# barrel damage



## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

I was cleaning my pistol and noticed in the barrel there are a lot of small (for lack of a better word) bumps up and down the length of the barrel. It is a newer Lionheart 9mm that I bought new a few month ago. Does anyone know what could cause this? I take good care of my firearms and clean them after a day at the range. I use Frog Lube for cleaning and I always use quality ammo. I have no idea what I did to cause this to happen in a new gun and if the gun is safe to continue shooting.

Than you
Evan


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## nbk13nw (Jan 24, 2013)

Any pics of the barrel?


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

What solvent(s) do you use to clean the barrel with? Do you use a bronze brush, synthetic brush? Do you run patches through until they come out clean after a bronze brush? Lastly, are you shooting bare lead bullets, or what type of ammunition are you using? Sounds like you may have fouling build up of some sort, perhaps mixed with too much cold frog lube. If you are using frog lube in the bore supposedly your're supposed to apply it to a hot/warm barrel, and remove excess, and after that only at intervals. I don't know too much about frog lube and if they make a bore cleaner, but frog lube from what I understand is a conditioning agent meant to sink into the pores of the steel/metal over time? I don't believe it's barrel damage, but it's barrel build up of something and/or misapplied or excessive frog lube perhaps. Supposedly, your firearm has a barrel made of forged 4150 steel, and if true, it would be very hard to damage unless rust or pitting was involved, but I doubt that to be the case.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

A good pic of the bore would help but more info is needed-what bullets are you shooting,what lube and cleaning solvents,and what color is the bore.Does it look like shiny raw steel or is it a bit duller?I never used Frog lube so I can't say anything there,but I'm picturing lead buildup because it can appear like that.I never heard of that gun so I don't know of the rifling quality.High quality barrels are quite smooth while lesser quality are loaded with tool marks and imperfections that aggrevate fouling buildup from lead or copper.With copper you'll see an orange streaking and the patches will come out a blue/green until it's completely gone,but I've never seen copper fouling look lumpy.


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

denner said:


> What solvent(s) do you use to clean the barrel with? Do you use a bronze brush, synthetic brush? Do you run patches through until they come out clean after a bronze brush? Lastly, are you shooting bare lead bullets, or what type of ammunition are you using? Sounds like you may have fouling build up of some sort, perhaps mixed with too much cold frog lube. If you are using frog lube in the bore supposedly your're supposed to apply it to a hot/warm barrel, and remove excess, and after that only at intervals. I don't know too much about frog lube and if they make a bore cleaner, but frog lube from what I understand is a conditioning agent meant to sink into the pores of the steel/metal over time? I don't believe it's barrel damage, but it's barrel build up of something and/or misapplied or excessive frog lube perhaps. Supposedly, your firearm has a barrel made of forged 4150 steel, and if true, it would be very hard to damage unless rust or pitting was involved, but I doubt that to be the case.


Hi denner, Thank you for responding. 
I use frog lube on a heated barrel to clean, and preserve. I use a bronze bore brush lightly coated with frog lube (I've always been uncomfortable sending a bare brush thru a dry barrel) and continue until the patch comes out clean. I also run a bore mop after I get a clean patch just to make sure. I have never used bare lead bullets in the gun and the ammos I have used so far is Winchester white box and PMG. This Lionheart 9mm is a pretty new gun and has about 200 rds. thru it. I will try to take a picture but if I had bumps like this on ME, I'd say I had a case of Prickly Heat!!


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

Hi nbk13nw,
I will try and photograph the barrel but the bumps remind me of Prickly Heat if it was on me!


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

rex said:


> A good pic of the bore would help but more info is needed-what bullets are you shooting,what lube and cleaning solvents,and what color is the bore.Does it look like shiny raw steel or is it a bit duller?I never used Frog lube so I can't say anything there,but I'm picturing lead buildup because it can appear like that.I never heard of that gun so I don't know of the rifling quality.High quality barrels are quite smooth while lesser quality are loaded with tool marks and imperfections that aggrevate fouling buildup from lead or copper.With copper you'll see an orange streaking and the patches will come out a blue/green until it's completely gone,but I've never seen copper fouling look lumpy.


Thanks for responding Rex. This is a rather new gun and I have shot about 200 rds so far, using either Winchester white box and PMG. I've only used Frog Lube to clean and lube. The gun has a high quality barrel that was shiny bright but now has a hazy look and the bumps remind me, if they were on me, of Prickly Heat.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Easy Answer: Your pistol has a case of prickly heat.

Try Calamine Lotion.



(Sorry 'bout that—the Devil made me do it!)


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Easy Answer: Your pistol has a case of prickly heat.
> 
> Try Calamine Lotion.
> 
> (Sorry 'bout that-the Devil made me do it!)


Thanks for your Senior Member advise. I was so hopeful for advise by an expert gun owner! I'll give it a try.


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## XD40inAVL (Feb 1, 2013)

On the outside of the barrel, or the bore of the barrel?


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

Since you're not shooting lead and the barrel started out with nice smooth rifling,it has to be something with the Froglube.If nobody else pops in quick I'd hit their website and/or call them,they have to know.Could be something with the CM barrel over stainless.


