Lee Loader

I just finished cleaning my 44-40 that was leaded very badly. I spent a couple of hours at it. Now I find the miracle cure on this forum. I was going to quit running cast through the rifle but I'm going to give it another try. Thanks all for the posts!

Old Scribe wrote: I just finished cleaning my 44-40 that was leaded very badly. I spent a couple of hours at it. Now I find the miracle cure on this forum. I was going to quit running cast through the rifle but I'm going to give it another try. Thanks all for the posts!

What have you done to stop the leading????

mr surveyor wrote:anyone want to guess how well a strip of coffee filter paper works when wrapped around a worn bore brush (need a tight fit, of course) .....

I would bet that it would work just good. I'm a Keurig guy so no filters. Don't know if I could get the K-Cup on the brush and in the barrel?

Yeah, after you mentioned the somewhat abrasiveness of the "wipes", the thought occurred to me to try the coffee filters .... same ones I was taught to use to clean electronic contact points (like the dollar bill trick to clean the contacts of the points on the 60's model Chevys), and the same filters I was taught to use for final wood finishing with oils. I gave it a try before I posted above. I just tore a wide strip out of a coffee filter, folded it a couple of times, and tight wrapped it around a lightly worn bore brush. I had already run a bore snake through my 3" SP101 several times after running a solvent patch... then dry patched. Looked good enough for "carry", but I thought to try the filter paper on the brush. I ran another patch with a couple of drops of Mobil1, then the filter paper/brush. Pretty impressive in the barrel and the cylinders.

I still plan to try the baby wipes ... it just sounds promising.


jd

What have you done to stop the leading????[/quote]

The rifle is an old one my grandfather had. The bore needed lapping - rounds were key holing - so I have run about 20 rounds of cast bullets that had lapping compound using a squib load. The lead and lapping compound were a b**** to clean, but the bore is better now.
As soon as I get into town I'll get some baby wipes and see if there is any residue left.

When I get to the range next time I am going to clean my 40 with the following procedure.
1. rapid fire 15 rounds to heat barrel.
2. brush the bore while hot.
3. baby wipes.
4. bore snake.

I plan on giving the coffee filters a try soon too.

Ranch Dog wrote: I'm a Keurig guy so no filters. Don't know if I could get the K-Cup on the brush and in the barrel?

That right there is funny stuff!

btoran wrote:

Ranch Dog wrote: I'm a Keurig guy so no filters. Don't know if I could get the K-Cup on the brush and in the barrel?

That right there is funny stuff!

Plus, I not sure I would like to see what is actually in those cups!

Ranch Dog wrote:Plus, I not sure I would like to see what is actually in those cups!

What kind of coffee is in those things? Only fresh ground Kona coffee brewed here. Grew up on Kona coffee and even owned and lived on 6 acre coffee farm back in the 70s. Used to shoot mongoose and wild pig outside the back door while drinking the morning brew. Those were the GOOD old days! even had a imu (luau) pit out back too.

Everything I shoot lead in has had the barrels fire lapped and polished. The revolvers have had the cyls reamed to size. I rarely see any leading but occasionally have some in the first inch or so which tells me my bullets are probably a bit soft for the load level and are "skidding" when hitting the rifling. Maybe. But it's never very much and the chore boy with a bit of Hoppes thing has always worked well for me. I've always used old T-shirts for patches afterwards but maybe the baby-wipe (or) coffee filter patch may do better. I'll give it a try. I'll definitely try them on my high power rifle stuff that only see's jacketed. I hate cleaning copper fouling.

As for you "coffee snobs", my wife likes that Keurig stuff, but it only makes ONE CUP AT A TIME.. I'm an "easy keeper", 4 heaping scoops of Folgers Classic Roast in a 12 cup Bunn, (you don't have to use 12 cups of water) coffee in about 2 minutes, it won't float a loaded six-gun but it it would take a horse shoe nail a couple seconds to hit bottom, I like to "sweeten" with a little honey, when the pots empty I'm ready to roll....