Get the lead out!

[Bounce12 407]

Once I started shooting slugs I just couldn't go back to anything else.

 

However, the slugs leave a lead residue in the barrel. It's not that big of a deal except I really like to see a diamond-mirror sheene when I look down the barrel.

 

The way I've been getting the lead out is to squirt a bunch of PB Blaster in there and then put my brush on a drill and just drill the shit out of it until it's clean.

 

However, what I'd like to do is put a plug in one end of the barrel to retain the PB Blaster - keep it from pouring out the barrel when I start drilling.

 

Do you know what makes a good barrel plug - that's fluid tight? I've just been using my freaking fingers, but that's starting to get to be a pain in the ass.

[David Mark 2,452]

Try a cork from a good wine bottle. May need to shave it a little but I bet it works. Also there is a brush called a tornado cleaner (I think that is the name) Might be worth a try. I am a bit anal about a spotless barrel also.

[Bounce12 407]

Try a cork from a good wine bottle. May need to shave it a little but I bet it works. Also there is a brush called a tornado cleaner (I think that is the name) Might be worth a try. I am a bit anal about a spotless barrel also.

 

 

Excellent idea. I am left slapping my forehead with the palm of my hand. A cork! Why didn't I think of that? LOL Thanks.

 

I'll look for the tornado cleaner.

[going12220 125]

Put some bronze wool on the brush adds to the contact area, I use it on my cardshooter barrel to remove the crap that builds up in the wad stoppers.

[jalu 0]

+1 on the Tornado Brush, the wife and I shoot 80,000 to 100,000 rounds a year when praticing and competing in trap shooting on a weekly basis and have found that the Tornado Brush to be the fast-track to keeping up with lead and plastic fouling in our Krieghoff trap guns.

But, I don't recomend that you use a cordless drill when useing it because of the fact that it's a stainless steel brush and it doesn't need that kind of force to have it polish your bore to a mirror finish. Just screw it on to your favorite cleaning rod and work the chamber and bore a few times and your good to go.

 

Jace...

[Wade Pruetz 103]

+1 on the Tornado it really gets the lead out quickly.

[Rangerfan1423 2]

which lead solvent do you recommend?

[FRC64 2]

I only shoot slugs and 00 Buck out of my S-12, I use the same method of cleaning the barrel of fouling and had the same problem with leakage (insert joke here). I started with the wine bottle cork solution, but the super saturated cork in my gun gear made me nervous (a little ticking spontaneous- combustion time bomb). I ordered an assortment of rubber test tube stoppers on-line and have found 100+ other uses for them as well. An assortment of about 20 stoppers cost me about $10 shipped. You can also order the exact size you need (in millimeters) for less than 50 cents a piece. Just search 'rubber stoppers/test tubes'.

[jonblack 9]

You might try a silicone stopper. It is rated to a higher temperature, which you don't need, but it may also be more resistant to harsh chemicals.

 

jonblack

[Etek 32]

Just go to Wal-Mart and buy a Silver cleaning cloth. Cut into tight fitting patches and it will pull all the lead out and won't hurt the bore.

 

There's no need for 'Tornado' brushes, drills, steel brushes, bronze brushes, corks, stoppers or chemicals.

Edited April 1, 2010 by Etek

[IronRonin 19]

I SECOND what Etek said and I wish I would have listened to him before I bought every lead-removal product under the sun. For REAL lead-fouling, the cloths work better than anything else. They do still require some elbow grease, so i basically wrap one around a tight wad of cleaning cloth and go to town. NOTHING came close to helping like the cloths. I THEN finished off the lead cleaning with Shooter's Choice Lead Remover, which is fine for normal fouling. It also contains some metal treatment that actually DOES significantly reduce lead build-up, it is legit working for me and I shoot tons of slugs and buck...which initially gave me CRAZY lead fouling. I got a thread for this too somewhere. But yeah, get the cloths. I buy the Birchwood Casey ones at Cabelas. BOOYA.

[Etek 32]

Seriously folks, I had a terrible fouling issue with a Swiss made .45 'Peacemaker' copy when using pure lead factory rounds.

 

I tried everything from Lee Lead Puller to stainless and bronze brushes to REALLY nasty chemicals. The brushes tend to smear the Lead and the Lee puller ate screens on every use.

 

Mercury worked great...but super poisonous when in a Lead amalgum.

 

An Old Timer turned me on to the silverware cleaning clothes and I'll never use anything else and they're cheap.

Clean your gun with your brushes or chemicals or whatever thoroughly....then run a Silver patch. You'll pull Lead that you would have sworn couldn't possibly be there.

[FRC64 2]

Never to old to learn new tricks. Put a serious dent in a case of slugs showing the S-12's abilities at the range yesterday to a few acquaintances (they're probably still giggling,like schoolgirls, it was embarassing... really). That and as many 00 Buck rounds and not cleaning it last Saturday made for one filthy barrel.

 

Tonight after dinner, went out and picked up Silver Polishing Cloth as Etek suggested. Just used a bore snake with some lead solvent and finished with the Silver Polishing Cloth. Gave her a good cleaning...wow, my barrel's so clean "...I gotta wear shades...". I really couldn't believe how much lead fouling those cloths kept pulling out. If I could sew the pieces of cloth back together, I could make a protective vest for an x-ray technician.

 

Great tip, thanks.