I know this has been discused before, but I don't recall if it was ever determined if this is a safe way to remove lead from a gun.
It involves mixing white vinegar and peroxide 50/50, then filling your gun barrel with this solution and letting it dissolve lead deposits. I have tried this before. It appears to work. When you fill the barrel it bubbles until the lead dissolves. Then you pour off the solution, patch it out, and oil the barrell. It's been a while since I've done this but I think I plugged the bore with duct tape.
I never experienced any problems, but one time I did it on a nickel plated revolver and the solution had an orange tinge to it when I poured it off. Could have been copper. Didn't seem to effect the gun any.
I've also done it on blued steel and SS barrels and didn't notice any bad things. I haven't used it as a standard practice because some people seem to think it can really f###-up a barrel.
OPINIONS ASIDE - Does anyone have any data/evidence that this system works/doesn't work, is harmful/harmless? I wish Mythbusters would take this one on.
BTW, I shoot almost all cast, so something like this is very useful to a shooter like me. I'm just a little paranoid because of some of the things I've heard. My usual method is to use Ed's Red on an old brush wrapped with copper chore boy to remove lead.
I know if you do everything right you shouldn't get leading, but in the real world lead happens, so please don't flame me about that.
Any metallurgists out there?

Vineger is acid. I would think it would remove blueing, possibly etch the metal.

Pour some vineger on concrete and see what it does

Yes acids attack bluing. I suppose the vinegar turns the lead into lead acetate and the peroxide to lead oxide.

I don't know if vinegar will disolve lead. What I do know is that vinegar will remove bluing faster than you go "OH F*%K! and grab a shop rag. Vinegar is used by some CAS shooters to give the guns a premature-aged-antiqued-finished.

VInegar should not be used on firearms . Like someone else said it will remove bluing and rust steel like no ones business.

ONLY FOR A BARREL YOU ARE READY TO THROW AWAY.
The vinegar and peroxide 50/50 mixture will eat holes in your barrel, in addition to lead removal.

I work at a place that does lead casting -- like 1 million pounds a day.....

Anyway....

Vinegar and peroxide work great to clean lead.... in fact, we use it at work to clean off equipment.... even very very expensive lab equipment.

First, I wouldn't let it soak in carbon steel. No way. Rusts the smack out of it in a hurry.

We slosh it on, then scrub scrub scrub..... then Rinse rinse rinse.

2nd.... You gotta clean it back off real good. We use Rubbing alcohol rinse followed by WD-40, but CLP would work great too.

Following those precautions, I have no hesitations about using it on my own guns. I had a 22 that was so badly lead-fowled that it sprayed shots in about a 5' diameter at 30 yards..... Scrubbed it out good with vinegar/peroxide mix with a brass bristle brush.
About an hour later, it shot great again.

Best regards

John

EXPERIMENT:
Step 1 :
Mix equal parts of vinegar and peroxide in a clear container , drop in a couple of lead bullets ( Lube must be removed ) and some steel wool.

Step 2 :
Watch the chemical reaction for a few Min.

Step 3 :
Make your own decision about the wisdom of having this reaction happening in your barrel.

Really , do it, it's really interesting !
Lead bubbles and frosts , you can see the lead being eaten within 60 Sec.
You can also see the rust flowing out of the steel wool in a matter of a few Min.


Travis F.

quote:

Originally posted by catboat:
BOTH acetic acid and HP are mild to strong oxidizers. Rust is oxidation.

Spot on! using an oxidizer in conjunction with acetic acid on bare steel is an invitation for rust.. Especially when combined with H2O which both HP and Vinegar contain. To let that set in a bore overnight is truley bad advice.