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Thread: Dealing with lead buildup and carry rounds

  1. #1
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    Dealing with lead buildup and carry rounds

    I occasionally practice with both a 642 and a 64. I shoot lead at the range - its a requirement if I want to shoot their steel. I recently ran about 400 rounds through the J frame without cleaning. The cylinder was moving freely so I figured it was good to go. When I charged the cylinder with Hornady Critical Defense 110s I found that 2 of them would not chamber due to lead build up. I was able to remove the build up with a brush, patches, solvent, and time.

    Would use of a boresnake or brush at the range be sufficient to keep the build up under control? How about an oversize brush?
    I keep the J frame in a drawer with a pair of SL Variants nearby and I would hate to find that the revolver won't close when I need it to function. I usually shoot 25 or 50 rounds in a session so I don't want to scrub and patch all 5 cylinders every week.

    I guess I could go jacketed but I like practicing with lead.

    Is there another solution to this problem that I don't know about?

  2. #2
    When I shot wheelguns a lot, I used lead reloads pretty consistently. I'd boresnake the chambers every couple of hundred rounds just to be safe.

  3. #3
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    That works? I always found that because the bore snake wouldn't get as good of a fit on the cylinders, it didn't seem to do much...

  4. #4
    Very Pro Dentist Chuck Haggard's Avatar
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    I use a bronze .40 brush for the chambers of my 642s, that and the occasional Hoppes.

    One pass per chamber after a shorter shooting session normally knocks all of the crud out.

  5. #5
    Member rsa-otc's Avatar
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    I'm surprised. 30 years of our company shooting lead training ammo I've never had problems with the lead buildup in the cylinder preventing a service round from chambering. Unless it was after shooting .38 reloads in a .357, then trying to chamber a .357.

    Our problems usually revolved around lead buildup on the forcing cone & cylinder face binding up the cylinder. Or lead building up in the barrel causing groups to open up and shift POI.

    Easiest way we found to remove lead buildup was using a Lewis lead remover. Basically it is a brass screen over an expanding rubber plug.
    Scott
    Only Hits Count - The Faster the Hit the more it Counts!!!!!!; DELIVER THE SHOT!
    Stephen Hillier - "An amateur practices until he can do it right, a professional practices until he can't do it wrong."

  6. #6
    Site Supporter Tamara's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike R View Post
    I occasionally practice with both a 642 and a 64.
    With stainless guns, especially brushed stainless guns, those Lead-B-Gone (actually, I think they're called "Lead-Away") cloths/patches from Kleen Bore are the bomb diggity shizznit for getting cack off cylinder faces and out of chambers. Just don't use them on exposed blued surfaces, because they'll mess up bluing without much effort.
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  7. #7
    Member rsa-otc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tamara View Post
    With stainless guns, especially brushed stainless guns, those Lead-B-Gone (actually, I think they're called "Lead-Away") cloths/patches from Kleen Bore are the bomb diggity shizznit for getting cack off cylinder faces and out of chambers. Just don't use them on exposed blued surfaces, because they'll mess up bluing without much effort.
    Yep they work wonders as well.
    Scott
    Only Hits Count - The Faster the Hit the more it Counts!!!!!!; DELIVER THE SHOT!
    Stephen Hillier - "An amateur practices until he can do it right, a professional practices until he can't do it wrong."

  8. #8
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    I second the Lewis Lead Remover for the bore and forcing cone.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by rsa-otc View Post
    I'm surprised. 30 years of our company shooting lead training ammo I've never had problems with the lead buildup in the cylinder preventing a service round from chambering. Unless it was after shooting .38 reloads in a .357, then trying to chamber a .357.

    Our problems usually revolved around lead buildup on the forcing cone & cylinder face binding up the cylinder. Or lead building up in the barrel causing groups to open up and shift POI.

    Easiest way we found to remove lead buildup was using a Lewis lead remover. Basically it is a brass screen over an expanding rubber plug.
    That would be it, I'm usually shooting boatloads of .38 and a few dozen .357.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by ford.304 View Post
    That works? I always found that because the bore snake wouldn't get as good of a fit on the cylinders, it didn't seem to do much...
    I should clarify that I used a .40 cal bore snake on my .357 revolvers and a .50 muzzleloader snake for my .45 ACP wheelies.

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