Dealing with lead buildup?

[Runewolf1973]

For those of you who like to shoot bare balls wadded with tow, cut paper, or even wasp nest because it is a historically accurate method of loading....do you also have some historically accurate method of removing the lead from inside the barrel after? Modern solvents and bore brushes just wouldn't seem right to me if I was going PC, but I do want to try shooting bare balls.

One thing that is leaning me towards the bare ball method of loading is the idea that if I happen to dry ball my gun by accident, all I would have to do is pull the top wad out and let the ball fall out. I would be using .600 cal bare balls in my .62 cal trade gun.

Was thinking of trying lichen for wadding material...the stuff that you can get in bags where they sell train models. It is natural lichen and it states that it is non-flammable...

 

[Zonie]

Having been deeply involved with model railroad layouts back in my early years I can say with some authority, that lichen doesn't have the strength to remove lead from the bore of a gun. In fact, IMO, it would be doing good just to wipe some of the fouling out of the bore.
Although it isn't stiff or brittle, if you tried scrubbing the bore with it, it would just crumble.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Having been deeply involved with model railroad layouts back in my early years I can say with some authority, that lichen doesn't have the strength to remove lead from the bore of a gun. In fact, IMO, it would be doing good just to wipe some of the fouling out of the bore.
Although it isn't stiff or brittle, if you tried scrubbing the bore with it, it would just crumble.View attachment 32723

No, the lichen I was just going to try as a wadding, not for cleaning the gun. Do you think it would make a good natural wadding material? I just saw it in bags at the store and it got me thinking....

 

[Zonie]

It might work as a overshot wad but it doesn't have much strength or weight. I think flax tow would have a lot more strength and would be a lot less expensive.
That model railroad stuff is usually VERY costly because it is meant to fill a "niche" market where the dealer has to make a lot of profit off of a small number of sales.

 

[azmntman]

It might work as a overshot wad but it doesn't have much strength or weight. I think flax tow would have a lot more strength and would be a lot less expensive.
That model railroad stuff is usually VERY costly because it is meant to fill a "niche" market where the dealer has to make a lot of profit off of a small number of sales.

LOL like muzzleloading!!

 

[Griz44Mag]

I bought a couple of bags of hemp tow from townsends to use for wadding.
That couple of bags will probably last a very long time. Unless I decide to start making rope or string......

 

[Runewolf1973]

I bought a couple of bags of hemp tow from townsends to use for wadding.
That couple of bags will probably last a very long time. Unless I decide to start making rope or string......

I live in Canada and I don't know anywhere here that sells it. Might have to talk to some farmers, lol.


So anyways, how do you deal with any lead deposits in the barrel? That's my biggest concern.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I live in Canada and I don't know anywhere here that sells it. Might have to talk to some farmers, lol.


So anyways, how do you deal with any lead deposits in the barrel? That's my biggest concern.

As for the hemp - it's easy to grow yourself, and if you have the right kind of hemp it is also great for "medicinal" purposes. (HINT - there are several kinds of hemp....)

Butch's Bore Shine will do a great job with lead removal. I use it in my (others) that I shoot lead boolits in and it does a great job and will not harm the barrel.
You can also use a diluted white vinegar, Just don't leave it in the barrel too long, it will cause rust!

 

[Runewolf1973]

As for the hemp - it's easy to grow yourself, and if you have the right kind of hemp it is also great for "medicinal" purposes. (HINT - there are several kinds of hemp....)

Butch's Bore Shine will do a great job with lead removal. I use it in my (others) that I shoot lead boolits in and it does a great job and will not harm the barrel.
You can also use a diluted white vinegar, Just don't leave it in the barrel too long, it will cause rust!

Thanks! Is it necessary to use the solvent or vinegar every time I clean the gun, or can I get away with just doing a de-leading treatment maybe a couple times a year? I don't really go shooting a whole lot.

From what I've been reading, it seems a lot of guys use a strand from one of those copper chore boy cleaning pads to scrub the bore down as well to get out the lead deposits.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

Well, I am not going to make a recommendation, just a historical comment.
The old-time chemists, doctors, pharmacists (barbers), and alchemists dispensed Quicksilver, a.k.a Mercury, on request.
Shooters could use quicksilver to swab leaded-up tubes, as liquid mercury would immediately dissolve the lead. A simple wiper and some tow was all that was needed to clean badly leaded barrels and restore those bores to shiny condition.

 

[ugly old guy]

Well, I am not going to make a recommendation, just a historical comment.
The old-time chemists, doctors, pharmacists (barbers), and alchemists dispensed Quicksilver, a.k.a Mercury, on request.
Shooters could use quicksilver to swab leaded-up tubes, as liquid mercury would immediately dissolve the lead. A simple wiper and some tow was all that was needed to clean badly leaded barrels and restore those bores to shiny condition.

Wear rubber gloves and have goo ... excellent ventilation if you use quick silver.

 

[smo]

I just use steel wool on a brush or jag....not historically correct.
But it works.

