Is it lead? Or something else?

[posigian]

I own a S&W 686+ that was bought used. At first thing were good. Now I feel that I am good at cleaning my guns but I cant firgure this out.

(hopefully I use the correct terms below)

Cleaning the barrel I noticed at the breach end of the barrel what looks like a build up of gunk on the first 1/8 to 1/4 inch. No matter how hard I scrub it wont come clean!

I made mention about this to a guy at the store and he said it sounds like a lead build up. So I bought a lead remover. Scrub, scrub, scrub, and it is still there.

This stuff in the breach looks as thought it doesn't belong there. I looked at a new one at the store and its breach looks like its polished. Mine doesn't look like that.

I shoot mostly jacketed 38s out of this but what ever is in there is beyond me.

So is it lead or copper? If so did I not scrub long enough with the lead & copper remover I bought?

Is it something other than a build up? Or should I try a differnt cleaner?

If I can't figure this out soon I might have to take it into a smith. But I would like to avoid that if I can.

Please Help,


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Posigian
posigian@provide.net
I AM THE NRA

 

[James K]

It sounds like lead to me also. I don't know what kind of lead remover you bought, but a Lewis should take out lead and other crud. The only other possibility would be that a previous owner used hard jacketed bullets and there is some gas cutting at the breech of the barrel because the bullet wouldn't expand to fill the grooves (common in automatics).

Jim