getting the lead out of a 9mm (pistol)

[mauserand9mm]

I've been using hard cast, synthetic coated, off-the-shelf projectiles in my 9mm semi-auto for many years now. They are rated up to 1700fps without any fouling of the barrel. They are probably only doing 1000fps. Of late, about 1/3 go sideways through the target even at 8 yards. They are the correct size (not a bad batch) and the barrel require more patches to clean out afterwards. The first couple of patches are very dark grey aka lead-coloured.

The last couple of patches come out with minimal muck but I think it may still be lead coated (or maybe the synthetic coatong?). Looking down the inside of barrel it is super shiny (a little bit too shiny for bare steel I think) and the rifling is evident from the breech end, but looking down the barrel from the muzzle end it is much harder to see the rifling. Looking into the muzzle at an angle the rifling grooves appear very dark and the lands almost look slightly copper fouled in contrast (but they aren't).

I've never seen this type of fouling before. I had used a batch of un-marked brand projectiles (ie dodgy) in this pistol before that left streaks of lead in the barrel. This was very evident and was eventually removed. I've had similar streak fouling when using cast in rifles.

I'm going to try using copper jacketed projectiles through the 9mm to see if that makes a difference and to confirm that they don't go sideways. It's been a while since I shot copper through it but have projectiles and a load that didn't go sideways previously.

Anyone have thought/ideas on this one?

[GH1]

Assuming you've been using the same brand of bullets all these years, you might want to think about contacting the manufacturer to see if something in their process has changed. Perhaps a lube or alloy change, maybe even a mold change.
GH1

[Goatwhiskers]

Before you do anything else, take a bronze bore brush and wrap it in enough bronze wool to make a tight fit in the barrel and give it 18 or 20 strokes.  If it's lead this will remove it.  Then slug your barrel do determine bore and groove size, then order your bullets .001-.002" over groove size.  This should stop the leading.  Goat

[Bigeasy]

Like Goat said above, slug your barrel with an over sized dead soft lead ball, and use bullets cast .001 / 002 over.  "Chore Boy" copper pot cleaning pads work great wrapped around a brush to remove the leading.  Same basic system as the commercial Lewis Lead Remover.  The fact that these bullets used to shoot well indicates leading to me.  It can be hard to see sometimes.  A lot of guys seem to find using a cast bullet with a copper gas check goes a long way in reducing leading and improving accuracy in the 9mm, though I have found it not necessary if properly sized and lubed bullets are used.  I should note that bullets with flat bases as opposed to beveled, and using fast powders can also help.
 
Larry

[hillbill]

Like Goat said above, slug your barrel with an over sized dead soft lead ball, and use bullets cast .001 / 002 over.  "Chore Boy" copper pot cleaning pads work great wrapped around a brush to remove the leading.  Same basic system as the commercial Lewis Lead Remover.  The fact that these bullets used to shoot well indicates leading to me.  It can be hard to see sometimes.  A lot of guys seem to find using a cast bullet with a copper gas check goes a long way in reducing leading and improving accuracy in the 9mm, though I have found it not necessary if properly sized and lubed bullets are used.  I should note that bullets with flat bases as opposed to beveled, and using fast powders can also help.
 
Larry

yeah the chore boy wool does wonders. a few passes and lead is out.but yu still have to find out what is cauesing it. sumpin aint the rite size

[Dinny]

I've been using this for years. Work great!

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=21587/Product/LEWIS-LEAD-REMOVER

Thanks, Dinny

[Lloyd Smale]

could be that synthetic lube is fouling your barrel to the point that the rifling isnt spinning the bullet enough anymore. Just because a bullet manufacture says his bullets will run 1700 fps doesnt make it so. Very few bullets will run that fast without a gas check. Ive never had great luck with coated bullets, even lees tumble lube can be lacking in some guns.  Id scrap the coated bullets and buy yourself some conventional lubed bullets from a manufacture that uses a soft lube. Better yet for the price of a couple thousand of those comercial bullets you could buy everything to make your own.

[mauserand9mm]

It too me 6 months to do something about it, but I finally went out and bought some Kleen Bore Lead Away cloth. I've put a few patches through and they come out absolutely black. The land/groove junction of the rifling is becoming more apparent when I look down the bore now - it's like is was filled with fouling.

Before I did that, I tried some jacketed rounds and they all fired okay with nice round holes in the target - this didn't help clean the bore out though, and the key holing continued with the lead projectiles afterwards.

I haven't tried the lead since I cleaned the barrel. Still not sure what caused the problem - the diameter is what they say they should be and this is the same as I've used over the years. The coating would be the only remaining suspect.
 
That Lead Away cloth is a little bit scary, although there are no health cautions printed on the packet. It doesn't take much effort to shift the lead. There are some relatively "mild" chemicals that will convert the lead and remove it, but the converted compound is bad and can result in lead absorbtion through the skin. Still, must be safe though, otherwise (in this day and age) they would have to tell you otherwise.

[gypsyman]

You might want to take the gun apart, and soak it in some Kroil. Excellent penatrating oil, and will not affect the steel. Some solvents have alot of amonia, and you wouldn't want to leave the barrel in any of that. Wrapping a small amount of brass scratch pad around a bore brush does a quick job, as somebody has suggested. gypsyman

[anachronism]

I once bought a used 686 S&W that had a really shiny, almost polished looking bore. It was terribly inaccurate, so I decided to do a full cleaning, even though it didn't appear to really need it. My Outers "Foul Out" removed a very large amount of lead from the bore, which must not have seen daylight for a long time. I had to change solutions 3 times before it came clean. The cylinder throats were about as bad as the bore, and the forcing cone was heavily covered too. I suggest you try the "Chore Boy" route, and you'll quickly know if there's any leading in the bore. Be careful to used only the copper version, stainless steel can damage your barrel. If you buy an off brand, check it with a magnet before using, some are copper plated steel.

[mauserand9mm]

I'm always keen to go for a chemical method rather than mechanical (inherent laziness? ). The Lead Away cloth works really well and without much effort at all.
Believe it or not, but I couldn't find bronze wool pads in the supermarkets over here. I was going to go to the hardware store (they should have them - Bunnings have everything) but came across the Lead Away idea and found them at the gun store - I spend more time in gun stores than hardware shops I guess.

[rdlange]

100% copper scrub pads were hard to find in my local stores, so I had to order a whole box on line.  Make sure they're not just copper mesh over a sponge center.!!!  OK because we can also use on copper cookware.  Lots of Chinese 'copper plated' steel in grocery stores.  Copper's too expensive now days I guess.

[Hairy Chest]

Only time I ever got leading was with a Bear Tooth PB 240 I tried to shoot in 44 mag rifle using H110.  It is sized to perfect fit, think it had LBT blue on it, but it was probably air cooled and couldn't take the velocity, or it being too soft it probably obturated and leaded the barrel.  The water dropped Ranch Dog bullet with GC gave me 1" groups at 100 yards.  The rest of those store bought bullets got melted and turned into real winners. 

[ventura guy]

I use the copper or brass brillo pad type scrubber from the grocery store. Just cut and wrap around old bore brush. Only takes a few swipes and the bore is clean. Forget the chemicals.