Unhappy P22 Barrel

[Fooped]

Hey folks,


Anyone know a good way to clean a badly leaded .22lr barrel? I have a Walther P22, and somehow it got away from me in the cleaning dept., and now it's so badly leaded that I literally cannot fit the cleaning rod down the barrel! I've tried hitting it with gun blaster, a hydrogen peroxide/white vinegar solution reccommended to me by another shooter, lots of somewhat gentle coaxing with the copper brush and rod, an copious amount of Hoppes etc.

The barrel is so badly leaded that I actually got the brass rod stuck in the barrel and had to tap it out (very very carefully from the breach side with a rod extension) thussly ruining the rod.

I'm hoping someone here has the "magic bullet" for getting the gun back in operating order. Odd thing is, I probably only shot 300-400 rounds through the gun, and ended up with this condition. Good .22 as well, no cheapie Thunderbolt crap or anything like that.

Anyone?

 

[dwarven1]

Dangerous as hell, but pouring some mercury in there will help.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PROPER FACILITIES TO HANDLE MERCURY!!!!! A vent hood and a respirator spring to mind...

Failing that, I seem to recall an electrical method of cleaning the bore... I'm sure Darius will be along presently to tell us about it.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Wow! I've never had the peroxide and white vinegar trick fail. There's another thing to try:

Kroil penetrating oil gets between the lead and the barrel, and makes the lead easier to get out. You put it in, let it sit, and then use a bronze bore brush on it. I have a can if you want to try it. Say the word and I can meet you someplace. From the sounds of it, you might have to start with a .17 cal bore brush.

 

[drgrant]

Have you tried shooters choice yet? Stuff dissolves lead pretty
readily.

Also, the chore boy copper scouring pad trick works good, tear some off and
ram it down the bore with a rod of some sort.

-Mike

 

[LoginName]

If all else fails... just fire-up a propane/plumbers torch and launch it down the barrel. Follow-up with clean and scrub per previous instructions.

 

[dwarven1]

Have you tried shooters choice yet? Stuff dissolves lead pretty
readily.

Also, the chore boy copper scouring pad trick works good, tear some off and
ram it down the bore with a rod of some sort.

-Mike

Damn... I forgot the Chore Boy trick last night when I was scraping lead out of my P12 barrel...

But Shooter's Choice always does the trick for me when Mpro7 fails.

 

[JimB]

scrivener knows

Get a PM out to him, he mentioned the solution in another thread.

I read about it, can't remember the tool name.

JimB

 

[highlander]

Try JB bore paste sold by Brownll's a very mild abrasive paste made from vegatible matter does a nice job of cleaning badly fouled bores

 

[Cross-X]

As Dwarven1 said, I have always had good luck with my Outers II Foul Out system. It works by reverse electrolysis, and works like a charm, for both lead and copper removal.

 

[RKG]

Looks like I'm alone out here in left field (yes, OK, I'm used to it), but I'd start by asking why this barrel is so fouled.

I've owned scads of .22s in the last <censored> years and to date I've never cleaned the bore in any of them once.

 

[adweisbe]

Looks like I'm alone out here in left field (yes, OK, I'm used to it), but I'd start by asking why this barrel is so fouled.

I've owned scads of .22s in the last <censored> years and to date I've never cleaned the bore in any of them once.

+1
I have to wonder what is going on there.

 

[boomerang]

Looks like I'm alone out here in left field (yes, OK, I'm used to it), but I'd start by asking why this barrel is so fouled.

I've owned scads of .22s in the last <censored> years and to date I've never cleaned the bore in any of them once.

Yup, +2.
I only clean the chamber.

 

[dwarven1]

Really? I always clean the barrel - it's what I was taught. Why don't you clean it?

 

[dvajda]

Fooped

I had this EXACT same problem with my P22 after I bought it. I fired that Thunderbolt ammo, and in 200 rounds, it leaded up the barrel so bad all my rounds were keyholing. I went to clean the barrel, and the rod got stuck, there was so much lead. I could not move it in or out, so I had to hammer it through the barrel with an extension. This ruined the rod, but, the lead got pushed out in a thick one piece unit. It was unbelievable how much there was in there. The barrel was not scratched somehow.

So my advice is, but the rod in, and push till it comes out. Not sure it is safe, but it actually worked for me.

 

[bpm990d]

If it is accumulating lead, the barrel is rough. I'd fire lap it.

B

 

[EddieCoyle]

If it is accumulating lead, the barrel is rough. I'd fire lap it.

B

Can you fire lap a .22 LR?

 

[bpm990d]

Oh yeah,

You need to embed the abrasive into the lead which should be easier than a regular jacketed bullet. The nice thing about a .22RF is that you don't have to clean all the abrasive crap out of your seating die. The NECO kit has everything you need and I've had mine for years. It is enough to last a lifetime.

B

 

[Len-2A Training]

P22s do NOT have barrels as we know them. They have a thin screw-in sleeve. Don't think you can do much that doesn't risk permanent damage to the barrel.

 

[bpm990d]

Hmmmm,

Don't really know much about P22s. Do they have after market barrels available or are you stuck with a rough factory tube?

The fire lap process should just smooth out the rough stuff that is grabbing the lead. I almost never cleaned my .22 rifle barrels, but then they were made by Anschutz and were super smooth, Olympic class barrels. I know a guy that uses a little diamond lapping compound on a tight fitting patch to keep his throat smooth on long range Palma rifles. It might be worth a try if the thing really picks up lead.

