Barrel 38 spec. heavily leaded

Cleaning the barrel of my S&W 52-2 I noticed that it was heavily leaded only at the beginning of the rifling and impossible to remove even with a copper brush. Can you recommend a product to remove the lead in that part?

Unfortunately this is a very common issue with Model 52. I've seen quite a few heavy leaded barrels, sometimes I was able to get the most lead out with Lewis Lead Remover (https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/gun-cleaning/cleaning-patches-mops/lewis-lead-remover-rifle-kits/) , once I had no choice but to heat the barrel with a torch to the point where lead was almost melting, then I cleaned it with brass brush. Also sometimes it helps to soak the barrel in Kroil overnight.

Firebrush it. Cigar lighter or torch on low conical flame. Hold barrel in hand. Run it up the barrel for 5 seconds then brush. Clean with patch and solvent. Barrel doesn’t get hot. It’s the heat flux through the deposit that loosens it.

If soaking with a lead remover and hitting with a copper brush wrapped in pure copper Chore Boy pad strips fails to get your lead out, heat is your buddy.

I’ve only needed to go past the “brush wrapped with Chore Boy” step once in a long time shooting a bunch of lead bullets, but heat was the answer.

Don't use the cheaper "Chore Boy" copies, as they are copper plated steel. "Chore Boy" is all copper.

DA/SA wrote:Don't use the cheaper "Chore Boy" copies, as they are copper plated steel. "Chore Boy" is all copper.

The Original Chore Boy, the dopers use .

“When someone comes in at 2 a.m. and buys a tire gauge, Chore Boy, baking soda and aluminum foil … chances are they are not baking a cake,”

DA/SA wrote:Don't use the cheaper "Chore Boy" copies, as they are copper plated steel. "Chore Boy" is all copper.

Always check with a magnet.

Bill

james r chapman wrote:

DA/SA wrote:Don't use the cheaper "Chore Boy" copies, as they are copper plated steel. "Chore Boy" is all copper.

The Original Chore Boy, the dopers use .

 “When someone comes in at 2 a.m. and buys a tire gauge, Chore Boy, baking soda and aluminum foil … chances are they are not baking a cake,”

ha ha,
 you funny guy.

yes "map gas" burns everything up 
my slow moving .32 S&W L really leads up after 200-300 rounds.

ser2711 wrote:Cleaning the barrel of my S&W 52-2 I noticed that it was heavily leaded only at the beginning of the rifling and impossible to remove even with a copper brush. Can you recommend a product to remove the lead in that part?

As others have said, pure copper Chore Boy is useful stuff for removing lead deposits.

If you have the patience, I've also had very good luck with 12 gauge Romex wire.  If you use good tin snips to cut the end on a sharp angle, it makes a nice, pointed chisel that you can use to scrape the lead out.  When the copper wire gets dull, you just clip the end again.  It requires good light, and a magnifying lens helps see what you're doing.  I have a jeweler's loupe that attaches to my glasses.

Anyway, I've had good luck using heavy-gauge copper wire as a scraper when I've had to remove heavy lead deposits from chambers, throats and the first inch or so of rifling.

David

Buy pure copper scrub pads for cleaning pot and pans with and push both ways a wad down the barrel. it will clean it out without hurting the rifling. may take a few times.

if using chore boy do not cut a strand of it off the scrubber. 

cut a big section of scrubber, and unwind it into a sheet like a giant window screen. wrap THAT around the brush.

RedBand wrote:if using chore boy do not cut a strand of it off the scrubber. 

cut a big section of scrubber, and unwind it into a sheet like a giant window screen. wrap THAT around the brush.

If I didn't know better(?), I would say you are a Armer. A retired S&W gunsmith told me how to do it, I asked about using a torch and he told me that the uneven heat can weaken to edges of the rifling.

Bullseye Smith wrote:

RedBand wrote:if using chore boy do not cut a strand of it off the scrubber. 

cut a big section of scrubber, and unwind it into a sheet like a giant window screen. wrap THAT around the brush.

If I didn't know better(?), I would say you are a Armer. A retired S&W gunsmith told me how to do it, I asked about using a torch and he told me that the uneven heat can weaken to edges of the rifling.

I have seen reference to the torch in a barrel, but it always changes from "blow torch" of unnown power,   to a butane cigar lighter at full blast,,, to a simple butane pen torch the diameter of a .45 colt case..

but NOTHING has ever made the mention of putting the barrel into a fixture of any kind, simply always says "hold barrel in off hand while applying torch to the lead in the barrel"..

always makes me remember the old joke:

Mike bought a boat, and it sank. He was at the marina bar and complaining about it. The dudes at the bar told him his boat sank because it had no way to get back out.  Told him to drill drain holes under the water line. 

