The best lead removers I have ever found are several strands of bronze wool wrapped around a used bore brush, a half dozen dry passes is usually enough to strip it all out with no chemicals.
The Lewis lead remover works fine on forcing cones, but the bronze wool really gets it done on bores.

 

+1



Any chemical that will remove lead will also micro etch the bore. You need a variety of acids such as Sulfonic and Nitric and Cyanide to break the bond of fused lead to the steel and dissolve it so it can be removed via a patch etc.

Most of the bore cleaners that say they remove lead are addressing an oxidized lead coating not bonded or non fused lead.

If are worried about bonding or fused lead to the steel and don't want to mess with chemicals that will etch the steel or don't want invest in a Foul Out system then what master "ol shooter" says is about the best way. Won't really remove the fused lead but will keep it down lower then the top of grooves.

noremf(George)

 

I've got a bottle of that somewhere around; haven't needed to use it in quite some time. I've used it with a bronze bore brush to clean a couple of different rifles that had some leading and it did seem to work well as I recall.

 

Thanks everyone for the info. I`m sort of reluctant to use it now as I don`t want to etch the bore. I have a Big 45 Frontier pad, and may just stick to that and Kroil.

 

Shooters choice



Shooters choice will not etch the bore and can safely be used to remove fowling and oxidized lead, which is often called lead fowling and rust. It will not dissolve lead though.

It "cleans" using Naphtha and Ethanol and has some aromatic chemicals in it to make it smell nicer.

Since the "lube" in the formula is Mineral Oil it is only rated as a moderate rust preventative and lube and any that gets on your stock needs to be wiped off immediately as Mineral Oil is a plasticizer which will soften most finishes.

Fairly popular but more so because of the name and advertising then being superior to other bore cleaners such as Hoppe's #9 as an example.

KG12 on the other hand contains the acids and cyanide I mentioned albeit under the "proprietary" classification. KG industries are importers...they don't make any of their stuff and are a private company which makes it a real PIA finding out what is in it and have to drill down to the CAS numbers to see what's in there or find a lab that looked at it and published the findings.

They only have 8 employees none of which are listed as chemists and as an importer there would be no reason for a lab.

noremf(George)

 

Thanks George, you have eased my mind. I`m glad I didn`t waste money on this product and will use it as I use Hoppes #9

 

You are welcome

Lest you think I am some kind of wizard since I posted so quickly the research was done via a question by Sophia a couple of years ago.

By the by Kg12 will simply eat stock finishes.

noremf(George)

 

Lest you think I am some kind of wizard since I posted so quickly the research was done via a question by Sophia a couple of years ago.

By the by Kg12 will simply eat stock finishes.

noremf(George)

George, when it comes to chemical compounds you are the go to person on RFC. We are lucky to have you. Les

 

Lead remover

I have some abrasive paste bore cleaner,
several companies make it
it works on very fouled bores particularly if they have cupro-nickel fouling
however you have to be VERY careful not to damage the bore

 

I have some abrasive paste bore cleaner,
several companies make it
it works on very fouled bores particularly if they have cupro-nickel fouling
however you have to be VERY careful not to damage the bore

I have some JB bore paste, but don't used is very often since it is abrasive .

 

After eight years of being told that one should not use abrasives or strong copper/lead removing chemicals., some one finally gives an alternative.


Clean con Gleam

 

Could you suggest / recommend something that is still in production?

Not having access to a Foul Out, or even know anyone who has one, I was once again on the Jericho Road. Not wanting to cross to the other side to avoid the problem, I tried a few things with some success. The copper Chore Boy pads did seem to moderately work. Took some suggestions posted using Big 45 Frontier pads used in the same manner of the other pad mentioned. The results using the Frontier pad is that it worked at least 5 times faster than the copper. The end results are much better according to the bore scope, but it isn't "spotless" by any means. I then used BT Rimfire Blend, three applications with brushing... until no "dark matter" on the patches. Scoped again and I would say the lead is 95% or better... gone. The little that is left doesn't even show up on the patch with Rimfire Blend brushed with patches. I suppose I'm OK with this procedure. At least it didn't take a few months to see results. Ha! Now I wonder, did I hurt my bore with the Frontier pads? Yes, I did think of this before I started, that is why I used it on a lesser (read cheap here) rifle. Will be at the range with it in a few days. .......... AH

 

Outers Foul Out System

There are some Outers Foul Out Systems around like on EBAY etc.

There are also some videos on how to make one but BEWARE of any current going to the barrel etc. higher then .4 dc volts. If you don't have measuring devices and/or are not electrically inclined then IMO don't try and do it.

Most folks that make their own use 12 volt car batteries and a "step" down control with a built in meter in it or a separate meter to get down to .35 dc volts and timer to shut down "the system" like say after 20 minutes. Really don't want to run more then that before checking the rod and cleaning it.

Number of folks use the schumaker battery companion or even a battery charger and step those down. That way you got the battery charger as one when you don't need it stepped down.

Again the rod is positively charged and the barrel negatively.

Chemical solutions for either copper or lead removal are pretty easy to make.

Comes down to if you want bare metal or you want some fused deposits in the grooves.

From what I know Outers quit making them for two reasons. Fair amount of money and folks that don't know or don't agree with the concept of metal fusion in rifle bore and how it cannot be removed with non acidic solutions. Or maybe they did not even care.

Those of us that have one love em those that don't just chalk them up as another gimmick by a manufacturer to get their money.

I don't have any pics so will have to take the following on faith but a few years ago, maybe 15, a doubting Thomas who had access to a company lab had the barrel of one of his .22 rimfire rifles scanned using an electron microscope after he had super cleaned it with a non acidic bore cleaner. The lead still left in the bore surprised him.

noremf(George)

 

Cleaning with JB Compound..............

For years while working in the gunsmithing shop of a major firearms manufacturer standard practice when cleaning rifle bores that had been neglected we used JB Compound. Our method was to wrap a GI .30 cal. cleaning patch around an undersized bronze brush, JB Compound was applied to the patch and is was passed back and forth thru the bore several passes. After the JB the bore was cleaned with Hoppes saturated patches until dry patches came out clean. This method seldom failed to improve accuracy to the point that is met manufacturer's standards.

 

JB Bore Paste:

This has nearly been beat beyond recognition. It is no longer a paste, it's a smoothie.

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=999505&highlight=Paste

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1115466&highlight=Paste