Marlin Microgroove barrel leading

M

mjm

New member
This might be the wrong place to ask this, but I figure someone here in Bullet Casting has dealt with serious leading in the barrel. I bought a used Marlin 1894 with a Microgroove barrel. The previous owner seriously leaded the barrel. There is even a clump of lead I have been working on for months. This spot is very visible looking down the barrel, but does not look that bad via borescope.

I have used numerous lead removers (chemical and mechanical) and gone through quite a few brushes and packages of patches. I believe I am removing the lead one layer of atoms at a time. I see progress, but believe I could turn this into a full time job and still spend months on it.

Has anyone used electrolysis to remove leading? The results shown in several videos on Youtube, looked interesting. This Marlin is in an uncommon/rare caliber and has some collector value, so I do not want to damage it in any way.
 
Interesting. What caliber is this?

Sorry can not help you with the electrolysis question. That must be quite the leading problem if chemical remover combined with brass brushes are taking months to do.
 
It is a .41 Remington magnum. I hate to admit it, but I even tried a stainless steel brush.

I actually feel a bump when I push a patch through it.
 
I am curious to know what chemicals you used. I have heard of mixes of 50/50 mixes of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. This thread provides warnings as the stuff ruins aluminum and may be toxic if touched:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/169602-hydrogen-peroxide-remove-lead.html

If chemical methods have not worked, try the Lewis lead remover. This is a mechanical means of scrapping the lead out of the barrel.

Get the Lead Out!

http://www.gun-tests.com/special_reports/accessories/Removing-Lead-Fouling-10189-1.html#.VvqLcybmrIU
 
I wouldnt do electrolysis. You stand a chance of removing finish.

How about a zink bullet to clean out the bulk of the lead?
 
I'd try the hydrogen peroxide and vinegar mix. I had to use it once for a 9mm barrel and it did the trick. Just be careful. The solution is toxic.

I bet the old owner of the rifle used the old "clean out leading by shooting some jacketed rounds" trick.
 
Wrapping a bore brush with a little Chore Boy is the best and easiest way I've seen. Even a badly leaded barrel scrubs clean in short time.

I've never tried the Lewis lead remover because Chore Boy is cheap and I had it.
 
^^^^This^^^^ + penetrating oil to creep underneath as you go
(Make sure it's copper/doesn't attract a magnet)
 
I have used Chore Boy wrapped brushes, 0000 steel wool wrapped brushes, Lewis Lead Remover, Shooters Choice Lead remover, Hoppes #9 and KleenBore Lead Away.
 
The sad part is it is a blued barrel and not stainless. If it were I would suggest one of those lead removal cloths cut into patches. They REALLY work well but they will remove the bluing and you do not want that in this rifle.

The only other thing I could suggest would be the Chore Boy. It might take a bit longer but it WILL remove it and not ruin your rifle. Instead of using a bore brush wrapped in the CB, you might try using one of the longer bore mops wrapped from end to end really tight. That should give you a better scrubber than the brush as it won't compress as much and will keep the CB tighter against the bore. Soak it down with Kroil for a couple for days ahead of time and that will also help. Might even use a hair drier to warm it up just a touch while your soaking the Kroil and that will help it get up under the lead quicker. Then when you run your mop, soak it down as well.

I haven't tried it, but have read about quite a few older reports of using mercury. It will dissolve the lead in a jiffy, but you have some REALLY nasty stuff to dispose of when done.

Me personally, I would just alternate soaking and scrubing with the Kroil and CB till it comes out..
 
I have a few cans of something called 'Lead-out', it works. Again, I have copper sheets of material that is sold for sifting, I have nothing to sift so I use the screens to scrap lead from barrels. A similar product is sold for cleaning shogun barrels complete with a holder.

F. Guffey
 
Use any ed's red concotion with kerosene and let it soak, seconds on using a copper chore boy. Next you can get an appropriate diameter brass rod which fits snug, not tight, and pound out that stoppage.

Had a .22 mkii my buddy said started shooting tumbling rounds, tumbling rounds?! After taking it apart you could just see about a 30% blockage in the bore from where a round got stuck and he must've shot through it! Using the above method we pounded out a semi circle slug about 20 grains in weight. Fool was lucky he didn't shoot his eye out!
 
mjm how is the lead removal coming along? I would suggest getting yourself some Kroil Oil and running a well saturated patch down the bore and let it sit overnight or even a day or so.

Then give the bore a good swabbing with a copper bore brush with a few strands of a Copper Chore Boy wrapped around it followed by a tight fitting patch. You should be able to just push the lead right out of the bore as the Kroil's will get underneath the lead and loosen it up.

I bought a 8 oz. can of this years ago and it goes a long way and can be used for many other uses as well. I even add a little to my Ed's Red bore cleaner I make just for good measure.

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...lubricant-protectant-oils/kroil-prod7610.aspx
 
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The Lewis remover with the brass bong screen does worth, but I have a feeling that the microgroove won't work. Contact the maker, and if they say it will work, try that. Lead has to be scraped out by mechanical means. It's a waste of time to try patches and solvents.. I can't help thinking that nothing will work on the narrow grooves but hours of work with a fresh and a solvent that can penetrate the lead and steel boundary and let it be scraped loose. Try penetrating souls or solvents such as wd40.
 
I have used a Lewis Lead Remover sevral times on my Marlin microgroove, .357 mag. It works very, very well.

(Do they make one in .41 mag? I don't know.)

Don't give up. I salvaged an old VZ24 7X57 using strands off chore boy wrapped around a bore brush. I alternated that with sessions of my homemade electrolysis unit. The bore got very clean and now that rifle is my probably my best shooter.


Steve in N CA

update:

They do make a Lewis Lead Remover for .41 caliber:

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...ead-remover/lewis-lead-remover-prod21587.aspx
 
Stubb I rather doubt it, as lead doesn't react to solvents.

Have you seen turpentine recently?

THAT POST WAS NOT MEANT TU SAY STUPID.
 
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