WD40 for removing lead

[LiveLife]

I am currently teaching a shooter to reload. He complained that he got some leading in his Kimber Custom barrel from some lead reloads he got from his friends. He tried cleaning the barrel with Hoppe's #9 and leading did not come out.

I recently found out that WD40 works well for lead deposits in the barrel. So, before using my more aggressive physical and chemical solutions, I sprayed the barrel with WD40 and let it soak while we cleaned our guns.

First application of WD40 and soaking for 10 minutes and running copper bore brush resulted in about 60% lead removal with patches coming out with lead sparkles. Second application of WD40 and soaking removed almost all the lead deposits. Some scraping with precision flat screwdriver tip near the chamber end of rifling grooves and third application of WD40 got the barrel rifling clean and shiny.

For his initial reloads, I had him reload Missouri Bullets 18 BHN 200 gr SWC and 230 gr RN using 4.9 gr of HP38 (same as W231) at 1.25" OAL. After shooting 200 rounds, barrel was checked with virtually no leading in the rifling. He's a happy camper and keeps the WD40 can on his bench now.

 

[dagger dog]

bds,

Get ready for all the WD40 bashing comments.

But I use WD for a lot of firearm related jobs, especially for condensation removal on blued exterior parts. I like to apply WD with a fine hair brush such as a shaving mug type. I spray some in a small saucer, swipe the brush across the WD , brush the gun, then follow up with a soft flannel buffing rag. I keep the rag in a covered plastic container and when the gun needs a quick clean up I just use the pre-treated rag.

 

[Hammerdown77]

Chore Boy scrap wrapped around a bristle brush. No solvent, used dry. 10 back and forth passes, about 1 minute total time. Shiny barrel. Easy peasy.

 

[LiveLife]

Get ready for all the WD40 bashing comments.

Yes, I have read on some forum that WD40 maybe hard on some blued finish - I should have mentioned on the original post.

The Kimber Custom is the stainless model, so no blue finish to worry about.

For me, I originally tested WD40 on my Mil Pro PT145, which also is a stainless model. When I got it last year, I was shooting 24 BHN lead bullets and getting some leading in the barrel. Like my experience with the Kimber Custom barrel, first two applications and soaking with WD40 got all the leading out with a tiny bit I scraped with a precision flat screwdriver tip. I switched to 18 BHN MBC lead bullets and leading is minimal now.

I also tried WD40 on my Lone Wolf stainless steel barrels, and did the same great job of removing lead deposits.

Chore Boy scrap wrapped around a bristle brush. No solvent, used dry. 10 back and forth passes, about 1 minute total time. Shiny barrel. Easy peasy.

Yes, that's my more aggressive physical lead removing option - works great!

 

[CTPhil]

What does WD-40 do to a blued finish?

 

[LiveLife]

I have not used WD40 on blued finish, but various forum comments mentioned that WD40 will remove the blued finish or make it lighter in color.

 

[CTPhil]

Thanks. I guess I'd better try something else.

 

[Tallinar]

I have spent a lot of time in the trenches locked in the battle against barrel leading. In my experience, nothing has worked better than the Chore Boy method. Best trip to the grocery store I ever made.

Just be sure you wrap it around the brush pretty snug. I've actually made small dings on the tip of a stainless revolver barrel by being a little too forceful pushing the brush down the barrel while I had some loose Chore Boy hanging off. Not a big deal at all though.

 

[bluetopper]

Reading something on an internet gun forum does not make it true. The only problem with WD-40 is after very long periods of storage on a firearm it CAN thicken and become gummy. I would not be afraid of it on a finish at all.

 

[LiveLife]

Reading something on an internet gun forum does not make it true.

I do not have experience with WD40 on blued finish. When several gun forums post cautions about WD40 affecting cold blue or fine blued finish, what am I supposed to do? I figured, better safe than sorry (I sure don't want to be responsible for anyone's blued finish "possibly" being damaged in any way).

Well, most do comment that WD40 maybe be ok for blued finish, but some recommend that you wipe off and clean the gun parts with the usual solvent like Hoppes #9 and lube with another oil (Break Free CLP).

So, if your barrel has blue finish, I guess you could use WD40 to remove the lead deposits. Wipe off the WD40 well and clean with a gun solvent.

OK, changed the warning - use WD40 at your own risk on blued finish. It does do a good job of softening and removing lead deposit though.
= CAUTION = I have no idea what WD40 will do to cold blue or fine blue finish

 

[ants]

I have no idea what WD40 will do to other people's blued guns.












