Leading Python

D

DAL

New member
This may or may not mean anything, but after shooting some 300 cast-bullet handloads through my Python, I found LOTS of leading on the bottom and left side just inside the forcing cone. The other side of the area was clean, as it should be.

Does this sound normal? When revolvers lead, do they usually do it more on one side than the other, or do they usually uniformly lead?

I'm not complaining about leading per se, as I've accepted that there'll probably be some to contend with, but the one-sided leading has me worried that something else may be at work, although I'm not sure what.
DAL

P.S. BTW, I'm shooting fairly mild, I think (I haven't chrono'd them yet), .38 Spl. loads, using a 128 gr. cast bullet over 3.4 to 3.8 grs. of Clays.
 
Python information

When I made Fitz pistol grips for the 70's Python it was interesting that standard 38/357 lead bullets were .358 diameter and The Python squeezed them down and spit them out of a .356 diameter barrel accurately. The 70's Python had a great reputation and the later model less of a Rep.

Try harder bullets and check cylinder play wear.

I still have Target, Olympic and Gunfighter grips for both models and for the Colt Officers Model.

If the attachment works I several left for the old and new Colts and the Smith K frame round butt only left.
 
As Fitz noted the Colts have a tighter bore than do the S&Ws. This is why they will often be more accurate. But you pay the price in having more "leading" to clean out.

it is not uncommon for the chambers to be slightly out of alignment with the forcing cone. There are gunsmiths who specialize in recutting these to perrfection. I think there is even a kit sold for home-brewed repairs. Yours may be out a tad and that's why the uneven fouling. If the gun shoots OK, why worry about it?
 
All revolvers will lead to a certain extent.
I'd check the rear of the rifling and the forcing cone for any damage, or burring.

I have had revolvers that leaded in a certain area, like your Python, that were in 100% proper alignment, and with no irrgularities in the barrel.
They just tended to lead in one place, and there was no reason.

If it bothers you, you could get a bore polishing kit. With this kit, bullets are coated with different grades of mild abasives, and fired with reduced powder charges, to polish out possible irregularities.
These are available from Brownell's and others.

Another and maybe better route would be to have a QUALIFIED gunsmith recut the forcing cone to a better angle. Most revolver manufacturers cut the cone to a good compromise angle for both lead and jacketed bullets. A shallower angle is recommended for lead bullets, and this is what most lead-only target guns use.

You must be careful when recutting forcing cones, since among other things, the outside diameter of the rear of the cone is critical. Cut too much out and enlarge the end of the cone, and accuracy is gone.
 
In the old days Ideal and other manufacturers made, as a "standard special" bullet moulds for Colt revolvers that dropped smaller diameter bullets than the moulds for S&W revolvers. Some Pythons have chamber mouths that are quite tight, near 0.357". If this is the case with your revolver, and if your bullets are sized 0.358", you might try sizing the bullets to 0.357", or even 0.356".

Bob
 
I don't think chamber mouth size is the problem, since a .358 bullet will easily drop through them and leading isn't a problem in the chambers. In fact, as I said, I don't consider leading to be that big a deal, only leading on one side, and even that may not be that big a deal.

In a few minutes, I'll be heading to the range where I'll bench rest the Python to try to establish the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of the loads. I just started using lead bullets again after a long layoff. If bench-rested accuracy is bad, then I'll look at fiddling with the load some more and/or getting some gunsmithing done, as I really like the cast bullets I'm using.

BTW, I do plan on picking up a Lewis lead remover this afternoon. Soaking the barrel in Hoppes 9 overnight and then scrubbing the bore with Remington Bore Cleaner works (the lead falls out in chunks and slivers), but it takes extra time I could use for other things.
DAL
 
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