Lead in cylinder?

[dashootist]

I have lead residue in all four of my revolvers. There's only a small amount of lead, but nevertheless, it's enough to make extraction sticky when shooting magnum loads. I shoot mostly light to medium cast lead loads for plinking and steel. The lead is right behind the throat, around the area where the mouth of the brass is. There's no lead in the throat or the forcing cone. Sometimes, there's lead in the barrel when I use soft "cowboy shooting" lead. Is it normal to get some lead in the cylinder? It's very annoying having to scrub them out with chore boy.

 

[GLShooter]

Quite normal for the lead to show up. I use lead remover gel made by Hoppes and the little lead removal cloth to clean mine up.

Greg

 

[Walkalong]

It is normal to get fouling in the chambers, but not leading. You can get leading in the throats, but it shouldn't interfere with chambering.

That said, if you are shooting .38 brass in .357 chambers, you can get leading in the chamber.

And I suppose if you shot loads that lead the throats long enough with out cleaning I guess it could work its way back into the chambers.


Sounds like you are shooting .38 brass in .357 chambers and the leading is occurring in that part of the chamber usually filled with the brass. It is bigger in diameter than the throats so you are getting gas cutting there. It seems the bullets fit the throats well and it stops the gas cutting. If you continue to keep shooting it will spread to the throats and forcing cone.

 

[GLShooter]

I wonder if a steady diet of 357 all lead bullets would give you leading in the cylinders? A certain amount of the base may well be deposited as it leaves the case wouldn't it?

Greg

 

[dogrunner]

Do yourself a real favor and get a Lewis Lead Remover......Brownell's sells 'em & once you use one you will never again resort to any other method for making those chambers gleam! Quick, easy, gives you the additional option of cleaning the forcing cone to 'as new' as well.

Run a new screen thru a gun you think is clean & surprise yourself!

 

[dashootist]

Yes, I shoot 38spl in 357 gun. But my 38spl gun also had lead in the cylinder. I shoot a lot of soft lead, in order to save money. Perhaps, soft lead is the culprit.

I had a SAA in 45 Colt with black powder that never lead the cylinder. Bullet was 250 grain hard cast. Speed was 750 ft/s. I only shot hardcast with this gun, and it never had lead in the cylinder.

 

[Walkalong]

You keep saying "cylinder", but I am going to assume you mean the throats. Leading in the throat area is from a bullet that is too hard for the pressure and can not bump up and seal the throats, or an undersized bullet. Your bullet should fit the throats. If it does, it should not lead if it is a reasonable hardness for the pressure. If it is undersized, or undersized after going through an FCD die, it will often lead, regardless of the pressure or bullet hardness.

 

[geneo]

For 38/357 to remove lead in cylinders I use a .223/.204 case and grind the shoulder off. Then ream the inside sharp. Then use expander ball till its ferm to get it in cylinder, lead removed.
On a .45 ACP I use a 30-06 case, take the shoulder off, ream till sharp, use expander ball till thight. It will remove any lead you have.
Brass 1/8" rod is for removing any lead in the lans that is a pane in the butt to get out after using copper chore boy pands. hope this helps. Gene

 

[teumessian_fox]

enough to make extraction sticky when shooting magnum loads

It's a common problem. Rigourous cleaning is necessary and the Lewis Lead Removal tool is invaluable.

I reload so I use magnum length cases for all loads from 38 special to 357 magnum. It avoids the problem.

 

[oldfool]

just change ammo
lots of people shoot tons of 38s out of 357s, and never have issues with excessive buildup interfering with 357 case loading or extraction, with just very modest simple routine cleaning of cylinders, no special anything req'd

on the other hand, if ye must reload with cast bullets, well, lead is part of the game

 

[Walkalong]

Doesn't have to be.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I reload so I use magnum length cases for all loads from 38 special to 357 magnum. It avoids the problem.

I'd be more inclined to say full length cases minimize the problem: you'll still get a little lead in cylinder throats, but much less.

By the way, in case anyone's concerned about cartridge case length, I can assure you I've been loading very light .38 special target loads in .357 cases and very light .44 special target loads in .44 magnum cases more than a few decades without ever encountering a single problem. The extra eighth of an inch makes no discernible difference.

 

[rcmodel]

Get yourself a .40 bronze bore brush, a short section of cleaning rod, and a cordless drill.

You can clean all six chambers spotless faster then it took me to type it.

rc

 

[451 Detonics]

load jacketed bullets and don't worry about it....

 

[teumessian_fox]

full length cases minimize the problem

Nope. Wrong. The OP said his problem is magnum case extraction after a steady diet of special length cases.

I use magnum cases for all loads and it eliminates any problem re case extraction.

 

[SAA]

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