I can't get the lead out! HELP!

[Wedge]

I have a Mossberg 500 with the 24" rifled barrel. Regular lead slugs group well in this gun, with Rottweil Blitz's being my load of choice. I have been struggling to clean out the barrel for the past 3 weeks and I can't figure out what to do! The leading is pretty severe just past the chamber (really bad) and then by the ports are the end of the barrel.

I have tried just about everything I can think of. First I used the standard Hoppes 9. I would run some wet patches through. When that didn't work I let the bore sit wet for a little while, then I got out the bore brush followed by some more wet patches. A little came off but not much. I even tried chucking the brush into my drill. The brush would always come out dirty, but not much happens to the major deposit. I tried with my 7.2V and my 18V.

I bought some Hoppes Bench-Rest copper solvent (the stuff with ammonia in it). I followed pretty much the same procedure with the same results. I seemed to get a little more lead out of the bore but not much. I am at a real loss for what to do to remove the lead from the bore.

I need some help!

 

[HSMITH]

You need first of all to pour your Hoppes out on a rag and use it for an air freshener, that is all it is good for. It won't do a ting for leading, but it smells good. Shooters Choice is a superior lead solvent, get some and use it. You'll not go back to Hoppe's after trying it. Outers Nitro Solvent is also a good lead cutter, and it is cheap. Get some, it is a real value in solvents.

For the big leading go down to your grocery store and get some copper "Chore Boy" brand scouring pads. They are a very coarse scrubbing pad made of copper ribbons. It won''t hurt the bore at all no matter how hard you try. Wad some up around your oldest bore brush and just run it back and forth. The copper ribbons will cut the lead from the bore. When you get most of it out get a sloppy wet patch of Shooters Choice and wet the bore thoroughly. Go have a beverage and come back about 10 minutes later, use a NEW tight brush (10ga is better) and scrub the bore. 15-20 passes is fine. Shoot the bore clean with some brake cleaner and have a look. If it is not clean hit it with the SC again and then brush. I would be shocked if it takes more than twice.

BTW, spinning the brush in a rifled barrel only cleans the tops of the lands and ruins a brush. You must brush with the rifling to do any good.

 

[sm]

Rifled barrel correct? If so...

Lead removal is best achieved by mehanical action instead of chemical. Same as using lead bullets in handguns.

Lewis Lead Remover, or Lead Away cloths will work. ( Brownells, Kleenbore...etc.) OR and especially since we are speaking of a large bore diameter, buy a 100% Copper scrubbing pad ( Chore Boy) , unravel and put wisps on a bronze brush, apply machine oil, gun oil , CLP...doesn't matter and run through. The copper will take out the lead. Once the lead is out , probably just patches with machine/gun oil, CLP...whatever until patch clean. USE a good cleaning rod and go from breech to muzzle if can. Or use a Otis cable system.

---

FWIW on a smoothbore, wisps of 0000steel wool arond a bronze brush, chuck the old cleaning rod into a battery drill, breech to muzzle, a couple of passes and done. This works very well and what the guys with tube sets do before changing tubes.

Another easy way for a smoothbore; just use CRC Brakleen ( cheaper than Gun Scrubber) will remove plastic,most if not all lead fouling,... oil patch and done.

Solvents have a place, but sometimes wrong tool for the job. Some are for copper, some for powder, neither work well on lead.

HSMITH...sorry dude , you type quicker than I...you sure we were not bro's in another life?

 

[Wedge]

Thanks for the tips guys. Yeah, I found out that the Hoppes 9 just didn't cut it, and I was about out of ideas. I kind of figured out that the spinning brush didn't do much either, but I tried anyways just because. I have pretty much destroyed my old cleaning kit between everything I have done. At least now I have an old crappy bore brush to wrap the chore boy around.

Shooters choice and chore boy. Got it. Now to try it out. I use old t-shirts for patches since the patches you get in the kits are always so tiny.

This certainly beats setting the barrel on fire to melt the lead out!

 

[HSMITH]

LOL@sm, we might have been brothers. You sure it just isn't that we both have screwed enough stuff up to have a pretty good idea of how not to do things now? I keep thinking that experience is what you get when you screw something up and live to tell about it........

 

[BillL223]

As an alternate to chore boy, I have made patchs out of scotch brite. This can be had in various grades at any good hardware store. I like green. Also work well when spun with a drill on smoothbores. Brownells sells a great heavy duty shotgun patch.

 

[Wedge]

The chore boy and outers helped get the most severe leading out but I still have a bit of lead left in the bore. Not sure how to get the rest out. I will try some scotch brite next. Any other suggestions?

