Lead in the barrel

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okespe04

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Recently got my first .22 plinker handgun. A S&W 22A-1 two tone. First I got to say I love this thing, I have only had it a few days and have already put off work and gone out twice and put over 1500 rounds through it using 4 different types of ammo. It loves to eat Federal Value pack hps.

Anyways the barrel is caked with lead inside and I can't get it out, spent an hour using hoppes and a brush, soaked it in kerosene and brushed it some more, countless patches etc etc, I can't get the bugger clean. Any suggestions?
 
Hoppes will not remove lead, you need something designed for that such as Montana X-Treme Rimfire Bore Cleaning solvent,
 
Next question:

Anybody know any home-brew way to get it out, I'm a kerosene and motor oil man.

Thanks
 
I'm a kerosene and motor oil man.
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Which will have absolutely no effect on heavy lead deposits nor am I aware of any "pioneer" or "home on the range" concoctions that can be relied on to get "the lead out". It pretty much will require some elbow grease and mild abrasives used judicially.

I have two suggestions (1) Get a Lewis "Lead Remover Revolver Cleaning Kit" (L.E.M. Gun Specialities, Inc., P.O. Box31, College Park, Ga. 30337 or order through Brownell's,- 200 S. Front St., Montezuma, IA, 50171). Use per their instructions. This tool works well. (2) Get a pack of copper (not s/s) cleaning pads made by Chore Boy-I get mine from the local WalMart. Tear off a small section-enough to wrap around a brass or nylon brush but no more, wet with a little lead-removing solvent (I like Shooter's Choice) and scrub. This works well too and is pretty economical.

I like to finish up with a few scrubbing passes with one of the popular lead removing cloths as marketed by Birchwood Casey, Remington and others. Just cut a piece "to size", put it on an appropriate jag and have at it.
 
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Get a bronze bore brush and really work at it with Hoppe's #9 solvent.
Or get a Lewis Lead Remover and be done with it.

But, .22RF's should not lead, period.
The crappy cheap ammo you are so fond of is not doing it's job or you would not have a leading problem to begin with.

rc
 
Thunder bolts, peters, Federal value pack, and some Remington gold.

Thanks for the info, time to go shopping.
 
Thunderbolts are the problem. Check out some of the threads at Rimfirecentral.com, or even YouTube about Remington Thunderbolts. They clogged the bore of my Walther P-22 to the point that I had a smith clean the barrel electrochemically. Others will relay similar experiences.

Clean the barrel using the means suggested above, and eliminate Thunderbolts from your diet. Let us know how you make out.
 
Chore Boy pot scrubber is the way to go.
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As long as you get the old pure copper ones and not the new copper plated steel lathe shavings ones.

Take a magnet to the store when you go to buy one to be safe.

rc
 
I just ordered some off ebay that look just like that. Said they were %100 copper.
 
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Thunderbolts are the problem.
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Maybe I'm the exception. I use Thunderbolts in my Marvel 1911 .22 conversion. I use regular solvent and a bore brush to clean about every 500 rounds. I've never had to use the Chore Boy method. I just purchased another 5K rounds.
 
Hmm

Thunderbolts plugged up my CZ kadet so bad a cleaning rod with nothing on it wouldn't pass through without some force (shaved off some of the lead).
 
My s&w did not like Thunderbolts anyways. Once I get it cleaned out I will run Federal Value pack hps through from now on. It ate those things up. 525 rounds with 1 stove pipe. Not bad for a .22.
 
Found some chore boy locally at a drug store. Worked great! A piece of thick brass brazing rod, some chore boy, and some elbow grease cleaned all the big chunks of lead out. I finished with a good brushing and ran some of my home-brew cut up cotton T-shirt patches down the bore and its as clean as a whistle. I'm out a total of $3.00 and have enough chore boy to do it 50 more times.

Thanks all.
 
I always use steel brushes and plenty of lube to clean leading out although I've never tried it with a .22.

IMO so long as you keep it oiled a steel brush is unable to scratch your bore yet is 10X faster at removing lead.


PP
 
Thx for the tip on the Chore Boy!

I've used a number of different lead-specific cleaners with ammonia. They've all worked okay and they've all required elbow grease. I follow them with patches cut from a lead-removal cloth and the combination seems to get the lead out best.

Would sure like to find a method less time-consuming.
 
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