Plastic deposits - help

[nodakhorseman]

Hello All,

Previously on the "Smoothbore Forum" there was a thread on how to remove plastic deposits. All great information and I just reviewed all of it.

My question is, however, how do you identify that plastic has lined your barrel?

My question comes from the inspection of my Pedersoli 12 ga S/S bores last night. I bought a light that is dropped down the barrel so I could better inspect the bore and I really didn't like what I saw.

I have only shot Triple Seven (FFg) from this gun and have been real diligent about cleaning it. I would guess that I've only shot maybe 40 shots with lead shot ever and maybe 8 shots with plastic shot cups and steel shot ever, so it hasn't seen a ton of use yet.

Using the bore light, my chrome-lined barrels were not shiny what so ever and the left barrel (which I use far more than the right) was much worse looking.

When using the shot cups, I did use a lubed cushion wad and an OP card, but did not lube the bore after it was completely loaded.

Could I be looking at plastic in my barrels? Any advice? I will try to clean it with acetone tonight, but I'm too nervous to wait for the results and had to see what you guys thought first.

Thanks. --Joel

 

[nodakhorseman]

Also, someone mentioned soaking the barrel with acetone for 20 minutes before brushing it out.

Seems like this would take a ton of liquid to accomplish. Any insight on this? Sorry to drum up an old topic...

 

[ord sgt]

Sorry to hear about the plastic build up in the barrel. You could try some 0000 steelwool wrapped around your ramrod. It may sound harsh but if used with a light touch,it is workable.I have used 0000 steelwool on a rifled barrel with no noticeable wear of the rifleing.

 

[Britsmoothy]

When you are satisfied you have all the soot out I would use wd40 on a bronze brush. That usually lifts it. You can leave it to soak in it if you wish but the problem is it will react with any soot to make a tar substance and if left will not prevent rusting.To finish the job I would wash the lot out with hot soap water and a boiling kettle to dry the tubes out.
Folk seem frightend to use paper shotcups with steel shot. I have seen thick paper cups for sale over here for steel!
Say guys how about wrapping a plastic wad in paper to prevent this problem? :hmm:

Britsmoothy.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If the bores appear dull, you are looking at plastic deposits. Use a bore brush, and a good solvent, like Shooter's Choice, designed to remove plastic to clean the barrel. Give the solvent about 30 minutes to work, and then use the bore brush on it.

Chrome can take quite a large amount of scrubbing without wearing or chipping. But be careful what chemicals you use on it, and how long you let it set. Acetone evaportes rather quickly, so I don't think you will have a lot of problems. WE40 has its own solvents in it, and probably will remove the plastic, too. Just clean it out well when the plastic is gone. Flush the barrel will alcohol to dissolve any of the chemicals that may remain and pour the alcohol out the muzzle. Then run a dry patch down the barrel to dry the chrome. Hard chrome will withstand oils, but they are not really necessary to protect a chromed barrel. Use the oil( I prefer and recommend a vegetable-based, NOT a petroleum-based oil) on the outside of the gun to prevent rusting. A chromed bore will not rust.

Do try lubing the barrels after the load is seated. That will help the plastic shot cups slide over the bore, rather than rubbing plastic off on the bore. The plastic deposits tend to build up with every shot fired, and they ruin the patterns. The same thing happens with lead deposits.

 

[nodakhorseman]

Thank you all very much! I feel a bit better now.

The bores indeed look dull--glad to hear that it should be plastic.

I just picked up a bottle of acetone. I did some internet searching and found many people using acetone to remove melted plastic from chromed surfaces--mainly bikers that melted plastic shopping bags or synthetic pant materials on their exhaust pipes. :haha:

No one reported any reaction of chrome to acetone and all had good results removing the melted plastic.

Anyone worried about the use of acetone?

Thanks all! --Joel

 

[Britsmoothy]

Use it in a draft dude or it'll make your thing curl up :thumbsup:

Britsmoothy

 

[roundball]

"...I have seen thick paper cups for sale over here for steel!..."

Brit, do you have a link to any places that sell paper shotcups ?

 

[nodakhorseman]

Hey Brit,

You got me confused. Not sure what you meant--unless I'm missing a joke.

--Joel

 

[Britsmoothy]

Sorry stupid English humor :haha:

I remember seeing them on an English shotshell reloading supply web site called Clayandgame reloaders.
I think they were a thick card tube, I'll go and have a look,,,,

Found it,www.claygame.co.uk

I don't see the tubes but he is listing teflon sheet???

