how to get lead out of barrel

[bluebayou]

I slugged the barrel of my SKS.  It is a Yugo with the grenade launcher thing.  Where the barrel and grenade attachment meet, the barrel necks down from say .40 (the launcher) to .30 (the barrel).  The lead from the sinker is caked up in a ring at this point.  Just ignore it and shoot? 

[gunnut69]

I don't understand, what is the 'sinker'? Is the lead ring in the grenade launcher tube? If so it likely won't hurt the rifles accuracy too much but might cause a problem is attempting to use a grenade! Just kidding!!  I have been tempted a time or two when a gobbler hangs up just a little beyond shotgun range though.. Still It may be a lead ring or remnants of the firing process, including powder fouling..  I would clean it out just for kicks and because it 'might' be a problem in the future.

[bluebayou]

Sorry.  I pushed a lead sinker through the barrel to slug the barrel.  It left a ring of lead at the step down from the grenade thing to the barrel.  Honestly, I figure that lead is not strong enough to affect accuracy like crown damage would, but was curious what anyone thought.

[Keith L]

If I am reading you right you have a lead ring in the launcher part of the barrel, not in the rifling.  But even so I wouldn't shoot the gun until I got the lead ring out of the barrel.  It has the potential for being an obstruction to the exiting bullet and that can cause guns and barrels to blow up.  I would want to make sure that didn't happen.

[bluebayou]

Okay, but how?  I don't want to damage the crown. 

 I am leaning toward just cutting the grenade launcher off.  It is just unneccessary weight (it is unrifled and overbored). 

[gunnut69]

Many times a case that has sufered a headseperation can be removed by inserting a tight fitting brush into the case and then reversing. The hundreds of bristles grab the insides of the case and it somes out. The same would likely work with the lead ring..  Push a 308 borebrush into the muzzle end from the front and pull backwards. It should remove the ring. How does the launcher come off. Most I've seen were threaded on the end of the barrel.. Maybe just remove the launcher. Be sure to check for pins or screws retaining the launcher!

[bluebayou]

It was heated, threaded, and pinned at assembly by what I have read.  It can be removed with a punch and a pipe wrench if you don't care what it looks like afterward. 

Sitting the fence for now.

[BIG Dog454]

SKS gernade launchers are pinned and threaded and then they used some sort of lock-tite. to remove it , first remove the pin then heat the launcher and screw it off.  once you begin unthreading it, it'll come off easily.

[gunnut69]

I wouldn't use a pipe wrench as it will likely damage the launcher, even with a leather proptector in place. Use a strap wrench and wrap it twice. For traction I would use rubber strips the width of the strap. I cut them from old inner tubes or sheet rubber used to prevent seepage leaks around overflow pipes in pond dams.. Heat the launcher just until it's too hot to hold. With the barreled action clamped in a vise protected with soft jaws, it will remove easy..