Lead removal dillemma

[The Wiry Irishman]

I have a Marvel Type I .22 conversion kit with one of their compensators installed on it. I noticed a couple days ago that some of the holes in the comp has become plugged with gunk. After my last range trip, I removed the comp and let it soak in Ballistol overnight. This took care of the powder fouling, but revealed that the holes were in fact plugged with built-up lead. There's also about an eighth inch of lead built up on the upper part of the inside of the comp. How do I go about getting it out?

My line of thinking at this point is to either sacrifice a pan or cookie sheet and bake/cook the comp in an attempt to melt it out, but I'm concerned about 1) health issues of melting lead near food and 2) damaging the comp or the comp's finish in some way. Maybe a pair of vice grips and a propane torch?

For reference, here's the comp I'm talking about: http://www.marvelprod.com/alumcomp.php Mine is steel.

 

[jfh]

NO on the proposed technique for melting it out.

Ask a mod to move this to the "gunsmithing/repairs" forum; I think you'll get a better answer there.

And, just try using google to search in that forum as well....

Jim H.

 

[kirklandkie]

lead is extremely soft and i'd be willing to bet that if you take a small wooden dowel and a light hit with a hammer you could knock those chunks of lead loose and get them out that way.
just a thought, without seeing it in person this is my thought

-kirk

 

[fireman 9731]

My concern would be how that much lead built up to begin with...

 

[Deus Machina]

I concur with Kirk. All the lead you can reach, scrape at with toothpicks or whittled-to-shape popsicle sticks--1000 for like $8 at a craft store.

Poke a little dowel in the compensator's holes and tap it out. Push out with a brush and clean as usual.

 

[mainmech48]

You might want to try Shooter's Choice Lead Remover. It worked great for me when I unwisely loaded a big batch of gun show "bargain" cast bullets using my standard GP lpowder charge and then found out they were too soft.

If the comp on your Marvel is made from aluminum or alloy, I'd stick to nylon brushes and be wary of any of the treated cloth lead remover thingies, as they'd likely take the finish off as well as the lead.

IIRC, Brownell's sells a product specifically for cleaning lead and fouling deposits out of compensators. Don't have a catalog handy, but you could try the website. Midway USA would be another place to look.

Unless you'd run a bunch of ammo through it, I'd agree that something may not be right with the comp's alignment with the bore if you're getting that much lead build-up and it's concentrated in one spot. Calling Marvel and discussing it with them would be a good idea, IMO.

There also used to be a "Compensator Spray" product that was supposed to inhibit metal and powder fouling from accumulating in the ports and chambers with regular use. IIRC, it was developed for the IPSC crowd when using very hot .38 Super loads to qualify for "Major" scoring was popular. If they still sell it, it might at least make cleaning an easier process.