Hope it helps, he gives a good service FWIW.

Britsmoothy.

 

[nodakhorseman]

Here's the link to the page Brit was mentioning. It's located in the lower right hand corner of the page once you've opened it...

teflon wrap

 

[Britsmoothy]

Thanks.

But I have to say, if I had to use steel I would have to use my home made paper cups but double the paper that I use for lead.

Britsmoothy.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Also, someone mentioned soaking the barrel with acetone for 20 minutes before brushing it out.

Seems like this would take a ton of liquid to accomplish. Any insight on this? Sorry to drum up an old topic...

Remove the barrel from the stock. Acetone will destroy the wood finish. Plug the touch hole or vent. Get a dowel just below bore size. Clamp the barrel in a padded vise. Pour in two ounces of acetone and then slowly slide the dowel in until the acetone comes up to the muzzle. Wrap a paper towel around the muzzle/dowel and clamp in place with a spring clamp.

Then remove the dowel after 20 minutes and have someone light it and beat you with it for shooting plastic in a muzzleloader. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

I don't like any cleaning method that requires pulling the barrel - unless it's a keyed barrel with a hooked breech instead of pinned barrel.

 

[Leonredbeard]

horseman
I got plastic like streaks in my Lefever barrels after firing a box of shot shells thru it. I was NOT using plastic shotcups either.
volatpluvia

 

[nodakhorseman]

My wife would more than likely volunteer to dish out the beating! :haha: :haha:

I hate using the plastic shot cups, but I have two strikes against me--I'm an avid waterfowler and I'm too poor to shoot non-toxic shot other than steel.

Now if I KNEW that a safe paper cup alternative existed, then that would be a different story!

 

[Britsmoothy]

I have spoke to fowling men whome with breech loaders and plastic steel cups still scored their barrels. They also went on to say that it has not noticeably affected performance.
It could I think affect loading a M/L possibly.
You and I have chromed bores, it does not mean we are steel proof but it will help.
If I had to use steel I would try my paper shot cups only for steel I would go to 6-7 wraps of paper around the dowel instead of the usual 3-4 and lubed as normal with something akin to Hodgens spit patch. Or I could line the inside of the paper cup with some shot shell plastic for security!
Come on, a keen fowler like you can do this sitting in front of the fire one evening. :grin:

Britsmoothy.

 

Sweets 7.62 and a bronze brush. Be carefull with this stuff though!

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Paul is right!!

Shooter's Choice will dissolve the plastic residue AND the lead!

Best stuff on the market, good for centerfire arms as well!

Dave

 

[paulvallandigham]

I have used both Hoppe's #9, and Shooters Choice to remove lead. Shooter's Choice does a quicker job on the plastic. I had a chrome lined O/U shotgun, and saw that dull deposits on the barrels every time I shot the gun. That is why I knew what you were dealing with. If it were just lead deposits, the deposits would be shiney, not dull, and for that reason alone, much more difficult to distinguish from the Chromed barrel.

In fact, I have known men who did not realize that they had lead building up in chrome lined pistol and rifle barrels, because they didn't " see it ". A couple of passes with a bore brush showed them what was there. Then, a soak with lead solvent, and more action with the bore brush removed it. They were always surprised at how much lead came out of their barrels.

ABout the only benefit of age is that you have generally committed most of the "stupid Mistakes" to gain an education the hard way by the time you hit 60 years. That doesn't mean you don't have dozens more stupid mistakes to come, but at least you can warn younger people- when they will listen-- about the ones you have already experienced.

Oh, the friend who sold me that O/U shotgun was always wondering why I spent so much time cleaning that shotgun after our shooting sessions! He was the kind of guy who rarely cleaned his guns, and the result was that his guns took trips to a gunsmith every couple of years when they stopped functioning.

When I broke a firing pin spring( coil) the 4th time, and the gun began to misfire, I took it to a gunsmith to remove the firing pin, as I did not have the correct size pin punch to move the pins out. Even the gunsmith was amazed at how many times the spring had broken before it began to fail.

If you use adequate plastic shotcups, there should be no lead deposits in the bore of your smoothbore, of course-- only plastic. Chrome plated bores do make it much easier to clean the stuff out of the barrel, compared to a plain, steel bore.

 

[Gus]

Butch's Bore Shine also removes plastic. Used it a bunch on modern shotgun choke tubes, works great.

gus