rubbed on a clean piece of stainless steel. The lead cloth turned black, just as if a metal polish was being used. If it is indeed abrasive as it appears to be, is it mild enough to be harmless with regular use? I don't know, but until I find out more I will be a little more careful using it. This stuff MIGHT possibly be nothing more than a cloth soaked in metal polish.

 

[JCM298]

Don't use it on blued guns,

John

 

[Penman]

John gives good advice, I know of one state police armorer who said it will actually remove bluing if left in contact with the finish. He also had reservations over the fact that the checmical ingrediants weren't listed.

 

[RJ357]

It is abrasive. Steel appears black when in a state of very fine particles. It's the same black you see from using metal polish (also abrasive).

You will also notice that it leaves a fine grit behind, which you might want to clean up after using.

 

[DragonFire]

What to use instead?

Is there a good substitute for the lead away cloth? I've used it exclusively on the end of the cylinder that's always black after a few rounds. I've tried various regular cleaning solutions and without a ton of scrubbing nothing seemed to work very well.

I thought I was doing more harm scrubbing than I was with the lead away cloth.

 

[JCM298]

I only use Lead Away on the front of the cylinder of stainless guns. On the blue guns, I use Hoppe's #9 or Hoppe's Auto solvent.

I've used Lead Away for years with no problem. When I gett some heavy leading in the barrel, I wrap a piece on an old brush, chuck the rod in a drill, and run it through the barrel.

Once, after shooting a large number of .38's through my Python, I used that method to clean the cylinder. Afterwards, I made sure that I got off the remains of the Lead Away. I won't have that problem again. Now, I only use .357's in my magnums,

John