No. You "slug" the bore. That is, to take a bullet (swaged, or pure lead - needs to be as soft as possible) and gently force it through the bore (usually tapped in with a wooden dowel and rubber mallet; and the barrel is thoroughly lubricated). The slug is then measured with a V-anvil micrometer (expensive) - calipers aren't accurate enough; and a conventional micrometer may not capture the true diameter.
Lead fouling
- Thread starter Pat C
- Start date
No. You "slug" the bore. That is, to take a bullet (swaged, or pure lead - needs to be as soft as possible) and gently force it through the bore (usually tapped in with a wooden dowel and rubber mallet; and the barrel is thoroughly lubricated). The slug is then measured with a V-anvil micrometer (expensive) - calipers aren't accurate enough; and a conventional micrometer may not capture the true diameter.
You only need V-anvil micrometers for odd numbers of lands. They are made for 3,5 and 7 flute end mill measuring and those work for slug impressions of the same numbers of lands. An inexpensive OD thimble micrometer does fine with even numbers of grooves, as you can then measure straight across the slug. In experienced hands and with a reference for calibration, dial calipers may be used, but if you don't have a deft hand at measuring, it's easy to deflect the beams and create an error. In a digital caliper bit error can fool you by half a thousandth. The most reliable thing is to use a micrometer with 0.0001" resolution, whether digital or a vernier scale type, or, for odd numbers of lands, a V-anvil type.
Lead will come and go, depending on the lead, the load, the lube, the gun, the variables are nearly limitless.
I have a 158gr Hard cast lead that I can push as hard as a JHP in one of my 357's, and the bore shows no hint of lead. I can put those same rounds into one of my other 357's and have a mess after a box.
I have never a found a way to "keep it from happening". You just have to know when to stop shooting, because at some point it's a futile effort and could become dangerous if the bore becomes obstructed to the point it causes a pressure problem.
I have a 158gr Hard cast lead that I can push as hard as a JHP in one of my 357's, and the bore shows no hint of lead. I can put those same rounds into one of my other 357's and have a mess after a box.
I have never a found a way to "keep it from happening". You just have to know when to stop shooting, because at some point it's a futile effort and could become dangerous if the bore becomes obstructed to the point it causes a pressure problem.
TheGuyOfSouthamerica
Moderator
How does leading look like in the barrel?
I scraped my 2 barrels out with an brass brush over an white paper and nothing to see coming out onto the paper.
I got last time accuracy of 1.5" on 6 shots total.
Some pictures of leading?
I scraped my 2 barrels out with an brass brush over an white paper and nothing to see coming out onto the paper.
I got last time accuracy of 1.5" on 6 shots total.
Some pictures of leading?
Do a little googling for pictures. I don't have one lead-ed up, and am certainly not going to do so to get a photo.
When you look down the bore, you will notice it if you have any. The grooves will be a different color/have a different "sheen" than the lands.
If you're not dragging any out with a brush over white paper, I doubt you have any to speak of.
When you look down the bore, you will notice it if you have any. The grooves will be a different color/have a different "sheen" than the lands.
If you're not dragging any out with a brush over white paper, I doubt you have any to speak of.
Leading doesn't have to happen. You have to do your homework to prevent it though. Bullet fit is all important, but, throat and groove diameter have to be right also. You need to know the throat diameter and groove diameter - and they have to be correct in relation to one another. You need a good set of pin gauges to measure things correctly.
A 357 for instance, if your groove diameter is .357 your throats need to be .3585 to shoot a .358 cast bullet. If your throats are smaller than the bullet it will be swaged down when passing through allowing gas cutting which causes leading. If you are getting leading at the throats and/or the forcing cone end of the barrel it's probably a throat/groove/bullet size issue. If leading is at the crown end of the barrel the bullet is running out of lube before exiting the barrel.
There are other things to consider such as a rough bore or a constriction where the barrel is threaded into the frame. Powder burn rate is something to consider. Medium fast powders tend to work best for me, but poor fit will be the be the cause most of the time.
