The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Slugging Barrels for Lead Boolits Really Necessary?

dunerjeff · August 24, 2012, 02:43 PM

Yes and no. To go .002" over can increase pressures IF your barrel happens to be a correctly sized(many match types). Many barrels do actuelly measure +.001 so the 2 over works 80% of the time.If what you are doing works then its good. When I first started I didn't slug either and bought the over sizeed bullets, which after trying a dozen different powders and up/down charges ect...(leading,leading, and more leading).Bought some different bullets,same size though,and still more leading.
I slugged my barrels and found it was .003 oversize(Beretta 92's)I then bought some .38bullets(.358 sized) and all my problems went away.Sure would have saved some time and $ to slug first and buy accordingly. I now have another 9mm gun thats does need the smaller bullets so I can use up those others.
I got into casting and bought molds so I can size to whatever a barrel "prefers".
In the case of .40S&W,you can only get .401 lead bullets,both of my '96's are.4025 and they will lead like crazy with those bullets,but I saved myself some $ by knowing I needed bigger bullets than what was available.

August 24, 2012, 02:43 PM	#3
dunerjeff Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2011 Location: central Wisconsin Posts: 440	Yes and no. To go .002" over can increase pressures IF your barrel happens to be a correctly sized(many match types). Many barrels do actuelly measure +.001 so the 2 over works 80% of the time.If what you are doing works then its good. When I first started I didn't slug either and bought the over sizeed bullets, which after trying a dozen different powders and up/down charges ect...(leading,leading, and more leading).Bought some different bullets,same size though,and still more leading. I slugged my barrels and found it was .003 oversize(Beretta 92's)I then bought some .38bullets(.358 sized) and all my problems went away.Sure would have saved some time and $ to slug first and buy accordingly. I now have another 9mm gun thats does need the smaller bullets so I can use up those others. I got into casting and bought molds so I can size to whatever a barrel "prefers". In the case of .40S&W,you can only get .401 lead bullets,both of my '96's are.4025 and they will lead like crazy with those bullets,but I saved myself some $ by knowing I needed bigger bullets than what was available. __________________ sent via telegram Last edited by dunerjeff; August 24, 2012 at 02:48 PM.