Barrel won’t come clean.

Scythe · Jul 18, 2021

Bobby-Long said:
To clean lands of smeared lead that happens when cast bullet shooting, wrapping a copper brush with some copper wool strands from a copper wool pad removes chunks of lead at a time. No amount of cleaning with a copper brush would come close to removing caked on lead as fast.

This process literally will get large deposits of lead out in a few strokes. If the barrel is really bad, re wrapping again is required to expose more of the sharp edges of the strands. You only need a little bit, and wrap it tight so you maintain the diameter of the brush as close as possible. If the brush won't push through after wrapping take some wraps off.

I strongly suggest you try this, it will not damage your barrel. Examine the brush for chunks of lead each time you run the brush through.

If this does not work to expose the rifling underneath, I would think the rifling might be worn away, or very shallow to begin with.

I came in here to say the same.

https://choreboyscrubbers.com/chore-boy-products/copper-scouring-pads/

1942sheephunter · Jul 18, 2021

I once had a pre 64 mod 70 in a 270 that shot better dirty than when is was cleaned. I finally shot it out and and replace the barrel but I had shot l 1000s rounds though it before i had to replace it with 60 Gr. H4831 130 gr nosier

APDDSN0864 · Jul 18, 2021

65WSM said:
Kroil is an excellent product for carbon fouling. It has less than no effect on lead fouling. Weigh a lead bullet. fishing bullet or shotgun shot on your scale. Put the lead in a cup of Kroil. Let me know when it dissolves.

Kroil doesn't dissolve anything. It works by getting underneath the fouling, loosening it so it can be removed.
It works.

Ed

arch408 · Jul 18, 2021

jbob223 said:
The old way of cleaning a severely fouled/leaded barrel was to cork one end, stand it vertical, and fill with liquid mercury.
The lead & residue were attracted to the mercury, and drawn out .
Today however, can't recommend that....EPA & health dept. would go into spasms , not to mention the problems if the stuff got away.

Yes mercury would probably work, but good luck finding some. I learned that "trick" from old oil field codgers. You can definitely get the fouling out. You also might try making patches out of lead removal cloth from Birchwood. If it doesn't shoot good, you could have the barrel reclined. Larry Potterfield says you you can do it yourself and I am contemplating trying it. The manufacturer of the liners will do it with some models for a nominal fee. I think yours is of of those models.

Muddyboots · Jul 18, 2021

Try Shooters Choice lead remover for primarily pistols. Word of caution, lead is a serious health concern and when scrubbing out lead from an old barrel, either use gloves or wash hands really good. We sometimes forget about lead when it is being removed from a barrel but it is embedded on brushes, patches, in solution in solvents etc so just be cautious. Obviously no food or drink etc until hands are scrubbed thoroughly.

Dang safety background just won't go away!

Seabeeken · Jul 18, 2021

Bullmark said:
So I have an interesting situation.....my son inherited a a really old octagonal barrel, pump action .22short. The production date is somewhere around 1915, and it's in pretty good shape considering it was definitely used.
We decided to give it a good cleaning. I started running some wet patches through and they were very dirty as I expected. I then ran a brush through and the patches were even dirtier. It was clear that the rifle had not been cleaned in a long time....maybe never.
I'll skip ahead to today, which is about 10 days after my first cleaning attempt. Every single night I've taken at least 25 patches through, some of them front and back. I will use a brush, then patches.....the patches right after the brush are black/dark brown, then they lighten up but are still very dirty.
Ive spent at least 30 min each night brushing, multiple patches, then repeating. I've used a couple different kinds of solvent as well.....they all produce the same results.
When I look through the barrel, I can see very faint rifling, but it looks more like a shotgun.
Ive bought 5 or 6 new brushes and went through an entire bag of patches......the first night I worked on it for almost 2 hours.
What should I do? I'd like it to be clean, but it's wearing me out. Thanks for the advice.

A friend brought me an 03 Springfield a couple months ago. No visible rifling, straight copper streaks on what appeared to be an asphalt rd. I started out with a 30 cal brush, 10 round trips and it was loose. Changed to a 338 brush, 15 strokes and it was loose. went to a 35 cal brush, 15 strokes it loosened a bit but leveled off. My usual carbon removal wasn't working as well so I put a nylon brush on with a patch wrapped around it and put kg2 on it. it quickly got clean after a couple patches. What was in there was zero rifling, just rust pits everywhere. New barrel on order. He has a 303 so dirty that rifling was. Invisible. Again, kg2 get it clean. It was somewhat pitted but had rifling. Must have shot undersized bullets in it. Give kg2 a try. Cleans out easier than jb ime

freddiej · Jul 18, 2021

65WSM, KRIOL will not dissolve the lead. what it will do is get under the lead, and force the lead off the bore and allow it to be scrubbed away with a stiff bronze brush. it has saved me many times in the past with heavily leaded bores in my shop. if the lead remover (brass cloth over a expanding rubber barrel) would not work, KROIL over night and then the lead remover the next morning surely did.

