Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel - The Firearms Forum

Jake · 11-09-2009, 06:49 PM

Will a stainless tornado brush damage the rifling in in a slug gun? My gun has considerable lead buildup in the barrel and thought a tornado brush might do the trick. Have since switched to Hornady SST's and want the lead out of the barrel. In places it looks like the rifling is full of lead. Was using rackmaster slugs. They shot very well but way to nasty for me.

Oneida Steve · 11-09-2009, 06:52 PM

Overkill. A bronze brush and a good solvent will clean lead buildup out of any shotgun bore.

Jake · 11-09-2009, 07:11 PM

Out of the rifling too?

GMFWoodchuck · 11-09-2009, 07:11 PM

Well since you bought it, you may as well as use it.....Though OneidaSteve is right about the bronze brush.

Jake · 11-09-2009, 07:13 PM

I've got 8 12 gauges so I figured it might come in handy sometime. Works great on my skeet gun.

zb338 · 11-09-2009, 07:16 PM

Stainless steel brushes can really scratch up a barrel. Especially
a soft barrel like a shotgun barrel. I think they were basically made
to be used with stainless barrels.

Zeke

GMFWoodchuck · 11-14-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zb338

Stainless steel brushes can really scratch up a barrel. Especially
a soft barrel like a shotgun barrel. I think they were basically made
to be used with stainless barrels.

Zeke

No, a stainless steel brush won't harm a modern carbon steel barrel. It's a harder metal than stainless. However...Stainless brush in a stainless barrel, well two metals of about same hardness...You do the math.

Shotgun barrels aren't any softer than rifle or handgun barrels to any significant degree.

Claude Clay · 11-14-2009, 04:35 PM

a spiral brush can not get below the lands.....just look at the way they interact, right?

so it will be -0- help in getting leading out of the groves.
i use them only to clean chambers.

for leading & if I'm feeling lazy i use the brass bristle dipped in hoppys lead remover & the cordless drill

GMFWoodchuck · 11-24-2009, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claude Clay

a spiral brush can not get below the lands.....just look at the way they interact, right?

so it will be -0- help in getting leading out of the groves.
i use them only to clean chambers.

for leading & if I'm feeling lazy i use the brass bristle dipped in hoppys lead remover & the cordless drill

He does have a point. A regular brush would be better.

300 H&H · 11-24-2009, 10:57 PM

Clean it like a rifle barrel, because that is what it is, just a large rifle bore/barrel. Bronze brush and a lead solvent, like shooters choice lead remover. Patch it dry when done. Never use a stainless brush unless you are sure the barrel is chome lined. Any thing less it WILL scratch.
Regards, Kirk

Oldeyes · 11-25-2009, 10:11 AM

Speaking here as someone who in the past has been tasked to remove lead accumulation from rifled shotgun barrels that have fired Foster type slugs, my suggestion is that you use a bronze 10 gauge brush along with a good lead removing gun cleaning solvent. In that manner you will be assured to get way down into the sharp angled crevices adjacent to where the lands and grooves join together. And no, the 10 gauge bronze brush will not harm the barrel in the least. It speeds the process considerably.

cakes · 11-25-2009, 11:28 AM

I have had great results with lead remover solvent and a bore snake. It's so easy I feel guilty about it when I'm done.

keithl · 09-19-2010, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake

Will a stainless tornado brush damage the rifling in in a slug gun? My gun has considerable lead buildup in the barrel and thought a tornado brush might do the trick. Have since switched to Hornady SST's and want the lead out of the barrel. In places it looks like the rifling is full of lead. Was using rackmaster slugs. They shot very well but way to nasty for me.

keithl · 09-19-2010, 09:14 PM

should be using sabot type slugs in a rifled shotgun barrel. they don't fowl up the rifling with lead and are stongly recommend by barrel manufactures

old semperfi · 09-19-2010, 09:20 PM

keithl is correct,i rifled barrel should only be used with saboted ammo.the rifleing is meant to spin the projectile.a rifled slug is to be used in a smooth bore barrel to allow some measure of spin to stabilize projectile.i have an 1187 rifled 12 gauge and its sad that ammo is 16.00 a box for five rounds but i only need two.i use one for a buck and one for a doe.the other thing is to use a good lead removeing product.i sqab my barrel and let it set over night. old semperfi

