Author Topic: Lead remover  (Read 935 times)

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Offline GypsmJim

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Lead remover
« on: January 08, 2008, 12:36:02 PM »
What product will remove lead, but not hurt bluing?
Jim

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2008, 12:56:00 AM »
heavy lead usually requires mechanical removel. Ive yet to see a solvent that really worked will on lead. Wrap a bore brush with a chunk of copper chore boy pad you ripped off of the pad or buy a lewis lead remover or buy a otters fould out. those are about the only ways to really remove stubborn leading. First order of bussiness is to find out why your gun is leading in the first place. Light leading in a barrel will hurt nothing but heavy leading should never appear to begin with.
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Offline Reed1911

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2008, 04:22:46 AM »
Mechanical removal as said is the fastest way, however the best chemical removal I know of is mercury. While not cheap and while hazardous it will eat heavy metals off of steel and cause it to powder and settle. We've used this method to remove thick lead deposits on a large number of guns in the past. Plug the chamber, stand on end and fill the bore up and let it sit for a week. If there is combined fouling the mercury will not eat through the copper or nickel.
Ron Reed
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Offline GypsmJim

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2008, 05:10:45 AM »
My main problem is the lead fouling on the front of revolver cylinders.  I don't want to remove the blue on the cylinder.
Jim

Offline Reed1911

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2008, 07:00:27 AM »
You should not have any lead fouling on the front of the cylinder unless your timing is off and it is scraping lead?!
Ron Reed
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Offline GypsmJim

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2008, 07:17:46 AM »
I realize that.  Its an antique and I don't expect to fire it much, if at all.  I just want to know how to clean it without damaging it.
Jim

Offline Reed1911

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2008, 07:24:07 AM »
Oh, well either a copper or nylon brush and your favorite cleaner will get it.
Ron Reed
Reed's Ammunition & Research
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2008, 07:26:07 AM »
What product will remove lead, but not hurt bluing?

WipeOut works slowly, but effortlessly, I'd test it on a hidden spot for a couple days in this case tho, but it doesn't remove the bluing from the muzzle where it drips out, I left it for 3 days one time when I forgot to finish up cleaning a rilfe. ::)

I use it on an inline muzzleloader that gets heavily leaded shooting all lead Powerbelts and max loads of 777, an overnight soak or two and the lead comes out in flakes with just a tight patch.

Tim

http://www.sharpshootr.com/wipeout.htm

SPECIAL NOTE FOR ALL SHOOTERS SHOOTING LEAD BULLETS.

We specifically state that Wipe-out does not dissolve lead.  Most chemicals that dissolve lead produce a galvanic reaction.  This reaction in effect acts like a battery.  In most cases it will etch steel ( both stainless and carbon steel).  It is for this reason that we don't use chemicals that specifically work on lead.

We use chemicals that will dissolve the other metals ( tin , antimony, zinc, etc.) that are incorporated in most bullet alloys.  So we work to destroy the integrity of the bullet alloy, and it begins to come apart in small black flakes.  This process takes about 24 to 36 hours.

So while Wipe-Out™ does not dissolve lead , it will degrade the alloy so that it can be pushed out with a tight patch. 

 



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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2008, 02:54:12 AM »
theres impregnated cloths made just for that. ive never used them and forget what the brand is. Maybe someone else can pipe up and help.  I think there called wipe away or something like that.
My main problem is the lead fouling on the front of revolver cylinders.  I don't want to remove the blue on the cylinder.
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2008, 02:58:42 AM »
blue lives matter

Online Graybeard

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2008, 03:10:23 AM »
That lead removal cloth really does work BUT it's for stainless ONLY it will take the bluing off.


Bill aka the Graybeard
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Offline kenjs1

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2008, 04:09:10 AM »
Anyone try Kroil?

Offline Wingman26

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2008, 10:44:04 AM »
Best way to do the face of a cylinder is a brass bristle brush, they are commonly available.
John
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Offline S A Webbx1

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2008, 05:21:30 AM »
Variation on chore-boy: most marine stores and some well stocked paint stores/depts have bronze wool, usually in three grades.  It wont leave rust stains on your teak decks or remove blue, but is very aggressive on lead.  A prior soaking with kroil works great but I've only done that in the bores.  No reason it wouldn't work on cylinder faces too, I would think.  For bores use a well worn brush or one a size smaller than the bore or you'll be using gorilla grease instead of elbow grease.  The brass wool is a little easier to use than chore-boys but both work great.  Lloyd Smale's comment about not getting bore leading is correct.  Something isn't right with bullet size, hardness, bore conditon, load or combination of these factors or others i've forgotten.  Veral Smith of LBT has some interesting comments on the topic in his book.

Offline coyotejoe

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Re: Lead remover
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2008, 04:07:57 AM »
  Something isn't right with bullet size, hardness, bore conditon, load or combination of these factors or others i've forgotten.  Veral Smith of LBT has some interesting comments on the topic in his book.

Interesting, I've been casting and loading cast bullets for nearly fifty years and seldom have I found a revolver which didn't show at least some lead. Back when I could buy pure Linotype metal I saw very little leading in my revolvers but more recently, with wheel weights and similar alloys, I've come to expect leading. I've shot a lot of the Laser Cast, "guaranteed not to lead" and they leaded every revolver I've tried them in, with pop gun loads on up to max loads, they all lead. The exception being gas check bullets, but over the past several years I've gone to buying jacketed bullets in bulk, just to get away from leading in my revolvers. If you buy cast bullets, or even if you buy bullet alloy to cast your own, you can probably buy bulk jacketed bullets for very little more money. Of course you can't get jacketed bullets in odd diameters, nor in the variety of weights and shapes available in cast lead types.
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