I bought a S&W Model 1917 .45ACP revolver

With all the recommendations to the OP, that it might just be lead build up in the grooves of the rifling of the barrel, (giving an incorrect impression of worn out rifling in the barrel), I have a question.

I know about the "Lewis lead remover" which is basically the same as putting a brass faucet screen in your cleaning rod end and scouring out the lead in the rifling. I know about the lead removing chemicals one can use to help remove the lead from the rifling.

But what I am wondering is, does anyone here know, if there is a product on the market, wherein first you find out what the exact depth of what your rifling grooves are supposed to be from the factory, and then you use some sort of product wherein it is almost like the old time corkscrew rifling technique which used a bit of hard file material on the end of the corkscrew rifling rod, wherein that device with its hard file like material, would screw onto the end of your cleaning rod, and could be set to be spring loaded so that as it is passed back and forth through the barrel, that it would only open up (and no further) to the exact diameter of what your rifling grooves are supposed to be from the factory.

Whereby it will cut out all the lead built up in the rifling grooves without actually cutting the rifling grooves deeper than they were originally. After passing this device through the barrel numerous times, (and remember it would not open up the rifling grooves any deeper than they were from the factory because it is preset to only open up the cutters so far), it would literally cut the built up lead out of the rifling grooves down to where the bottom of the rifling grooves were originally from the factory. Thus restoring your rifling grooves to their unfired factory depth with no guesswork on the part of the person as to whether or not they got all the lead out of the grooves.

If such a product does not exist, it sure would be a useful product to come up with to remove lead without relying on chemicals, scouring with copper brushes, brass or bronze screens, etc to remove lead and not really ever know if you got all the lead removed. The only possible problem I can see would be if your rifling grooves were so leaded up that you could not even align the cutters of that product correctly over the top of the lead in the rifling grooves. That would then of course cause the cutters to cut new rifling grooves that might possibly not be aligned correctly and mess up your rifling grooves hidden under the lead. But...if you could still see and feel any kind of rifling grooves at all, you should be able to align such a tool correctly with the existing grooves. Especially if you scoured the rifling with a brass screen first, exposing at least SOME of the rifling grooves.

Anyone know if such a product for removing lead from rifling grooves exists?



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Bill, I'm pretty sure no device like that exists. I'm no Engineer or Machinist, but I don't see any way to build one without having the potential to ruin any bbl not cut to it's exact dimentions.

I'm not even sold on the faucet screen doo-hickey. My 1917's were made in 1918 and 1919 and the thought of pushing something that abrasive down the tubes gives me the willies. Kroil. Lots of it. Use a regular brass brush, scrub til you're tired, soak the bbl in kroil over night and start again the next day. Once the kroil finds a path between the bbl steel and the lead- it will eventually come out. I bought a stainless steel brush, but in the end I couldn't bring myself to use it on my 1917's, I just resolved to plain old fashioned elbow grease.
 
Those screen do-hickeys are scarey, but the yellow cloth helped a lot, once
the steel features started to emerge in a 1911 bbl in which I drove lead too fast. Shooters Choice was my solvent. After that the barrel shoots like it was lead lapped. When I first looked down it, I almost pooped. It sure looked shiny and smooth, ouch! All's well that ends well, eh?
 
I used to but Old Milsurps..the ruff ones .I used steel wool and run it down the barrel with a brass rod...and would use Comet or other abrasive cleanser...with hot water flushes.....then i'd use the same process with greased lighting instead of the Comet..I'd then repeat with the steel wool and Comet for while then switch back....You would be surprised at some of the improvement in the barrels on these old rifles

I just couldn't imagine the bore giving up before the action .....


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If it really does end up needing a barrel, Numrich lists them for $139 but is currently out of stock, keep checking back as their inventory is ever changing. I'm with the other posters in that I just can't see a worn out barrel in one of these without the action being worn out also. By the way I wish I could find a deal like that. Post some pictures please.

Stu
 
If by "those screen dohickeys" is meant the Lewis lead remover, the concern is silly. The Lewis works just fine and there is no way a brass screen will harm a steel barrel. No way! Period. (Yes, they really did know how to make hard steel barrels way back in 1917.)

As to "lining" a revolver barrel, forget it unless you want to line it to a small bore. There isn't enough meat in that 1917 barrel to ream it out and line it to .45 caliber.

Like the others, I have doubts that the barrel is so badly worn as to look like a smooth bore. I say, keep scrubbing with that brass screen or whatever, and don't underrate your ancestors!

Jim
 
It is certainly possible to get a new barrel from S&W- one of the "new" 1917 barrels should just go right on there- but it won't look quite right. A good used barrel can sometimes be found with some looking. Gun Parts Corp used to have used barrels, but I called them sometime back of now and someone bought them all. :eek:
 
Congratulations on the "new" gun. I just wanted to chime in about the barrel also. Have you tried Chore Boy scouring pads. They are copper (not plated) and work very well on removing lead (quickly). Obviously you have gotten to look at it closely and we haven't but you might give some of these ideas a try. If one of them works it'd be a lot cheaper than a new barrel.
 
You beat me to it grandpajoe.

Choreboy scouring pads are one of the best and easiest ways to remove lead out of a bbl. Cut and un-ravel the copper strands. Wrap strands around an old bronze/brass brush. Wrap enough strands so that brush fits down bbl snugly. Work generously in bbl. Will not hurt bbl. but sure is effective at removing lead.

Also agree the white powder residue is more likely oxydized lead. Lead does not rust.
 
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