If done correctly a slightly smaller coated bullet shouldn't shouldn't cause leading. A slightly smaller traditionally lubed bullet can be problematic, but coatings are supposed to negate those issues. In theory accuracy will suffer with the smaller bullets, but most people wouldn't even notice with 9mm.
lead/coating buildup problems, 9mm
- Thread starter Shadow9mm
- Start date
If it were not for the heavy fouling I would not worry about it. But its making the barrel a pain to clean, and that level of buildup after less than 50rnds could cause a much bigger problem if I shot 100 in a day or tried to shoot some FMJ after it....
I suppose you measured with micrometer.
In your 1st post, you said the bullet diameter was 0.3579", which is good for groove diameter of 0.357". The good batch is spot on 0.357", but it is already undersized. The bad batches are out right undersized.
I had similar experience with Penn bullets years ago. The owner promised to replace the order once he polished the moulds larger. He never did, and I forgot about it months after. I haven't ordered anything from them since.
Hope you have better luck with this caster.
-TL
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
In your 1st post, you said the bullet diameter was 0.3579", which is good for groove diameter of 0.357". The good batch is spot on 0.357", but it is already undersized. The bad batches are out right undersized.
I had similar experience with Penn bullets years ago. The owner promised to replace the order once he polished the moulds larger. He never did, and I forgot about it months after. I haven't ordered anything from them since.
Hope you have better luck with this caster.
-TL
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
that was a typo, the 9 was supposed to be a "(" so .357
As it was explained to me, with lead bullets you want 0.001 larger than the groove diameter so they seal properly, which is why I ordered 0.357, as my barrel measured slight large at 0.3555. 0.356 would have only been 0.0005 larger and when I tested some at that diameter it was not sealing adequately, but the fouling was not nearly as bad as what I had with this batch.
calling them today, hoping I have good luck with them as well.
But undersized bullets shouldn't cause a build up like that. Improperly coated bullets or bullets with a compromised coating will cause issues. It's common for people to use .356 bullets in 9mm without issue.
true. However I did hit a couple of the bullets with a hammer. there was no cracking of flaking. it stayed in place on the bullet. It seemed adequately bonded. The only thing I cam think is that with my bore size the bullets were too under sized and not sealing well allowing the gasses to bypass the bullet and stripping the coating and load off...
A bullet should seat into the groves. A leas bullet more so.
I am suspect of the coating that is totally different than bullet grease.
A lot of people cast gazillions of bullets successfully without the micrometer limits we see today. Higher velocity did use gas checks but a quality lead bullet should not need that (and they don't have the base for them unless you cast them yourself)
I did deal with Penn on some question and they got annoyed when I was after details such as seating depth and the groves.
Its a marginal business and I would not expect much out of any of them. Best you hope is generally decent.
I am suspect of the coating that is totally different than bullet grease.
A lot of people cast gazillions of bullets successfully without the micrometer limits we see today. Higher velocity did use gas checks but a quality lead bullet should not need that (and they don't have the base for them unless you cast them yourself)
I did deal with Penn on some question and they got annoyed when I was after details such as seating depth and the groves.
Its a marginal business and I would not expect much out of any of them. Best you hope is generally decent.
For those saying that PC prevents leading with undersized bullets in high pressure ammo, I strongly disagree.
I cast all of my bullets and have shot many thousands of them. I expect zero leading in all of my loads including the ones I shoot in full power magnum handguns.
For low power I use tumble coat, for higher power I use PC.
For getting zero leading, a 9mm was the hardest gun I ever messed with.
I fought it for quite a while. Over at the cast boolits forum, others chimed in. Numerous people found they were getting leading in the 9mm with PC. Most found that the leading went away after they went with bigger bullets and/or expanders. Other things that helped were seating and crimping (really just flare removal) as separate steps and using select headstamps.
I tried to go bigger, but was initially limited due to both my molds and my expander. I eventually managed to get bigger bullets (0.3585"). I also went through a number of custom expanders (each one bigger than the previous) until I got one that worked. Now the gun stays nice and clean (zero leading) with full power loads and fast powder (either Red Dot or Titegroup).
If you decide to try to use up the smaller bullets, you may be able to get zero leading with very light loads. Slower powders can also help. Shooting them in something like a 38 Sp might also be an option.
I cast all of my bullets and have shot many thousands of them. I expect zero leading in all of my loads including the ones I shoot in full power magnum handguns.
For low power I use tumble coat, for higher power I use PC.
For getting zero leading, a 9mm was the hardest gun I ever messed with.
I fought it for quite a while. Over at the cast boolits forum, others chimed in. Numerous people found they were getting leading in the 9mm with PC. Most found that the leading went away after they went with bigger bullets and/or expanders. Other things that helped were seating and crimping (really just flare removal) as separate steps and using select headstamps.
I tried to go bigger, but was initially limited due to both my molds and my expander. I eventually managed to get bigger bullets (0.3585"). I also went through a number of custom expanders (each one bigger than the previous) until I got one that worked. Now the gun stays nice and clean (zero leading) with full power loads and fast powder (either Red Dot or Titegroup).
If you decide to try to use up the smaller bullets, you may be able to get zero leading with very light loads. Slower powders can also help. Shooting them in something like a 38 Sp might also be an option.
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101combatvet
New member
Glock is a nice firearm, but I'll never own one for this reason.
Huh? I'm 99.9% sure this is a bullet problem, not a barrel problem. If it helps, I had similar results with my p365. So I guess you can't ever buy a sig either...
101combatvet
New member
Shooting pure lead bullets? Did someone forget to mention that?
These are powder-coated bullets cast to BHN 13, not pure lead.
I agree with P Flados. I see no reason to expect a polymer coating on an undersized bullet to be tough enough to resist gas cutting that strips the coating off. Its greater flexibility may make being oversized less critical, but actually being undersized is a tough condition to fight. If you have undersized cast bullets and then powder coat them, that can bring the diameter up to an acceptable diameter, though.
Since this thread has morphed from lead cleaning to discussion of cast bullet technology, I am going to move it to the cast bullets forum to see if one of the powder coaters there has more input.
I agree with P Flados. I see no reason to expect a polymer coating on an undersized bullet to be tough enough to resist gas cutting that strips the coating off. Its greater flexibility may make being oversized less critical, but actually being undersized is a tough condition to fight. If you have undersized cast bullets and then powder coat them, that can bring the diameter up to an acceptable diameter, though.
Since this thread has morphed from lead cleaning to discussion of cast bullet technology, I am going to move it to the cast bullets forum to see if one of the powder coaters there has more input.
Just Saturday I fired 49 rounds of 115 Brazos Hi Tec coated bullet thru my 9MM EZ, I ran 8 plated thru it afterward. When I got home, one pass of a dry bore snake, bbl look perfectly clean. The throat in my G19 G5 is very short, I haven't shot any coated bullets in it. It ain't exactly the funnest gun to shoot anyway especially after shooting the EZ.