Cylinder Leading

[Stradawhovious]

First off, please forgive me if this subject has come up before, I didn't see anything on it in a cursory search.

I haven't been shooting revolver that long, to the world of leading in the cylinder is new to me. I'm shooting Lead bullets, so leading is an eventuality, but until now I have only had to deal with it in barrels. My preferred method of lead removal from barrels doesn't seem to work...... at all...... for the cylinder.

Are there any simple tricks I'm missing? I would love to hear them.

[Carmoney]

I shoot a fair bit of lead through my wheels--have for many years--and have always simply scrubbed the chambers out with an oversize stainless bore brush.

[Forrest Halley]

We won't gig ya...

My simple trick is a stainless steel tornado brush into the cylinders rapidly three to five times a charge hole before dragging a bore snake through same twice. This seems to work wonders. I don't seem to have a big problem in one caliber cylinders as much as multi-caliber...i.e. .38 reloads in a .357 or .45 LC cowboy loads in a .460. I noticed that the longer shells would click or clunk into place. The tornado or vortex...whatever they call it took care of this problem and has not affected any accuracy. I would stick with stainless steel as holds up better than bronze brushes. I got mine from the local BassPro for 2 or 3$, but any place with a decent firearms accessory selection should be able to help you.

[Bubber]

Stradawhovius, (Dang thet's hard to spell) I use a Stainless Steel Rifle Bore Brush in the 375 caliber, once through and it is all I need. Now this is in the 38 caliber cylinders but I am sure you can fined the exotic rifle brushes that would work in your caliber. If not FH's post on the Tornado brush should work just fine. later rdd

[Tom E]

Those nice rings in the chambers can be stubborn. I use a piece of cleaning rod chucked in a (variable speed) drill motor, bronze brushes and Hoppe's #9. .243 rifle brush for my 617, .40 brushes for .38/.357, .475/.480 brushes for .45. They don't get cleaned until rounds won't chamber or just before a match. ONLY the chambers get cleaned this way.

[Forrest Halley]

Those nice rings in the chambers can be stubborn. I use a piece of cleaning rod chucked in a (variable speed) drill motor, bronze brushes and Hoppe's #9. .243 rifle brush for my 617, .40 brushes for .38/.357, .475/.480 brushes for .45. They don't get cleaned until rounds won't chamber or just before a match. ONLY the chambers get cleaned this way.

You must be getting some super fast reloads in those chambers. I assume it polishes them to some degree? Mine still has machine marks inside and I'm looking for a solution.

[pskys2]

I had a gunsmith recommend #4 Steel Wool wrapped around a bore brush for leaded barrels, might do for bad cases of cylinder leading.

I've found the solvent can make a big difference. The best I've found is Kroil or Butchs Bore Shine.

Another option for a Stainless Cylinder is cut a square of the Silcone Impregnated Cleaning Cloths and run it thru a few times.

[glockwerkes]

I shoot a lot of lead out of my 625's, and this is the trick:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1290/Product/REVOLVER_CHAMBER_BRUSH

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=23102/Product/HANDGUN_CHAMBER___CYLINDER_CLEANING_ROD

This combo fits perfectly inside of my golf club demooner. If I'm shooting REVO that day, my tool is with me. You won't believe the crud that comes flying out. I actually carry two small pieces of rag to cover the gun while doing this. Lay one piece over the extractor rod cutout in the barrel shroud and the second covers the grip and frame area. If not, these two areas will be covered in the debris that was previously caked inside the cylinder. I wouldn't use it on a blued gun, but for stainless, no problem. Only in the cylinder, never in the bore.

Back at home, try some a piece of COPPER Chore Boy pad wrapped around a worn out bore brush. You can get them at the grocery store. Just cut a small piece off with scissors. Add some Kroil if you have it. This combo will knock it out.

http://www.choreboyscrubbers.com/

PS: I never wait until my reloads get sticky to brush. Every 3-4 stages works for me. Cheap peace of mind.

[Tom E]

Those nice rings in the chambers can be stubborn. I use a piece of cleaning rod chucked in a (variable speed) drill motor, bronze brushes and Hoppe's #9. .243 rifle brush for my 617, .40 brushes for .38/.357, .475/.480 brushes for .45. They don't get cleaned until rounds won't chamber or just before a match. ONLY the chambers get cleaned this way.

You must be getting some super fast reloads in those chambers. I assume it polishes them to some degree? Mine still has machine marks inside and I'm looking for a solution.