Mike refloated his boat, noticed somewater in the bilge and promptly started drilling holes in the bottom. All seemed good, and so he went for dinner. Came back and his boat had sunk.  Unhappy he went back to the bar and asked for clarifacation. Was told "he did it wrong because you only need 1 drain hole for every hole water is coming in..."

It is funny that this issue came up. I have used Chore Boy to help with leading in my revolver- and had to drive to the nearest Wal Mart to find the pure copper kind. Stopped in the local smoke shop/ gas station on Saturday to get gas, and I saw a whole case of Copper Chore Boy behind the counter. I asked why they would stock that, basically he replied "the kids use it". 

I am sure they are not scrubbing pots or getting lead out!

I have had very good results with the chemically treated cloth designed to remove lead from gun bores.  It seems to polish and attract the lead.  Unless you get it all out the new lead will stick to the old very fast.  I use it after mechanical methods.  The lead removal cleaning patches leave the bore lead free and shiny bright.

Greetings,

After patching the fouled barrel with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol I use the, now defunct, Outer Foul Out.

It essentially reverse plates the Lead in the barrel to the electrode rod.

A very dirty barrel might take more than one cleaning cycle.

As a plus, I have been testing jacketed ammo in the 45ACP and the Foul Out removes the copper fouling. Yes, you do need a separate solution.

The Foul Out used to ship with a bottle each of Lead Out and Cop-Out solution.

Cheers,

Dave

Those solutions are poisonous btw...

See fire brushing instructions above...gets no hotter than shooting it.

I have a 'Foul Out' too. Don't remember the details, but it kept pulling 'something' out of a rifle barrel. Cycle after cycle ...

I eventually made a WA-Guess, rust in the pits, or the edges of the pits, were focal points for the electrical current ... 'Nucleation Sites', I think was the technical term.

Wasn't likely to stop ...

Rebore... or sell it off? I chose the latter.

fc60 wrote:Greetings,

After patching the fouled barrel with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol I use the, now defunct, Outer Foul Out.

It essentially reverse plates the Lead in the barrel to the electrode rod.

A very dirty barrel might take more than one cleaning cycle.

As a plus, I have been testing jacketed ammo in the 45ACP and the Foul Out removes the copper fouling. Yes, you do need a separate solution.

The Foul Out used to ship with a bottle each of Lead Out and Cop-Out solution.

Cheers,

Dave

I have the Lweis lead remover and the Outters foul out, I prefer the Outters foul out but haven't had to use it in a long while. I have found new barrels need to be hand lapped to remove the rough edges left from machining even when shooting full jacketed bullets. Fire lapping with specially coated bullets can help end the leading problem.
Yes it was claimed that the foul out would eat the steel out of the barrel and it probably did due to user error and not following directions.
EPA had it removed from the market due to pollution of water ways.

After you get the barrel clean, I recommend revisiting your cleaning regimen. It is far easier to remove a small amount of leading than a large amount. A little bit of preventative maintenance goes a long way.

I have scrubbed and scrubbed with a bronze brush until I am blue in the face with little progress. Then I wrapped chore boy around it and did get some better results. What I have found is the best and fastest way is to use this o-ringed jag. First I use Hoppes #9 and briefly scrub to get out everything but lead. Then I soak the barrel for an hour or two completely submerged in Kroil. Then I run Kroil soaked patches through the barrel. You will be amazed at the shards of lead the appear on the patches. It will take 6 or 7 patches until no more lead appears on the patch.

Bill

I'm a big believer in Kroil for all sorts of applications, including bore cleaning.  About a year ago, I heard that Kroil was now considered "old fashioned" by aircraft mechanics.  They make their living dealing with extremely expensive aluminum machinery that has to cope with outdoor conditions & corrosion, so in theory, they would know.

The latest & greatest is supposed to be "Mouse Milk":  https://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Milk-Oil-8-Oz/dp/B0049C7170

At least on Amazon, it's about the same price as Kroil.  I bought a bottle, but haven't tried it yet.  Does anyone have any experience with it for firearm applications?  

Before I try it on my bores, I want to go through the SDS and make sure there are no red flags.  I also don't know how it reacts with plastics and things like O-rings, both of which are generally OK with Kroil.

I believe some of the Benchresters used Mouse Milk as a copper lifter in their barrels.