11-09-2009, 06:49 PM	#1
Jake V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 176	Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel Will a stainless tornado brush damage the rifling in in a slug gun? My gun has considerable lead buildup in the barrel and thought a tornado brush might do the trick. Have since switched to Hornady SST's and want the lead out of the barrel. In places it looks like the rifling is full of lead. Was using rackmaster slugs. They shot very well but way to nasty for me. __________________ Definition of gun control: USING BOTH HANDS AND HITTING YOUR TARGET!!! --> Last edited by Jake; 11-09-2009 at 06:53 PM..

11-09-2009, 06:52 PM	#2
Oneida Steve Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,028	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel Overkill. A bronze brush and a good solvent will clean lead buildup out of any shotgun bore.

11-09-2009, 07:11 PM	#3
Jake V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 176	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel Out of the rifling too? __________________ Definition of gun control: USING BOTH HANDS AND HITTING YOUR TARGET!!!

11-09-2009, 07:11 PM	#4
GMFWoodchuck Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 1,369	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel Well since you bought it, you may as well as use it.....Though OneidaSteve is right about the bronze brush.

11-09-2009, 07:13 PM	#5
Jake V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 176	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel I've got 8 12 gauges so I figured it might come in handy sometime. Works great on my skeet gun. __________________ Definition of gun control: USING BOTH HANDS AND HITTING YOUR TARGET!!!

11-09-2009, 07:16 PM	#6
zb338 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Recently moved to Pennsylvania. Posts: 286	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel Stainless steel brushes can really scratch up a barrel. Especially a soft barrel like a shotgun barrel. I think they were basically made to be used with stainless barrels. Zeke

11-14-2009, 04:35 PM	#8
Claude Clay V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Central CT Posts: 451	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel a spiral brush can not get below the lands.....just look at the way they interact, right? so it will be -0- help in getting leading out of the groves. i use them only to clean chambers. for leading & if I'm feeling lazy i use the brass bristle dipped in hoppys lead remover & the cordless drill __________________ teachers may learn you the rules; experience will teach you the exceptions. NRA Instructor

11-24-2009, 10:57 PM	#10
300 H&H Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,796	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel Clean it like a rifle barrel, because that is what it is, just a large rifle bore/barrel. Bronze brush and a lead solvent, like shooters choice lead remover. Patch it dry when done. Never use a stainless brush unless you are sure the barrel is chome lined. Any thing less it WILL scratch. Regards, Kirk Last edited by 300 H&H; 11-24-2009 at 10:59 PM..

11-25-2009, 10:11 AM	#11
Oldeyes V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 218	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel Speaking here as someone who in the past has been tasked to remove lead accumulation from rifled shotgun barrels that have fired Foster type slugs, my suggestion is that you use a bronze 10 gauge brush along with a good lead removing gun cleaning solvent. In that manner you will be assured to get way down into the sharp angled crevices adjacent to where the lands and grooves join together. And no, the 10 gauge bronze brush will not harm the barrel in the least. It speeds the process considerably.

11-25-2009, 11:28 AM	#12
cakes V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Northern Maine Posts: 230	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel I have had great results with lead remover solvent and a bore snake. It's so easy I feel guilty about it when I'm done. __________________ If at first you don't succeed, shoot, shoot again.

09-19-2010, 09:14 PM	#14
keithl Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 2	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel should be using sabot type slugs in a rifled shotgun barrel. they don't fowl up the rifling with lead and are stongly recommend by barrel manufactures

09-19-2010, 09:20 PM	#15
old semperfi Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: i live in southern indiana,old country boy at heart Posts: 1,506	Re: Cleaning Rifled Slug Barrel keithl is correct,i rifled barrel should only be used with saboted ammo.the rifleing is meant to spin the projectile.a rifled slug is to be used in a smooth bore barrel to allow some measure of spin to stabilize projectile.i have an 1187 rifled 12 gauge and its sad that ammo is 16.00 a box for five rounds but i only need two.i use one for a buck and one for a doe.the other thing is to use a good lead removeing product.i sqab my barrel and let it set over night. old semperfi