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## nbk13nw (Jan 24, 2013)

Hard to be froglube. The paste will melt with a slight increase in temp. The liquid is just that. Been using it for a long time and never had any issues. But pics would be nice.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

I don't see another explanation for it.He isn't shooting lead so that's out,it isn't copper fouling and I highly doubt it's carbon fouling.While most people will never do it,the temp in that barrel is very high,enough to anneal the steel if we didn't shoot slow enough to have a cooling effect.I have 2 possible answers:

1. The lube is coming out of the poors and cooling after shooting giving the appearance of lumps.

2. It's a chrome lined bore that's coming apart.

Don't know what else from that.


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

I do you Frog Lube because it came with the gun. I read the directions for use and I did heat the gun barrel with a hair dryer until it was hot to the touch. 
The specs. of the barrel is - hard case chamfered match grade barrel made with forged 4150 steel.
As you can tell I am very new to the gun community and to handguns in general. I know little about them but I am learning!! Still plan to get a picture to you guys but time is tight for me right now.
Thanks for taking the time to help me.


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

In the bore of the barrel. Thanks


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## nbk13nw (Jan 24, 2013)

Are the bumps hard? If you push a bore brush down the barrel they are still there aftetwards? If yes then that would rule out the lube. Still sounds more like fouling. Either lead... lube and patch remnants maybe? something like that.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

Problem is he doesn't shoot lead,he's only used jacketed.True jacketed at that because I've never known Win or PMC to use plated,but even cheap Rem or Speer Gold Dots won't do that.Has to have something to do with the lube or the barrel,4150 is great barrel steel but I have no freakin' clue what hard case chamfered is.I'm gonna have to look this gun up because something isn't right here.

Actually,I have no clue what prickly heat looks like so I guess that's one to look up also.I'm picturing lumps from the posts but I envision tiny zit like things.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

OK,call them for warranty on the barrel.

Prickly heat is tiny bumps,not lumps,simillar to a small zit.

The barrel is hard chrome chamfered.I take it the chamfer is the one at the muzzle to throw a new twist on front lockup over conventional designs.It is chromed though,and I bet there was a batch that didn't get a proper cleaning before hitting the chrome tank.Could be another reason but call them,I didn't look up any warranty info but if they're as proud of it as they seem,they should take care of you no problem.


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

rex said:


> OK,call them for warranty on the barrel.
> 
> Prickly heat is tiny bumps,not lumps,simillar to a small zit.
> 
> The barrel is hard chrome chamfered.I take it the chamfer is the one at the muzzle to throw a new twist on front lockup over conventional designs.It is chromed though,and I bet there was a batch that didn't get a proper cleaning before hitting the chrome tank.Could be another reason but call them,I didn't look up any warranty info but if they're as proud of it as they seem,they should take care of you no problem.


I did not know I could do that since I put 200 rds. thru the gun. That is great news!! Thank you Rex. Thanks to all the members that helped me out. Wish me luck, take care and shoot safe!!
Evan


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

Most gun manufacturers will warranty against defects for the lifetime of original ownership,sometimes extending beyond that.There are a few that only go a year,shows you how proud of their product they are.Kimber is like that (or was) so that's one reason I think so little of them,and their failure rate is quite high for the guns in that price range.


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

*WOW! They should be proud of their guns!!*



rex said:


> Most gun manufacturers will warranty against defects for the lifetime of original ownership,sometimes extending beyond that.There are a few that only go a year,shows you how proud of their product they are.Kimber is like that (or was) so that's one reason I think so little of them,and their failure rate is quite high for the guns in that price range.


Hi Rex, I called Lionheart Industries and talked to their Engineer about my bumps. You are absolutely right about being proud of their guns and rightly so!! He is sending me a new barrel and a free postage paid envelope to return the bumpy barrel. That is customer service at its best! This really is a very nice gun and well worth the reasonable price. While I was on their channel I watched a torture test they did on the Engineers own gun. The gun was froze in a large block of ice. He removed the gun from the ice by shooting the ice with a 12ga shotgun. Then they hit it with a blow torch until it was smokin' hot. They tossed the gun in ice cold water. He took it out of the bucket of water slammed in a magazine and the gun never missed a beat. He stuck it back in the water and repeated the shooting. Not one hiccup. It ran perfect and looked perfect. That gun was his personal conceal carry gun and he is still carrying it. Check it out! Again thank you for your help. I had a good 1st experience on HandGunForum.


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## nbk13nw (Jan 24, 2013)

Awesome Evan!


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

That's great news,it's good to see people that back their products and not just see dollar signs.I'm not in the market for another gun but I'm going look for one next time I'm in a shop.


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## Evan (Jul 7, 2013)

rex said:


> That's great news,it's good to see people that back their products and not just see dollar signs.I'm not in the market for another gun but I'm going look for one next time I'm in a shop.


They are working on the design of a .45 and .40 cal. I am anxious for them to come out. I may be buying a .45 sooner than I thought.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

A 45 is up my alley so I will definately look at one for s & giggles.Gonna be hard to pull a Commander out of my hand but you never know.Actually throw a USP45 for on deck.


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