OrionsStar · Jul 18, 2021

I did not see it mentioned or I missed it. CLR is a carbon / rust remover. It will take the bluing right off the steel. Bluing is a type of rust too.
I only use it on stainless steel.
Jim

bigbrad53 · Jul 19, 2021

Bullmark said:
So I have an interesting situation.....my son inherited a a really old octagonal barrel, pump action .22short. The production date is somewhere around 1915, and it's in pretty good shape considering it was definitely used.
We decided to give it a good cleaning. I started running some wet patches through and they were very dirty as I expected. I then ran a brush through and the patches were even dirtier. It was clear that the rifle had not been cleaned in a long time....maybe never.
I'll skip ahead to today, which is about 10 days after my first cleaning attempt. Every single night I've taken at least 25 patches through, some of them front and back. I will use a brush, then patches.....the patches right after the brush are black/dark brown, then they lighten up but are still very dirty.
Ive spent at least 30 min each night brushing, multiple patches, then repeating. I've used a couple different kinds of solvent as well.....they all produce the same results.
When I look through the barrel, I can see very faint rifling, but it looks more like a shotgun.
Ive bought 5 or 6 new brushes and went through an entire bag of patches......the first night I worked on it for almost 2 hours.
What should I do? I'd like it to be clean, but it's wearing me out. Thanks for the advice.

On old 22s I scrub the bore with PB Blaster and a brass bore brush, then shoot it. If I don't like the groups I reline it. Just got done refining 2 old Winchester model 1890s and a Marlin model 1897.

epags · Jul 19, 2021

freddiej said:
65WSM, KRIOL will not dissolve the lead. what it will do is get under the lead, and force the lead off the bore and allow it to be scrubbed away with a stiff bronze brush. it has saved me many times in the past with heavily leaded bores in my shop. if the lead remover (brass cloth over a expanding rubber barrel) would not work, KROIL over night and then the lead remover the next morning surely did.

You say...leave over night. Plug the barrel and fill or just use a wet patch? Thanks in advance.

PNWGator · Jul 19, 2021

I'd just shoot it and not worry about it.

Hal The Slayer · Jul 20, 2021

Bullmark said:
So I have an interesting situation.....my son inherited a a really old octagonal barrel, pump action .22short. The production date is somewhere around 1915, and it's in pretty good shape considering it was definitely used.
We decided to give it a good cleaning. I started running some wet patches through and they were very dirty as I expected. I then ran a brush through and the patches were even dirtier. It was clear that the rifle had

Bullmark said:
ot been cleaned in a long time....maybe never.
I'll skip ahead to today, which is about 10 days after my first cleaning attempt. Every single night I've taken at least 25 patches through, some of them front and back. I will use a brush, then patches.....the patches right after the brush are black/dark brown, then they lighten up but are still very dirty.
Ive spent at least 30 min each night brushing, multiple patches, then repeating. I've used a couple different kinds of solvent as well.....they all produce the same results.
When I look through the barrel, I can see very faint rifling, but it looks more like a shotgun.
Ive bought 5 or 6 new brushes and went through an entire bag of patches......the first night I worked on it for almost 2 hours.
What should I do? I'd like it to be clean, but it's wearing me out. Thanks for the advice.

Bullmark

I had same problem when I received a .22 from my Granddad but due to age difference and times of change I took the barrel off and put it in a Sonic Cleaner.Took it out ran a couple of patches thru it and clean as a new barrel. might save a lot of wear and tear on your barrel also? Tech. has really changed some things over the years! Good Luck and happy shooting

Tatergunner · Jul 21, 2021

OK - some guys like the idea of lifting barrel gunk off and some guys want to talk about what won't dissolve lead. To each his own. I have a different 'sort of related issue' to add to this or another thread. Admin move this to whatever thread is appropriate, please. Take a look at a neighbors AR10- 308 cal (pics attached). The barrel has been cleaned with standard methods (brush/patch), yet has an odd 'side ways thing' that brushing and patching and cussing won't dislodge. I read on various threads that bore lapping/smothing is bad bad bad, yet I can't get over the fact that this barrel defect is not right. Ideas from anyone welcome. I'm looking for constructive feedback. To me this looks like there is a chip of steel lodged sideways that is from a chatter/stall in the rifling process. Pictures show (I think/suspect) there is also a divot where this piece of non-disolvable whatever came from - and I suspect it needs to be gone. Leave it alone and shoot the H out of it, or hook it out somehow?

Veteran · Jul 21, 2021

Where is that feature in respect to the location of the gas tube hole assuming this is an AR-10 with a gas system? Maybe its not, but that's the first thing that comes to mind.

Barrel won’t come clean.

Scythe

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1942sheephunter

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APDDSN0864

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arch408

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Muddyboots

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Seabeeken

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freddiej

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OrionsStar

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bigbrad53

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epags

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PNWGator

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