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I shoot lead bullets in a stainless .357 Marlin. Can I treat this like .22LR - ie clean rarely, or does it need cleaning every time. Currently I clean after each use , but it has been suggested this is not necessary. Opinions please.

It doesn't need scrubbing and can be left, I like to give it a Ed's Red wetted patch followed by a dry patch just to get any fouling "bits" out, I do this with my 22s as well, scrubbing clean is not necessary as unlike those awful condom bullets that build up nasty copper deposits lead bullets don't foul cumulatively.

I haven't cleaned my Marlin after 1000's of lead boolits and it still shoots very well (99 and 98 out of 100 last Monday) and the barrel is clean and shiny.

I regularly patch through with some oil and that is about it with the under levers.

Nitro powder leaves a protective film in the barrel---why clean it out. The only valid reason is lead building up: this is normally caused by undersized bullets resulting in hot gas getting down the side of the bullet and melting the lead. A soft lead bullet will usually "set up" on firing, filling the grooves and avoiding lead build up. The Americans have a thing about antimony and avoid it in cast bullets. Of course, antimony is a great hardening agent, preventing undersized bullets from setting up and thus indirectly causing leading. My lever action rifle is a '92 Winchester in 44-40. I have been shooting it since the mid-1980s. After use, I push a couple of tight dry patches through the barrel and accuracy remains excellent.
Fred

I wipe it out occasionally with edds red.

My Marlin gets cleaned once a year, whether it needs it or not..

Although that is just a clean and lube of the moving parts prior to going to Phoenix... the barrel MAY get a pull through with a dry patch, if I can see crud in there.

I shoot maybe a couple of thousand rnds a year, using the GM Hardcast 158 TC, over Vit 320.

dromia wrote:It doesn't need scrubbing and can be left, I like to give it a Ed's Red wetted patch followed by a dry patch just to get any fouling "bits" out, I do this with my 22s as well, scrubbing clean is not necessary as unlike those awful condom bullets that build up nasty copper deposits lead bullets don't foul cumulatively.

A couple of respondents mention Ed's Red. What is it, can I buy it or do I make it up myself?

ColinR wrote:

dromia wrote:It doesn't need scrubbing and can be left, I like to give it a Ed's Red wetted patch followed by a dry patch just to get any fouling "bits" out, I do this with my 22s as well, scrubbing clean is not necessary as unlike those awful condom bullets that build up nasty copper deposits lead bullets don't foul cumulatively.

A couple of respondents mention Ed's Red. What is it, can I buy it or do I make it up myself?

Google is your friend....

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

Have a look in the Library on here the recipe is in there.
Or I'm quite willing to sell you a 250ml bottle for a £1000.