357 mag SHOTSHELLS do they lead the barrel?

T

TheGuyOfSouthamerica

Moderator


hi ya all,

I have a new proyect running and that is reloading 357 Magnum cases with #5 and #1 lead shotshell lead for snake control.

I am worried the lead will lead up the Barrel. Anyone experience with it?

I reload as follows: primer is Winchester WSP.
First I deprime and resize then prime and Charge the powder (3.0 grains scavenged shotshell powder type Bullseye).
Second I Punch a paper box (cardboard type like Kellog's and other Snack type boxes which are plastified on one side) with an 9mm Punch. Those paper discs are the "wad". First Trial I put 8 paper round discs as wad on top of the powder and stamped them in rigth against the powder. I noticed they took much room from the 357 Magnum case.
Third I weighted roughly 65 grains of assorted #5 and #1 shot from scavenged shotshells and put them in. There is room on top for another 4 paper discs as sealant.
Fourth I put 4 of those previously punched paper discs on top of the lead shot and sealed it with paper (School) glue (is semi solid in stick form). Seems to seal very well.

The paper discs as wad and sealant seal very thightly. I am worried nevertheless for the Revolver Barrel if it will lead it up. The Revolver Barrel of the 357 Magnum is 5.5" and the gun is an Heritage/Pietta Rough Rider SAA 357 Magnum model 1873 Colt SAA blued gun.
HOWEVER I AM NOT USING AN SABOT TYPE PLASTIC CUP AS THEY ARE USUAL I BIRDSHOT OR FACTORY PISTOL SHOTSHELLS. It is NOT an the lead shot whole enclosing wad.

What do you guys think?
I am worried the lead will lead up the Barrel. Anyone experience with it?
 
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How many are you planning on shooting? Enough to create a leading issue? If so, clean the gun afterwards.

Personally, I use the CCI shot capsules with the smallest shot I can easily find - typically #9. Mixing different sizes isn't the best to do with a smoothbore barrel, let alone a rifled one that is going to impart spin and make a donut pattern. These types of loads have effective range measured in feet, not yards.
 
Yes the effective range is measured in feet rather meters. I realised that already.

Allmost worthless are such loads unless it is almost Point blanc. I would say effective up to 3 meters max so good for snakes.

I shot 3 of These so loaded shotshells in 357 Magnum and at 7 meters I did not hit any bird. One failure to fire (I do not know why. Maybe too less pressure).

I notices poor powder burn (unburnt powder is present). More unburnt powder with the 65 grainers than with the 100 grainers (I got about 100 grains of shot into most of them. Finally just filled 'em up).
No hitting at all.

Do not see any considerable leading. Nevertheless I will brush out the gun.
 
It's possible that with large shot like that you won't get leading, that it will grab and rotate and cut the lead without rubbing it off. I don't know. It was a good idea to use the glue stick on the wads.

Since you are cutting up the shot into irregular shapes and even putting a spin on the load, you are right to assume that you're not going to get any sort of pattern beyond a yard or so. You may find that you can't even hit a snake with a lethal hit with it. NOt enough pellets.
 
Don't know if shot will lead the barrel or not. But if it does, Kano Kroil in the bore will cleanly remove any residual leading.

Bayou52
 
yes briandg,

But I am fairly confident if a snake is within 3 to 4 Yards I will hit it.

Yesterday our Chihuahuas were barking endlessly and as we checked they barked at an snake.
I shot it with my 38 spl loaded with 124 grain Lee Truncated Cone TL cast bullet seated as deep as an wadcutter (the whole bullet disappears in the case) as much as the empty airspace in that case is equal to that of an 9mm Luger. I seated it even deeper and got more pressure fro the reloads and more Penetration (penetrated 1.5" softwood and lodged 0.5" into hard Wood).

At the snake I shot 3 shots of the above and got 5 hits along ist Body.
 
As I am from Southamerica we have no lead remover over here availlable.

Only brass brush is the solution and oiling. No Kano Kroil or the like availlable.

I would not even want an "eating" stuff in my non stainless steel gun. The gun I painted with Brownells Aluma Hyde II epoxy gun paint but still it is not stainless steel. I use this aluma hyde 2 on all my guns as well shotguns.
 
