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Why are lead bullets "bad'?
- Thread starter o-town
- Start date
I don't think lead bullets are looked down upon. They are not for some guns such as the glock, but that can be overcome with a simple barel change. Lead bullets may make cleaning a little more difficult but that doesn't mean they aren't any good. They are definetly cheaper and that has to be a plus.
Michael Goeing
Michael Goeing
Mike Irwin
Staff
I haven't loaded a jacketed bullet in probably 5 years.
I certainly don't look down on lead.
I certainly don't look down on lead.
muzzletalk
New member
Some people try to create the same round out of a lead bullet as they do a plated one. You can't do this without creation havoc on your barrel. The velocities are too high. Take a 40 shooting at 1100 fps. If you take a lead bullet and pass it through a barrel at that speed, allot of it will melt in your barrel. Allot of this is depending on the hardness of the lead.
aside from the melting of the lead at high velocity when you are not using lead at the higher brinell hardnesses, you have the lead smoke when firing which can both obscure some vision and slow you down, should you be in competition, and worse, inhale the stuff. Lead dust is no good for you. Ever blow your nose and look at the black stuff that comes out after shooting indoors for a few hours if you've been with someone, or have been shooting lead?
inhaling all that lead can lead to health problems.
inhaling all that lead can lead to health problems.
If you shoot hot lead loads through a Glock or H&K, yeah you'll run into a long cleaning session. If you shoot EXTREMELY hot loads through any gun, yes you'll run into a long cleaning session.
However, if you load the lead wisely (use common sense), then accuracy is not an issue. Plus, overall cost is very noticeable.
Sorry, but I firmly believe that those who do not reload are either are very wealthy, broke or don't shoot enough. I'm definitely not very wealthy so in order for me to shoot over 1K rounds per month, I reload a lot of lead.
However, if you load the lead wisely (use common sense), then accuracy is not an issue. Plus, overall cost is very noticeable.
Sorry, but I firmly believe that those who do not reload are either are very wealthy, broke or don't shoot enough. I'm definitely not very wealthy so in order for me to shoot over 1K rounds per month, I reload a lot of lead.
Lead bullets are fine if you don't mind doing a little extra cleaning. Lead bullets typically work better at slower velocities. That's why they are so popular with .38 Special and .45 Auto shooters. Anywhere from 900 fps or less is great for lead bullets.
The problem is that if you drive lead bullets to high velocity, severe leading of the barrel occurs. Some of this can be cured by using gas checks and harder alloys, but this starts to raise the cost of lead bullets.
Many of the custom bullet makers making hunting loads for 454 Casull, 44 Mag, 45 Colt and a host of other calibers use extremely hard alloy lead bullets driven at higher velocities. The cost of using these special alloys is reflected in the price of the premium ammunition.
They might not be used as much for 9mm shooters, where a case of fmj ammo is relatively inexpensive, but for .38 special shooters and 45's, they can be salvation.
Good Shooting
RED
The problem is that if you drive lead bullets to high velocity, severe leading of the barrel occurs. Some of this can be cured by using gas checks and harder alloys, but this starts to raise the cost of lead bullets.
Many of the custom bullet makers making hunting loads for 454 Casull, 44 Mag, 45 Colt and a host of other calibers use extremely hard alloy lead bullets driven at higher velocities. The cost of using these special alloys is reflected in the price of the premium ammunition.
They might not be used as much for 9mm shooters, where a case of fmj ammo is relatively inexpensive, but for .38 special shooters and 45's, they can be salvation.
Good Shooting
RED
Extra cleaning time?
I shoot cast bullets in my .41 Magnums to 1,300 FPS with NO LEADING! I brush out the barrel with carb cleaner, run a couple of dry patches through it, and I'm done. With jacketed bullets, I have to let the barrel soak with Hoppe's Bench Rest to remove all the copper.
How do I do this? A little planning and forthought. First, I cast all my hi-vel bullets out of Lin-o-Type. Second, I moly coat using the NECO system (without the wax). Third, I lube with NRA formula beeswax/alox (Yes, I know that it is a sticky mess, BUT IT WORKS!). And fourth, I seat the bullet over a NECO P(ollypropolene) Wad (Which eliminates the melting of lead from the base of the bullet.)
The "Dangers" of lead poisoning from lead bullets is greatly overestimated. If you cast in a well ventelated area, you eliminate the dangers of inhaling let vapors. The most danger comes from ingesting lead from your fingers after handling lead bullets. This danger can be eliminated by doing what your mother told you to do; WASH YOUR HANDS!
Yr. Obt. Svnt.
I shoot cast bullets in my .41 Magnums to 1,300 FPS with NO LEADING! I brush out the barrel with carb cleaner, run a couple of dry patches through it, and I'm done. With jacketed bullets, I have to let the barrel soak with Hoppe's Bench Rest to remove all the copper.
How do I do this? A little planning and forthought. First, I cast all my hi-vel bullets out of Lin-o-Type. Second, I moly coat using the NECO system (without the wax). Third, I lube with NRA formula beeswax/alox (Yes, I know that it is a sticky mess, BUT IT WORKS!). And fourth, I seat the bullet over a NECO P(ollypropolene) Wad (Which eliminates the melting of lead from the base of the bullet.)
