How clean do YOU get your barrel?

T

Timothy

New member
I shoot 230gr. LRN in my Kimber SS Compact and usually clean after 75 to 100 rounds. I've got lead deposits everywhere, the top of the chamber where the bullet strikes on its way home and of course in the barrel. The barrel gets fairly clean with a "tornado" but I was really surprised how much additional lead I could remove with a fine wire dental pick drawn along the edges and between the lands. As a matter of fact, I use my pick in every nook and cranny where there may be lead deposits. The deposits in the chamber are so stubborn that I use the pick to loosen to start cleaning with a brass brush. (no, I'm not leaving any scratches). I'm thinking of using my dremel with a brush softer than stainless steel to clean the chamber.
Does anyone else have this problem? Am I doing anything scary? Got any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
 
I use a coping saw blade with rounded edge to "pick" the leads out of the barrel end. I bent 3mm from the end to 90 degree angle for easy picking.

BTW, I use this for my G19 with hexagonal rifling.
 
Have you tried just going after it with a bronze bore brush? The tornado stle brushes cant get into odges of grooves because they have "looped" bristles. A bronze bore brush would probably do better. I also recommend using a nylon bore brush and chrome polish (automotive) but nobody believes me. I use that exclusively for cleaning. If the lead is really stubborn, Brownells J+B Bore Cleaning Compound will take it out guaranteed.
 
Lewis lead remover.
516100038.jpg

Traditional - And Still The Best Mechanical Deleader
Lead fouling can build up in the forcing cone, barrel and chamber of a pistol, ruining accuracy completely. The Lewis Lead Remover is the single best way to remove all leading easily - Plus, - will not damage the gun in any way. Used and endorsed by the nation's top shooters. Use with J-B Bore Cleaner (listed elsewhere) for the cleanest, lead-free barrel ever!
SPECS: The kit contains: Handle, cone tip, rubber tip, specially woven brass patches and complete instructions.

You can buy them from brownells
http://www.brownells.com
 
Fellas,

I don't mean to sound stupid, unfortunately it comes easily to me :p, but if all I shoot is jacketed bullets, do I need to worry about my barrel filling with lead?:confused:

My Glocks only come with a nylon brush...

Thanks,
 
Those tornado brushes and all that other stuff (hacksaw blades!?) are a little too aggressive for me. I shoot lead exclusively in my .45s, 5-10,000 rounds a year, and get my barrels squeaky clean with .50 cal bronze brushes. 100 strokes usually does the job. They wear out pretty quickly but you can get them for around $1.00 ea.
 
Lead Wipe cloths from Kleen Bore. Four or five patches down the barrel and the lead is gone. Completely. I actually check the bore with an 8x magnifier, so this is no bull. What can I say? I'm nuts.
 
I want my barrel sparkling clean.I use plenty of elbow grease and hoppes. The majority of ammo I shoot is jacketed so lead buildup and removal isn't a problem for me. I don't have any fancy magnifiers or borescopes, I just hold her up the the light and look through it. If it's nice and shiny I'm happy!

Maybe it's the Military in me, but I can't stand a dirty weapon! It drives me nuts!!!

Good Shooting
RED
 
I've had problems with leading in my .38 and my .22. Thanks from me, too, for the suggestions. I'll stop first chance I get and pick up some new "ammo" for my "lead attack".That has always bugged me, but I've never felt like I was really useing the right stuff to get the job done! Bet I'll see progress now!
Mark.
 
Lately all I shoot are home grown reloads with Precision Bullet polymer coated bullets. One or two passes with a boresnake and the barrel is mirror like again.
 
For the truly reckless, plug the muzzle and fill the bore with mercury (Hg). It will form an amalgam with the lead and remove it completely. The fumes and contamination are another matter.
You might also try a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Plug the muzzle and fill'er up. Lots of people report good results using it. Dental picks and saw blades? No thanks.
 
The 8x magnifier isn't "fancy." It cost about $10, and I just happen to have a few laying around.

I seem to recall the vinegar and peroxide mix was voted harmful to the barrel from a topic awhile back. It probably beats my old cleaning routine, though: use a drill bit 1/8" larger than the bore diameter.
 
Monkeyleg, re: your old cleaning routine--ROTFL!

Shmakey and AndaBeer: I've been considering one of those bore snakes. How do you use it? Do you soak it with solvent first, then pass it through the bore? What do you do when the snake gets dirty? Wash it in the washing machine? What's your technique?
 
I usually don't mind some streaking left in the barrel in between major scrubbings. Fast cleanings combined with bore snake after each range session.

When I want them clean, I believe in elbow grease. Lots of bronze brushes and manual labor combined with solvents (Kroil, Hoppes, CLP, MPro) & JB Bore cleaner. I use enough patches to weave a halter top.

I won't stop until I end up with a mirror shiny surface as observed through my borelight.
 
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