I suspect that historically, that is why we hear barrels were freshened from time to time.

 

[mooman76]

Copper "Chore Boy". Pull strands off and wrap around a bore brush or bronze wool would do it. Strips the lead right out.

 

[SamTex1949]

Im mostly curious that your getting "leading" from shooting a smoothbore ?

 

[Runewolf1973]

Im mostly curious that your getting "leading" from shooting a smoothbore ?

I actually haven't shot it yet. This is my first smoothbore and I haven't had a chance to rake it out shooting yet. I just like to educate myself a little first so if I encounter a problem when I am out I don't have a panic attack, lol.

Had a bit of a panic attack the other day when stupid me ran an oversized cleaning patch down the bore and got the ramrod wedged down the barrel. Thankfully I have a strong vise and managed to pull it out.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I've shot bare lead balls in my smoothbores and have just not had a problem with leading. I'm glad you brought the topic up, because it has generated a lot of good suggestions for removing lead buildup. However, I don't think this is nearly as much of a problem with muzzleloader a shooting real black powder as it is with the suppository guns.

I've owned several cap and ball revolvers, and did a lot of shooting with them years ago, although not so much recently. These shoot unpatched pure lead balls slightly larger than groove diameter. I never had to deal with leading. Shooting undersized balls in a smoothbore, you can expect some gas loss around the ball, but again, I'm not aware of leading in my guns.

Regarding the use of lichen for wadding, I don't see any harm in trying it, but I haven't seen any documentation of it in the literature and I can't comment on its incendiary properties. It's likely to cost more than regular production made card, fiber, or felt wads, or tow, or even jute fiber, which you can make by unraveling jute twine from Home Depot or Lowe's. Where I live (Florida), natural wadding materials are free for the taking... Spanish moss (green or dead), juniper bark, palmetto fiber, wasp nest, hornet's nest... There is probably something you can use in your area, too.

Anyway, thanks for introducing this interesting topic, and let us know what wadding works best for you.

Notchy Bob

 

[Runewolf1973]

I've shot bare lead balls in my smoothbores and have just not had a problem with leading. I'm glad you brought the topic up, because it has generated a lot of good suggestions for removing lead buildup. However, I don't think this is nearly as much of a problem with muzzleloader a shooting real black powder as it is with the suppository guns.

I've owned several cap and ball revolvers, and did a lot of shooting with them years ago, although not so much recently. These shoot unpatched pure lead balls slightly larger than groove diameter. I never had to deal with leading. Shooting undersized balls in a smoothbore, you can expect some gas loss around the ball, but again, I'm not aware of leading in my guns.

Regarding the use of lichen for wadding, I don't see any harm in trying it, but I haven't seen any documentation of it in the literature and I can't comment on its incendiary properties. It's likely to cost more than regular production made card, fiber, or felt wads, or tow, or even jute fiber, which you can make by unraveling jute twine from Home Depot or Lowe's. Where I live (Florida), natural wadding materials are free for the taking... Spanish moss (green or dead), juniper bark, palmetto fiber, wasp nest, hornet's nest... There is probably something you can use in your area, too.

Anyway, thanks for introducing this interesting topic, and let us know what wadding works best for you.

Notchy Bob

Thanks for the suggestion. I will try the jute fiber.

 

[Notchy Bob]

One caveat with the jute fiber... It also makes excellent tinder for your strike-a-light. The point being that it burns! You may not want to shoot it in dry weather, or maybe massage a bit of grease into it, as was suggested in another thread. You don't want to start a fire down range.

A lot of the tow sold by the sutlers and vendors these days is treated with a fire retardant, which is great if you're using it for wadding, but not so good if you got it to use for tinder. I bought some tow from Smiling Fox a few years ago, and found I just could not get a fire going with it. I started the fire with something else, and threw my tow on the flames. The tow still wouldn't catch fire, although it sort of smoldered and disintegrated.

Be safe, and have a good time shooting!

Notchy Bob

 

[Runewolf1973]

One caveat with the jute fiber... It also makes excellent tinder for your strike-a-light. The point being that it burns! You may not want to shoot it in dry weather, or maybe massage a bit of grease into it, as was suggested in another thread. You don't want to start a fire down range.

A lot of the tow sold by the sutlers and vendors these days is treated with a fire retardant, which is great if you're using it for wadding, but not so good if you got it to use for tinder. I bought some tow from Smiling Fox a few years ago, and found I just could not get a fire going with it. I started the fire with something else, and threw my tow on the flames. The tow still wouldn't catch fire, although it sort of smoldered and disintegrated.

Be safe, and have a good time shooting!

Notchy Bob

I came across something at the Dollar Store. These are 100% coconut fiber mats for plants you can find in the gardening section. They are about 3/8" thick and I can punch round wads or roll it into balls. It is no more or less flamable than the jute, so still have to watch for smouldering, but I think this will work and it is way easier than unravelling a bunch of jute twine...

What do you guys think?

 

[flinter1977]

I think I'll have to try this out . way to go thinking outside the box.