As a teenager we hunted pintail and teal throughout the month of January 4 years in a row at the Salton Sea in California, which has a salt content twice as high as the ocean. The mud around the shoreline is white and crusty with salt. We used a constant spray of WD40 on the shotguns to displace the salty condensation on cold mornings. Rem 870, Ithaca 37 Lightweight, and Browning Citori. Not once did it affect the blue over 4 years of use, on any gun.

But I suppose it will definitely ruin your gun. It's up to you. Don't take my word for it.

[Thanks for sharing the lead cleaning discovery, bds. Much appreciated.]

 

[Walkalong]

Since the WD-40 seems to penetrate under the lead to loosen it, I would think any good penetrant would work. Marine PAL, while hard to find, is about as good a penetrant as I have ever used. Better than Kroil even. Some of the .22 shooters were using Marine Pal & Shooters PAL to clean their guns. They said accuracy came back faster using it vs other cleaners. Perhaps. I do know A small amount of Marine PAL has never failed to loosen rusted nuts/bolts etc for me. I would gladly let anyone with a leaded bore nearby try it. I am not going to try to lead up a bore just to try it.

 

[oneounceload]

WD40 doesn't hurt blue finishes - I have wiped down my guns with it for decades - it WILL eat plastic and isn't the best for wood, and it can leave a varnish-type residue if left on it. It is a petroleum distillate and is designed for Water Displacement. The chore boy works as does a Lewis lead remover

 

[jimmyraythomason]

= WARNING = WD40 May affect cold blue or fine blue finish!

Absolutely disagree with this! I use WD-40 and 0000 steel wool on new bluing as well as older factory blues and have never had ANY negative results.

Yes, I am aware of WD40 being hard on the blued finish

Again I have never seen this is 40 years of using it on guns.

 

[LiveLife]

OK, OK ... one more time
= CAUTION = I have no idea what WD40 will do to cold blue or fine blue finish

Everyone happy? Since I have not used WD40 on blued finish, you must do so at your own risk ... may test it on a discreet part of firearm that's not visible to be sure.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I've used PB blaster which is like a WD40 on nitromethane and i didn't notice it worked OK for leading but not really anything worth starting a thread over

 

[jimmyraythomason]

= CAUTION = WD40 does not affect cold blue or fine blue finish!

There,fixed it for you.

 

[LiveLife]

How about this?

= CAUTION = I have no idea what WD40 will do to cold blue or fine blue finish

 

[ReloaderFred]

I'd be more concerned about using a sharp pointed object on the leade of the chamber to remove leading than the use of WD-40 if it were my firearm. I prefer the Lewis Lead Remover for barrel leading and I keep sharp pointed objects out of my barrels.

The brushes are also made of bronze in most cases, not copper. Copper is too soft and wouldn't retain it's shape.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

For decades since it's introduction a lot of folks used nothing but wd-40. The only problem is that it gums up especially in cold weather.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The only problem is that it gums up especially in cold weather.

I've never experienced this. I also use seal picks to dislodge lead slivers from handgun barrels without any harm to the rifling.

 

[Millwright]

WD-40 + bluing + JS !!

"WD" stands for "water displacement" and its intended purpose was to dryout electrical wiring/connections !! However, it does do an nifty job of chasing water off guns after a rainy day until a more thorough cleaning can be done........

J'es a suggestion, but Kroil - a penetrating oil - is a nifty bore cleaner that will remove lead if you allow time for its "penetrating" qualities to work. For practical purposes, lots better stuff on your local sporting goods store shelves, IMO ! >MW

 

[LiveLife]

For practical purposes, lots better stuff on your local sporting goods store shelves

The reason why I used WD40 was because I was not at my house where all of my bore cleaners were.

I was at the other shooter's house who I am teaching to reload. All he had was Hoppes #9 and it didn't do much even after soaking. I looked around and found a can of WD40. BTW, his Kimber was stainless steel model. I soaked the barrel rifling with WD40 and the leading came out after second application with copper bore brush. After a little scraping with a precision flat screw driver (that's all I could find also to scrape the barrel rifling grooves) and a few strokes of copper bore brush with WD40 and his barrel was clean and shiny.

We finished the gun clean up with Hoppes #9 solvent.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I say use whatever works for you. BTW,gun specific oils or cleaners aren't necessarily better for guns than generics but the are more expensive.

 

[qajaq59]

Chore Boy scrap wrapped around a bristle brush. No solvent, used dry. 10 back and forth passes, about 1 minute total time. Shiny barrel. Easy peasy.

When I was having some leading problems, (before I smartened up and slugged the rifle bore) I tried that and it does work well.