Coated lead bullets and cans.

[Chainsaw.]

Getting a fair bit past the white line in this discussion, but Im wondering if and of you cheap skates...errr. uhhh... frugal types lile me, who cast and coat your own are using your lead projectiles through your precious NFA mufflers, and if so, what are your findings?
Now Im sure someone will come along and assume all lead projectiles are the same but we are looking exclusively COATED projectiles.
Discuss.

 

[Mobuck]

Even "coated" bullets shed some of that coating in the bore. Where is that material going to end up?
I see what builds up inside "user serviceable" rimfire cans but only guess at what happens inside welded cans. Some folks have different expectations of their equipment and mine don't include globbing up the inside of something expensive and difficult to obtain.

 

[Road_Clam]

I've shot about 500 Leatherhead coated cast bullets through my 300BLK through my Sig SRD762 Ti can and i'm observing a lot of residual debris that gets stuck to the internal baffles when you shoot cast, especially subs. What i'm learning is that you alternate between shooting cast subs then shoot a bunch of jacketed supersonics. The jacketed supersonics will literally "blast" all the debris from the internals clean. The experts claim that a slightly dirty can shoots quieter than a super clean can. I can't really say I notice any difference. But using my bore scope for observing internal baffle cleanliness revealed some interesting findings as I stated above.

 

[GarrettJ]

While the High Tek coated bullets (most common coating used by commercial casters) does keep the bore very clean, it tends to deposit a really hard layer of plastic/carbon/crud inside silencers or muzzle brakes. This type of deposit seems to be much harder to remove than if you were to just shoot lubed lead through the can. I got one can crudded up to the point I didn't feel safe continuing to shoot it.

So I did a test, using a muzzle brake with a removable endcap which I could weigh before and after to get a deposit weight.

I found going to a slightly oversized bullet decreased deposits significantly. But switching to a copper plated bullet dropped deposits to virtually none.

So while I still use a lot of coated bullets for USPSA or general shooting, I stick with copper plated or jacketed for suppressor use.

Full write-up Here.

 

[Chainsaw.]

Roadclam, Garret, those are just the kind of experiences I've been curious about.
Clam I was wondering if shooting supers would clean the can out a little.
Garret, the extra tough residue you are finding is definitely something if a suprise. To be sure you are using purchased hi-tek bullets? Not home coated?

 

[GarrettJ]

Garrett, the extra tough residue you are finding is definitely something if a suprise. To be sure you are using purchased hi-tek bullets? Not home coated?

That is correct. These were purchased pre-coated from a commercial bullet casting company, and their website states they use Hi-Tek coating on their bullets.