The "Dangers" of lead poisoning from lead bullets is greatly overestimated. If you cast in a well ventelated area, you eliminate the dangers of inhaling let vapors. The most danger comes from ingesting lead from your fingers after handling lead bullets. This danger can be eliminated by doing what your mother told you to do; WASH YOUR HANDS!
Yr. Obt. Svnt.
Beretta also says lead can be a problem...
The rest of this post is an excerpt taken verbatim from a manual for a Beretta 92 series pistol.
WARNING: If using reloaded cartridges containing solid lead bullets, take the following precautions.
DO NOT use any ammunition on which the case mouth is CRIMPED into the bullet.
Make sure the bullets are of the right caliber size according to S.A.A.M.I. specifications.
Avoid the use of bullets having sharp contour step close to case mouth.
Lead bullets have a tendency to cause bore leading which may dramatically increase the discharge pressure.
Make sure to remove all chamber and bore lead accumulation after each shooting.
DO NOT ever shoot cartridges with jacketed bullets through a barrel previously fired with lead bullets before the bore is thoroughly deleaded.
The rest of this post is an excerpt taken verbatim from a manual for a Beretta 92 series pistol.
WARNING: If using reloaded cartridges containing solid lead bullets, take the following precautions.
DO NOT use any ammunition on which the case mouth is CRIMPED into the bullet.
Make sure the bullets are of the right caliber size according to S.A.A.M.I. specifications.
Avoid the use of bullets having sharp contour step close to case mouth.
Lead bullets have a tendency to cause bore leading which may dramatically increase the discharge pressure.
Make sure to remove all chamber and bore lead accumulation after each shooting.
DO NOT ever shoot cartridges with jacketed bullets through a barrel previously fired with lead bullets before the bore is thoroughly deleaded.
Wild Romanian
Moderator
Let's debunk all the old wives tales and myths about lead bullets.
Fact: If you are using a lot of expensive lynotype thinking that it will prevent leading your waisting your money. Lynotype metal is used in cast rifle bullets to prevent the bullet from stripping the rifling when velocities are pushed beyond 2,000 feet per second. If your bore is in good shape, and your bullet fits the bore of the rifle and you use a good lube and the proper powder you will experience almost no leading. So much for the old wives tale's that high velocity causes leading.
Fact: Leading in pistols is not caused by soft bullets or high velocity. The factory lead bullet in .44 magnum ammunition for years had been made of pure lead with only 3% antimony added. I have used pure lead bullets that fit the bore and were the proper size at high velocity with almost no leading. Using a fast burning powder, and an undersized bullet and a poor lube are the reasons most pistols lead up barrels.
Fact: Poygonnal bores shoot cast bullest just fine. My friends and I shoot both pistols (Glocks) and rifles that have polygonnal bores. We have no problems with leading or with accuracy. We shoot thousands of lead bullets through our Glocks. If we used jacketed bullets we would go broke very quickly.
Fact: A primary cause of lead contamination comes from primer dust which has lead in its chemical make up. Every time you let a spent primer hit the floor from your reloading press you are scattering lead dust all over your work area. Bullets hitting steel plates at indoor ranges also propel lead particles into the air. Many exhaust fans are not powerful enough to suck out such heavy contaminants at indoor ranges.
Fact: I have shot lead bullets through the Hk P7 and have had no problems with the gas system leading up.
Fact: A properly cast and loaded lead bullet can be every bit as accurate as a jacketed bullet. Pistols barrels that have only lead bullets fired through them last much longer than those that have had nothing but a steady diet of jackets bullets.
I based my answers on on 35 years of experience shooting cast bullets, "not on hearsay, myth, or performing rituals or incantations by the light of the moon". W.R.
Fact: If you are using a lot of expensive lynotype thinking that it will prevent leading your waisting your money. Lynotype metal is used in cast rifle bullets to prevent the bullet from stripping the rifling when velocities are pushed beyond 2,000 feet per second. If your bore is in good shape, and your bullet fits the bore of the rifle and you use a good lube and the proper powder you will experience almost no leading. So much for the old wives tale's that high velocity causes leading.
Fact: Leading in pistols is not caused by soft bullets or high velocity. The factory lead bullet in .44 magnum ammunition for years had been made of pure lead with only 3% antimony added. I have used pure lead bullets that fit the bore and were the proper size at high velocity with almost no leading. Using a fast burning powder, and an undersized bullet and a poor lube are the reasons most pistols lead up barrels.
Fact: Poygonnal bores shoot cast bullest just fine. My friends and I shoot both pistols (Glocks) and rifles that have polygonnal bores. We have no problems with leading or with accuracy. We shoot thousands of lead bullets through our Glocks. If we used jacketed bullets we would go broke very quickly.
Fact: A primary cause of lead contamination comes from primer dust which has lead in its chemical make up. Every time you let a spent primer hit the floor from your reloading press you are scattering lead dust all over your work area. Bullets hitting steel plates at indoor ranges also propel lead particles into the air. Many exhaust fans are not powerful enough to suck out such heavy contaminants at indoor ranges.
Fact: I have shot lead bullets through the Hk P7 and have had no problems with the gas system leading up.
Fact: A properly cast and loaded lead bullet can be every bit as accurate as a jacketed bullet. Pistols barrels that have only lead bullets fired through them last much longer than those that have had nothing but a steady diet of jackets bullets.
I based my answers on on 35 years of experience shooting cast bullets, "not on hearsay, myth, or performing rituals or incantations by the light of the moon". W.R.