Lead buildup-Help!

[sfhogman]

I recently purchased a Single Six in stainless. It's a beautiful, sweet-shooting gun with an incredible lead/carbon buildup between the topstrap and forcing cone. Wire brushes, Hoppe's and Ed's Red leave it completely unfazed. The rest of the gun is very clean and well-kept.

Ideas?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Skalkaho Slim]

Dental pick, x-acto knife, jeweler's screwdriver......

Can you get something in there and scrape it out?

 

[sfhogman]

Tried a dental pick and flattened .22WMR case. I'll see if I can't find an exacto knife- still trying to get something in there...

Jeff

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

You might mix up some vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (50/50) and scrub with that. It should help loosen lead fouling there. Wear gloves. Google using this on barrels to remover lead fouling.

If it needs to soak, you can use clay to build up a dam/cup to plug the bore and hold a puddle of the cleaner in conact with the area to be cleaned.

 

[Salmoneye]

I recently purchased a Single Six in stainless. It's a beautiful, sweet-shooting gun with an incredible lead/carbon buildup between the topstrap and forcing cone. Wire brushes, Hoppe's and Ed's Red leave it completely unfazed. The rest of the gun is very clean and well-kept.

Ideas?

Thanks,
Jeff

Leave it alone?

 

[Cracker-American]

Take Iron Mike Golf's advise and google vinegar and peroxide for lead removal.

It would seem it works but not without side effects I am not willing to risk.

 

[J.Johnson]

I had to use an old knife to get it off my single six.

 

[MikeMcD]

Similar buildup on my revolver finally came off with a solvent and a GREEN scrubby pad... The blue kind does not work. Also, the copper scrub pad (copper ribbon ball type) has worked. The Copper stuff can be cut and used on an old cleaning brush to get lead out of the bore. It is the best way I know to quickly get lead out with minimal abrasion.

 

[NewportNewsMike]

I have good success using Kroil from Kano Labs. It is a penetrating oil that gets UNDER things and makes them easier to remove.

After applying Kano Kroil and letting it soak for a while, lead and carbon build up is easier to be removed by the scraping / brushing method.

Kano Kroil works well for barrel cleaning also. You can get it from Brownells and others.

 

[Rclark]

It's a beautiful, sweet-shooting gun...

Then why bother cleaning that area up? Does no harm and will only get dirty again. I recently did have to scrape with a screwdriver the top strap above the 'gap'. Seems I get a good buildup of lead crud there.

 

[quicksdraw]

I cant stand knowing that there is a build up , I clean in there with a exacto knife but most of my shooting is stainless hanguns these days and would not do it on a blue gun . I do clean in there on the blue ones but with just a brush and solvent and live with the fact i cant get it 100% as clean as i like

 

[arthury]

The usual and effective way to remove lead is to go to Wally world or your local pharmacy, grocery store and get a box of Chore-Boy or Chore-Girl.
Come home, use a pair scissors and cut some strands out to lengths of about an inch or slightly more.
Wrap these around your bore brush and work that brush in the bore again.

Chore-boy is made of copper (soft) and will not hurt your steel barrel but will take out the lead.
AFAIK, this method has been used by many for decades.

 

[Skalkaho Slim]

Does that work better than the Lewis Lead Remover?

 

[COLT_45]

a little piece of lead remover cloth wraped around the brass brush
on the rod works real quick for me.....a couple of swipes.....done.

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

His problem is lead in the tight spot between the back end of the barrel and the top strap. Lead remover cloth and Chore Boy are not going to get in there. It's too tight.

A non-toxic approach might be this: Some thin string and toothpaste. Floss it!

 

[gramps]

I think the problem is baked on carbon. I think I'll try the flossing trick, or make a thin floss like strip of chore boy and give it a whirl on mine. It is too tight to get the rubber eraser in there. The eraser works good everywhere else. Good ideas. Thanks guys. So far I don't have leading with my lswc and handloads-"fit is king". By the way I have never seen Lewis Lead Remover in any of the gun stores in middle Tn, middle Tx, or Alaska.
gramps

 

[COLT_45]

I've gotten the "lead away cloth" in that spot before. Just cut a small
strip, grab both ends, and "floss it"...then a little CLP with a toothbrush
and it'll get cleaned up pretty well.

 

[sfhogman]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the responses. I think I'm gonna go floss my Single Six now.

Best,
Jeff