Something you may be able to get is a copper scrub pad....all copper, not copper plated steel (you can check with a magnet).

Wrap a little of the copper scrub pad around a bronze brush and push it in and out about three times. Removes lead very well.
 
The key to barrel leading, or not, is the velocity vs. the hardness of the lead (assuming a normally smooth bore, if your bore has rough spots you may get leading at any speed).

Soft lead slugs, or shot should he kept to low velocities. Less than 1,000fps, and 800fps or so is normally just fine.

I saw no mention of what powder you are using, how much, or what your estimated velocity is.
 
44 amp,

I use soft lead cast bullets. No water quench. They may have a high Zinc Content since local wheel wheights have lots of Zinc in it which melts as well.

I have not yet an velocimeter. Can not afford yet.

Since I am from Southamerica I can not get gun powder commercially (is here forbidden). So I scavenge 12 ga shotshells for powder and lead. Primers is not an issue and can be had just are not allways availlable. So a Batch is coming in at local gun store and I will buy about 10000 WSP (we allways have to stock up and think ahead due to lack of reloading supplies). The shotshell powders are all about the burn Speed of Bullseye. So I load them equally (I use 3 brands, one argentinian and 2 spanish brands).
Example: 9mm Luger I seat at 1.044" OAL with 3.0 grains of this scavenged powder and with an 124 grain Lee TC TL lead cast bullet. That cycles my S&W SD9VE pistol reliable. These cast bullets get seated fairly deep in order they cycle reliable.
I ordered another 10000 WSP primers directly from the US and they arrive this month as they told me.
 
dejavu,

Obviously if you are using an plastic Cup (wad) you will not get leading. Plastic fouwling is reasonable you get.

Which is your max range you can hit effectively something?
 
I make my own shotshells for 38SPL.

I won't give the recipe, but I use 1 card over powder and 1 card over shot. I use either 7 and 1/2 shot, 8 shot or 9 shot. No larger.

I have killed snakes at 7ish yards (21 feet) with no problems. Using larger shot will seriously inhibit your chances of hitting your target.

I have not loaded 357MAG shotshells. That would give more shot, but that brass is a little more scarce for me than 38SPL.
 
Leading is caused by trying to drive a cast bullet too fast. Your real issue is the big holes shooting shot out of a rifled barrel will give you. A long stick will be more reliable.
"...shot shell powder type Bullseye..." Isn't Bullseye. You really need to know what that powder is instead of guessing.
Very much doubt 3 grains is going to give you any grief though. That's a start load for 700X with a 148 grain bullet. Weigh your shot and load according to that and you should be ok.
 
I shot today the reloaded deep seated 38 spl. They are seated to 0.100" after flush with case mouth.
I can NOT see anymore bulges near the rim. That may indicate an overpressure issue when seated to 0.125" (after flush).
No detectable leading whatsoever.

I shot an oostrich today with 5 shots from about 35 meters with These deep seated 38 spl reloads (124 grain Lee TC TL .356" diam lead bullets over 3.0 grains of 700X type scavenged shotshell powder). First 4 shots I hit him I believe 2 times (on each side is an entrance wound). Or it may be I hit him once and the bullet exited on the other side but both Look like entrances. 2 misses at 35 meters as I know. Last shot to finish him off from 1 meter.
Yesterday I shot with 2 shots an aligator. First hit in Body and second pressumably on head: just went plain straigth down to the ground of the waterplace.

As well I placed the reloads lubed with animal marker Crayons (Raidl Raidex made in Germany by Hauptner&Herberholz) under hot sun on my truck to see if the Crayon lube starts to melt or seep oils. I put them there for about 1 hour. They could just be touched just barely with the Hands so hot they got (even I notice the primers had backed off a bit from pressure built up of the sunshine). They must have had at least 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. NO MELTING OF LUBE DETECTED NOR OIL SEEPING even when turned upside down.

I guess I have to order an chronograph.

As well I tried one of the birdshot 38 spl. At 5 Yards just one part of an "halfmoon" hit an 200 Liter drum and did not even dent the brittle plastic. It is basically useless for more than 3 Yards and has way to less power (3.0 grains 700X type shotgun powder over about 100 grains filled in the 357 Magnum case). I do not believe an snake will be dead if get shot (just too less energy). But I did not detect any leading at all.
 
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