Bronze brushes won't polish stainless or carbon steel. I've had people think this was nuts until I cleaned a cylinder they had just cleaned and they saw how much they more crud came out.

Edited May 17, 2010 by Tom E

[Stradawhovious]

Back at home, try some a piece of COPPER Chore Boy pad wrapped around a worn out bore brush. You can get them at the grocery store. Just cut a small piece off with scissors. Add some Kroil if you have it. This combo will knock it out.

Yeah, this works great for my barrels, but it didn't seem to work at all for the cylinders! It seems that a stainless brush seems like the way some of you are leaning. There aren't any worries about this wearing on the inside of the chambers of a stainless gun?

[Stradawhovious]

Stradawhovius, (Dang thet's hard to spell)

Meh, just call me Strad. Its easier. Thanks for the advice! I will be stopping by the local store on my way home to get a selection of brushes to try.

[Keith]

Stradawhovius, (Dang thet's hard to spell)

Meh, just call me Strad. Its easier. Thanks for the advice! I will be stopping by the local store on my way home to get a selection of brushes to try.

He's been called worse names.

[Stradawhovious]

He's been called worse names.

Recently............ At a classifier........... by some guy named Keith.........

[Boats]

I use a short rod that is fixed it won't swivel. Wrap a bronze brush in a patch wet it then roll the patch in JB bore paste. Stick it in and twist a few times.

Cleans nice and only has to be wiped dry with something light, I use Balistol.

Boats

[Beladran]

failure to make sure my bullets would feed one time caused me to buy some bullets from a guy at a local match(major bad idea). I think these bullets must have been pure lead and loaded to the max! I had lead in my barrel and cylinder for days! Everything I tried failed, bore brushes seemed like it only pholished the lead even when using lead remover chemicals. Finally my father in law had a idea. He is a jewler so we put my gun in one of his ultra sonic cleaning machines along with some sort of cleaning agent and left it there for about 30 min. When it was done he took a bronze brush and one section of the cleaning rod and put it in his high speed drill...(think you know were this is going). After a few in and outs with that my barrel and cylinder looked like it did when it came from the factory! Granted my favorite .75cent brush was ruined now but it got the job done. I have also heard of people buffing out heavy machine marks in their cylinders by using a SS brush, Flitz, and a high speed drill

[AzShooter]

.375 brush is ideal setup. Also use MPro-7 and it will get the lead out. You may need to let it stand for 15 minutes but this stuff works better than anything on the market.

[Lentz]

I have a 646 PC and have stickey chambers when i shoot lead or moly bullets. I just had the cylinder chambered to 10 mm instead of 40 cal. it took most of the stickeyness out of the cylinder. When i shoot plated bullets i dont have any problem. Has anyone else had this problem if so how did you fix it? I would like to continue using moly bullets

[snertley]

Part of your leading problem may be your choice of powder you are using. The hotter burning powders will cause the base of your bullet to melt producing increased leading. This can happen with the moly bullets too if the burn is hot enough. Just thought. YMMV

[TonyT]

I have always used an oversized bronze brush to clean out the cylinders - 0.375" for 38 Special, 0.416" for 40 S&W and 50 cal for 45 ACP. Personally I don't use stainless steel brushes in my firearms.

[455]

I have always used an oversized bronze brush to clean out the cylinders - 0.375" for 38 Special, 0.416" for 40 S&W and 50 cal for 45 ACP. Personally I don't use stainless steel brushes in my firearms.

Remove the cylinder, put it in a container with Hoppe's number 9 and relax. Overnight, or better still after a day or two, the cylinder will clean up like new with a phosphor bronze brush.

[21 shooter]

I have used MPro-7 and it works fairly well. Depending on the severity of it, you might have to leave it on for several minutes. I have taken the cylinder off and soaked it overnight, or a couple of days, depending on my free time, and that works if you have the time. I have also used one of the Glock nylon brushes to clean the cylinders. Works good if it is not terribly fouled/leaded.

I also have a bottle of Montana Extreme cleaner for lead/blackpowder that I was told was safe to soak a cylinder in. I have not tried soaking a cylinder in it, but from limited use it works. The downside is the strong smell.

[Phil G]

I have used a tool called the "Lewis Lead Remover" to remove lead from cylinders and the forcing cone on revolvers. It works extremely well and uses brass patches. See a description at Brownells-Lewis Lead Remover

I have always avoided using stainless steel brushes.

Phil G

Edited May 31, 2010 by Phil G

[RePete]

I use a Hoppes Tornado brush in 38 Caliber to clen the chambers of my 686's.