A good quality lube is important. Most commercial cast bullets are too hard and have a very hard lube to prevent damage during shipping. Sometimes a bullet is too hard to obturate (sp?) to seal off properly. My tire weight alloy is about 11 BHN and I push them to 1200 fps with no problems.
I shoot home cast from wheel weights in all of my revolvers with very little to no leading, but it took lot of work to get there.
A 357 for instance, if your groove diameter is .357 your throats need to be .3585 to shoot a .358 cast bullet. If your throats are smaller than the bullet it will be swaged down when passing through allowing gas cutting which causes leading. If you are getting leading at the throats and/or the forcing cone end of the barrel it's probably a throat/groove/bullet size issue. If leading is at the crown end of the barrel the bullet is running out of lube before exiting the barrel.
There are other things to consider such as a rough bore or a constriction where the barrel is threaded into the frame. Powder burn rate is something to consider. Medium fast powders tend to work best for me, but poor fit will be the be the cause most of the time.
A good quality lube is important. Most commercial cast bullets are too hard and have a very hard lube to prevent damage during shipping. Sometimes a bullet is too hard to obturate (sp?) to seal off properly. My tire weight alloy is about 11 BHN and I push them to 1200 fps with no problems.
I shoot home cast from wheel weights in all of my revolvers with very little to no leading, but it took lot of work to get there.
shootniron
New member
Buy coated bullets and don't worry...there will be no lead.
I never got much leading with my cast bullets...but I would get trace amounts. I started powder coating about 3yrs ago...that completely ended any amount of lead in my bores. I have never tried anything during my MANY years of casting and reloading, that I was completely sold on after the first time...but powder coating and I have never conventionally lubed another bullet and I have no intention ever conventionally lubing another bullet.
This is 3300 bullets that I just finished casting and powder coating.
I never got much leading with my cast bullets...but I would get trace amounts. I started powder coating about 3yrs ago...that completely ended any amount of lead in my bores. I have never tried anything during my MANY years of casting and reloading, that I was completely sold on after the first time...but powder coating and I have never conventionally lubed another bullet and I have no intention ever conventionally lubing another bullet.
This is 3300 bullets that I just finished casting and powder coating.
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I have been looking for powder coated cast bullets to buy for years. There are only hi-tec coated bullets available, which I was told not the same as powder coated. There used to be one source of powder coated bullets, but unfortunately he closed shop before I could get my first order in.
If there are any other places where they sell powder coated bullets, I want to hear it. Thanks.
-TL
If there are any other places where they sell powder coated bullets, I want to hear it. Thanks.
-TL
Look for threads on the castboolits site in the Coatings and Alternatives forum. There are a lot of them and a lot of application methods.
I got a deal on barrels, I purchased 10 Ruger pistol barrels, all were leaded. I used wire brushes, I used copper/brass screen and I used Lead Out (the Lead Out was another of those bargains). I acquired a case of 12 cans for the cost of hauling it off. The wire brush worked, the metal barrel friendly wire screens worked and the Lead Out worked.
The one thing I do not shoot is jacketed bullets after shooting lead bullets. I shoot jacketed bullets first and then lead. There are those that believe shooting jacketed bullets after lead gets the lead out and I do not agree. I believe it is a strain on the jacketed bullet when it passes the clumps of lead. And there was a time when shooters loaded jacketed bullets backwards, they believed they could shoot it out, again, I believe that is a bad habit.
It the lead is not shot out it is compressed, my opinion; that can not be good for the barrel.
F. Guffey
The one thing I do not shoot is jacketed bullets after shooting lead bullets. I shoot jacketed bullets first and then lead. There are those that believe shooting jacketed bullets after lead gets the lead out and I do not agree. I believe it is a strain on the jacketed bullet when it passes the clumps of lead. And there was a time when shooters loaded jacketed bullets backwards, they believed they could shoot it out, again, I believe that is a bad habit.
It the lead is not shot out it is compressed, my opinion; that can not be good for the barrel.
F. Guffey