 

[Al Thompson]

If it's just a little lead, try shooting some sabot rounds through the gun. Never did it myself, but Layne Simpson reports that it works,

 

[HSMITH]

Now you need another NEW tight brush, 10 ga brush preferred. Scotchbrite works on smoothbores, it will only get the tops of the rifling. Wet the bore and let stand a few minutes. Make 15-20 passes with the NEW tight brush and then dry and check. That bore must have been incredibly leaded up and it also must be terrribly rough to hold onto the lead this tightly.

When you get it clean get some of the Remington Bore Cleaner, the chemical free kind, or some JB Bore Paste and slather it all over another new tight brush*. Make 20 passes or so and slather it up again, make another 20 passes in and out or so and the clean and dry. That should reduce the leading when you shoot and make it a WORLD easier to clean after you shoot it. If it still is a bear to clean after this I would hit it with the bore paste one more time.

* most rifled shotgun bores have very deep rifling and you cannot get down in the corners of the lands and grooves with a patch and jag as is typically recommended to polish the bore.

 

[sm]

I agree with H , the scotchbrite works only on smoothbores. I hesitate to recommend because I'd hate for someone to pick up the wrong product. Yes I've one bbl that happened to. The old "if one is good, three is gooder mindset" ...Haste did make waste btw.

I tried the Sabot dealie ...didn't work for me all that well. L. Simpson is a pretty sharp fellow, my attempt my have been with a really bad gun,or something.

Simichrome by Happich [yes the same stuff I harp about that I grew up with] I have used in extreme and rare cases. I really like simichrome, as I have used on various precious metals that scratching was a big NO-NO.

I have smoothed out a few rough spots on firearms using it besides the bbl. I just go slow and common sense. "If it gets removed you can't put it back"

 

[Wedge]

I picked up a 10 ga brush today. I'll have to get another one. I'll get some of that paste stuff as well and treat the bore. I am going to hold off on the cleaning for a few days though (I have been recruited to help bake cookies so the gun oil smell just doesn't work...)

Are the brushes considered consumables? I never thought they were until reading your directions HSMITH.

The gun was leaded very badly. I actually thought that the rifling was gone when I first looked at it! The chore-boy did a great job but there is still some left.

Thanks for the help! If I can get this bore clean I think it will be a miracle.

 

[sm]

Yep brushes are consumable...but can be used with some effect on a smaller bore...when you either hit the .22lr size or most bristles are gone you may trash can them.

I really really like chocolate chip cookies btw...hint hint.

Miracles do happen...none make it my way, but others confirm they do still happen. Maybe a donation to Preacherman will help you out...if not, well Preacherman gets a miracle.

You know I'm wondering if you have some mineral spirits and put in the garage , (somewhere to keep from giving my chocolate chip a bad taste/ smell) if soaking might just help in some small way. Muzzle in plastic bucket, fill it up, soak. I dunno...at least you would feel like you were doing something to make headway.

Anyone you know have a Foul Out by Outers? Electro chemical bore cleaning device. Maybe you need one ( hint hint) by the 25th. "Honey I baked cookies, and if you get me a Foul Out, that smell is minimized/alleviated. I could spent more time with you instead of cleaning"

Women , get by with this thinking...about time us guys stuck together and worked smarter not harder.

 

[Wedge]

Good point sm. There are a few days left

I may just have to look into one of the electric cleaners. I think that with a little more work I can get it clean. Just need a few more of this and that...and drop a few more hints

 

[HSMITH]

sm covered it well. I too use brushes until they go bald. Brushes will only really work well a couple times or one good hard session, then they start to lose their "bite". Start with 10 ga brushes to clean 12 ga chambers, then when they don't "bite" in the chamber much use them for 12 ga bores, then when they don't bite there the 20 ga chamber is a good fit and so on.

I do the same with rifle and pistol brushes, and start with 50 cal muzzle loader brushes in the 45's. By the time they are in the 9mm and 38's they are pretty scraggly!!!

Using a brush that does not fit TIGHT is an excercise in futility, move it on down and get a new one. By moving them down you end up saving money since you use them up eventually and never buy smaller brushes. The ease of cleaning with a new brush is also worth a lot more than they cost.

 

[Wedge]

AMEN to that. Before I talked to you guys I had been using the same 12 ga brush that I bought with the gun a year ago. For only 2 or 3 bux a brush, if it can save me just a little aggrevation I will be pretty happy!

 

[sm]

Wedge, add the brushes to the wish list, I mean whilst she is getting the Foul Out and all...

Have her read the post...hey I stay in trouble.

Me, myself and I, usually work the holidays, especially the one coming up. This year, probably get a pizza the night before, and spend the 25th ,if not raining ,down on a buddies farm and shoot. One of the farm dogs and I will probably walk the property, and see what trouble we can get into. Check on things and lock up since they are gonna be away with family and all.

If I stay home due to rain I better turn off my phone...did I mention I stay in trouble?