Barrel Fouling

[springerman]

Hi,

For approximately the last 2-3 years, I have been using Eley First 28gm, No 8 cartridges, and whilst I find them an economical cartridge with adequate performance for my standard of shooting, the resultant fouling of the barrels is driving me mad.

To start with, I thought it must be plastic fouling from the wads, so I changed to fibre and the problem is exactly the same. This suggests it must be lead. I get the same problem with all my guns, both SXS and O/U (7 in all) so it isn't a gun or chamber problem. Someone suggested going up to a larger shot size, so I am now using 7.5 and I've even changed to Express English Sporting and am experiencing the same problem. I tried a few boxes of Eley VIP and the result was much cleaner barrels.

 

I deduct from this that the cheaper cartridges use softer lead (lower % of Antinomy) and pretty much, that you get what you pay for.

 

The largest volume of fouling is at the end of the chamber, and in order to get my barrels spotless, as I like to keep them, I have to spray the bores with WD 40 and leave them for a while to allow it to soak in before brushing with a phosphur bronze brush and a homemade "pot scourer jag". I have to repeat this several times to get a satisfactory result. This is both time consuming and messy!

 

What I should like to know is, does anybody else suffer with this problem and how do you go about cleaning your barrels and what products do you find succesful? Secondly, if as I assume, the cause is leading, how does the lead make contact with the barrel, especially at the end of the chamber cone, when it is supposed to be confined in a plastic wad?

 

Your views would be appreciated.

 

Peter

[markbivvy]

brake part cleaner,or carb cleaner.

[Imperfection]

I've been using some RC Sipes and find they leave behind a fair bit of fouling,but a good squirt of Napier gun cleaner down the barrels left to soak for 5 minutes or so then use the bronze brush soon gets it all out.

[libs]

Get a kit that has a dedicated bore solvent, bisley do one that I use and the stuff melts lead away. WD40 is good but its not made for gun cleaning.

[CZ550Kevlar]

WD40 just isn`t a gun cleaner, buy some napier spray, also a bottle of solvent cleaner, it doesn`t take alot to clean your barrels and it lasts ages.

[Windknot]

Any of the centefire bore cleaners formulated to shift copper fouling will remove lead fouling too- Birch Casey Bore Scrubber (foam or liquid) works for me, other brands are available.

 

I don't use it every time I clean the gun, just when the streaks in the forcing cone begin to annoy me.

 

Unlike the wads for steel shot, wads designed for lead will allow some pellets to make contact with the bore of the gun, hence the leading. And fibre wads offer no protection at all- all the pellets around the outside of the column are in contact with the bore.

[bignoel]

i use GT85 or else BROWNING LEGIA SPRAY works for me.

[Vince Green]

Hoppes, 009 or shooters choice are best. You are always going to get some leading, its inevetable.

[springerman]

Thanks everybody for your replies. Today I bought a can of Napier Gun Cleaner and it worked a treat.

Nobody, commented on my question re the softness of the lead. Interestingly, I do not get the same fouling problem when I'm using game cartridges, so I assume it is a lower grade shot used in the economy clay cartridges. Also, there may be something in the suggestion that the smaller the shot, the worse the problem.

 

Peter

[libs]

Cleanliness varies brand to brand. Still, best to clean your gun after every use as impaced grot is what causes pits.

[Warm Barrels]

The smaller the shot the worst the problem becomes.Incidentally most men will clean with WD40 or use Brake oil I clean the Big house guns with a solution of both these 50/50. Lead shot has changed over the years some cheap cartridges are not entirely "round" if you open one up look and you will see odd shape shot,caused when moulton "drop" in manufacture.This scrapes the barrel on ejection.