B

 

[boomerang]

Really? I always clean the barrel - it's what I was taught. Why don't you clean it?

I can't say why for the other guys, but for me, my guns don't need it. They don't lead, and I'm of the opinion that if it's not losing accuracy I shoudn't change it.
It also seems to me that if lead was used in gasoline for cars, small amounts should be good for your barrel too.

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/22care.htm

I think Len is onto something there. The way the barrel is made may be causing the leading.
Those firelapping kits are pretty expensive. I've heard of people using B's Boreshine, Flitz, Lead-away patches, or Mothers mag polish to smooth the bore if it isn't shining.

 

[bpm990d]

The NECO kits are $70 but there is enough stuff to last a lifetime. They do sell kits with loaded ammo. The .22LR is $32. You can use other stuff but the kits ensure that the abrasive you have is all uniform. I'd fire lap it, but then again I don't have any guns that I have not voided the warenty within the first couple of days. Flitz might work, but my guess is that it might not be abrassive enough if it is picking up that muchg lead.

B

http://www.neconos.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=20&cart=110245

 

[jhrosier]

I wouldn't put up with a .22LR that leads up like that. The best fix would be to send the gun back for service and insist that they replace the barrel with a decent one! There is simply no excuse for a rough bore from the factory.

 

[highlander]

you can get fire lap compound from LBT/Veral Smith for $20 or so enough to do thousands of 22 barrels. LBT is still in business but you'll have to hunt a bit for the web site. If you are in my neck of the woods I have plenty of the compound on hand 20 min in the indoor range and your done.

 

[bpm990d]

Most OEM stuff with few exceptions is pretty rough.

 

[dvajda]

This is an ammo problem though. Once I got mine cleaned and switched to another type of ammo (still lead) I didn't have any problems. Thunderbolt ammo is pure crap, and it has been discussed here before.

 

[drgrant]

I wouldn't put up with a .22LR that leads up like that. The best fix would be to send the gun back for service and insist that they replace the barrel with a decent one! There is simply no excuse for a rough bore from the factory.

The problem is I think even if they did replace it you'd just get another
one that's "broken". This is endemic to the P22 in general... a friend of
mine's P22 also had the same problem. Thunderbolt and other soft ammo
clogs the barrel up with reckless abandon.

Instead of spending all kinds of time trying to "fix" something, it's easier to
just use ammo that doesn't foul it up. There are several types of bulk ammo
that won't cause the problem... rem golden bullet being one of them. We've
put upwards of 500 rounds of it in a session through a P22, and while it makes
the gun filthy, it doesn't clog up the barrel, and you can still hit stuff after
500 rounds of it.

It's a P22.... it's a cheap plinker... expecting a "nice barrel" out of it is a
bit much. Trying to enhance it is like trying to make a silk purse out of a
sow's ear... even if you can do it it's hardly worth the effort.

Although... food for thought... even the shit rem thunderbolt will not clog
up my SW22A, a non-fancy gun that I bought for $165 used.....


-Mike

 

[bpm990d]

I probably only shot 300-400 rounds through the gun, and ended up with this condition. Good .22 as well, no cheapie Thunderbolt crap or anything like that.

Not sure what the ammo was, but not thunderbolt.

 

[drgrant]

Not sure what the ammo was, but not thunderbolt.

My guess is that the P22 doesn't like unplated/uncoated lead bullets.... I've never
really tried much CCI standard vel, or other stuff that isn't copper
washed. Thunderbolt might just be the most obvious brand, but I'm sure
there are others out there that cause the same thing, maybe it takes longer
but the end result is likely the same.

-Mike

 

[jhrosier]

The problem is I think even if they did replace it you'd just get another
one that's "broken". This is endemic to the P22 in general... a friend of
mine's P22 also had the same problem. Thunderbolt and other soft ammo
clogs the barrel up with reckless abandon.
.......
Although... food for thought... even the shit rem thunderbolt will not clog
up my SW22A, a non-fancy gun that I bought for $165 used.....


-Mike

I can't begin to understand the fascination with the P22. A good used Ruger or S&W semi-auto (or even a new one) is reliable and accurate but people still buy the P22 and put up with poor accuracy and unreliability.
I shot a P22 a few weeks ago and found that it could keep most of it's shots on a pie plate at 25 yards. The owner admitted that it would only function with a single brand of ammuntition. Then I took my Ruger Single-Six out of the case and spent an hour bouncing empty shotshells around and breaking pieces of clay pidgeons on the same bank. Prolly hit 4 out of 5 of the clay bird pieces, with plain cheap old Federal Lightnings. My Ruger MKII, Colt Woodsman, and Browning Buckmark will all do the same and the most expensive of these was the Buckmark that I paid $250 for a couple years ago, used. But then, I don't have a am-bee-dextrose magazine release, so what do I know.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I can't begin to understand the fascination with the P22. A good used Ruger or S&W semi-auto (or even a new one) is reliable and accurate but people still buy the P22 and put up with poor accuracy and unreliability.

Jack, let me help you.

I bought one for two reasons:

1. My 11-year old daughter only likes to shoot .22s and she has tiny little hands. The MKIII and S&W 17 are to big and heavy for her so I got a P22.
2. I wanted a small and light .22 for NRA Basic Pistol classes.

I can't speak on the "one type of ammo" thing because all I use are the Federal copper washed bulk packs and it likes that ammo just fine.