Leaded Barrel Question

[usnavymasterchief]

I recently acquired a beautiful older Ruger Security Six with 2-3/4" barrel.
I looked down the barrel from the muzzle end when I bought it and it looked fine. When I got home, I looked again from the cylinder end and I can see what I believe is lead where the bullet enters the barrel when fired. I can see lead in the rifeling for about a half inch into the barrel, after that the bore looks like new. I tried Hoppe's #9 and a brass brush, it helped a lot but not 100%. I really like this gun and want to keep her in perfect condition. Obviously the previous owner shot a lot of lead, any suggestions on getting the lead out (no pun intended) would be most welcome.

 

[DJW]

look under the kitchen sink for "chore boy" or other scrubber pad. cut a strip and push it thru with an old brass brush several times. check bore and repeat if necessary......hope that helps.
DJW

 

[usnavymasterchief]

Thank you Sir, I'll try that.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Even more effective: buy one of the small LEAD AWAY or similar chemically-treated cloths. Cut it into a small patch and put it on a cleaning jag/rod, and push it through the barrel.

It will pull all of the lead out in a few passes. (Its also really effective in removing the carbon marks on the front of the cylinder of SS guns.)

There's also a special bronze mesh device available from Brownells that makes lead removal easy.

 

[romulus]

usnavymasterchief, make sure that if you use cleaning pad material it is Chore Boy and not the stainless pads or the green stuff...they can scratch your bore, the copper Chore Boy won't. Also, if your gun is blued, the Lead Away will remove bluing so be careful that it doesn't contact the gun's finish.

 

[dfariswheel]

Although the above methods will work, all old revolver shooters have a Lewis Lead remover kit.

This is a special kit that cleans all the lead out of a revolver's cylinder, bore, AND forcing cone......without risk of damage.

Do a search for "Lewis Lead Remover" and you'll find some good posts on why these are well worth the small amount they cost.

The kit is available from Brownell's.

 

[Sheldon]

Hopp's sells a unit similar to the Lewis Lead Remover. I have gotten to the point where I just use one of the brass mesh patches over a bore patch to get a tight fit down the bore and it works pretty good that way too. You can also pull a long strand off one of those metal strand scouring pads and just wrap it around a cleaning patch that fits tight down the bore and that will work too.

 

[stevelyn]

I've been able to remove lead deposits by using an oversize bore brush. In your case you might try a 10mm/40S&W bore brush.

 

[Master Blaster]

I shoot alot of hardcast lead, one thing the other posters did not mention:

When you use the oversize brush, chore boy or lewis lead remover, make sure the barrel and the device are dry, if you oil or use bore cleaner with these methods they will not be as effective as if used dry.

I like the lewis for my revolvers, I do one pass with a dry patch first to get the loose carbon, and follow with 3 passes of the lewis remover. this will take out almost all of the lead. If there is a little left dont worry, cause there will be, and it wont affect accuracy or function.

 

[Waitone]

Lewis Lead Remover (AKA Brownell's ) ranks right up there with sliced bread and pop tops. Tremendous leap in civilization. LLR takes a crudded up barrel and makes it shiny new.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Another vote for ChoreBoy. It's cheap and works as well as a Lewis Lead Remover.