Lead fouling - Page 2

849ACSO · September 13, 2016, 09:52 AM

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.

cw308 · September 13, 2016, 08:46 PM

I shoot a CZ 452 22lr. I start out with 2 patches of Hoppe's #9 dry patch 1 cut piece of lead away, run it up & down the barrel 10 times , clean out with #9 till clean, dry patch. Finish with a patch of Ballistol.

tangolima · September 15, 2016, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangolima

Thanks. I did buy a bottle of it, but the negative reviews have kept me from trying it.

I forgot which forum it was; one of the big ones on cast bullets, and might have been here. The guy from the company was giving out free samples. A handful of forum members signed up and did tests on the product. They all claimed leading was way worse than not using it. So bad they demanded method to rid of the stuff from their barrels. Needless to say they were very angry. The guy giving out samples finally disappeared.

I may still be able to find the thread. Not that I don't believe you and your friend, I am just trying to gain confidence. Perhaps the disaster was when they first introduced the product, and they may have tweaked the formula. But funny thing is impartial reviews since those exchanges almost don't exist, negative or positive.

-TL

Here is the thread about pb blocker

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=100200

-TL

LOLBELL · September 17, 2016, 10:02 PM

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.

shootniron · September 22, 2016, 12:06 AM

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.

tangolima · September 22, 2016, 04:55 AM

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

Chainsaw. · September 22, 2016, 07:38 AM

Do you have garage/shop/shed space? Its pretty easy to DIY. Doesnt take much equipment. Basiclly a cheap used toaster over and a tupperware with a good lid.

tangolima · September 22, 2016, 09:32 AM

It doesn't sound too bad. I thought you need to spray the bullets hefore you bake. I can't cast, but I reckon I can buy unsized, unlubed bullets. I will look it up. Thanks.

-TL

**Unclenick** · September 22, 2016, 09:49 AM

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.

F. Guffey · September 22, 2016, 10:20 AM

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

September 13, 2016, 09:52 AM	#26
849ACSO Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2014 Location: Somewhere in the middle Posts: 629	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. __________________ "The day you stop learning SHOULD directly coincide with the day you stop breathing."

September 17, 2016, 10:02 PM	#29
LOLBELL Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2010 Location: Fayette AL Posts: 226	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. __________________ Don't squat with your spurs on!!

September 22, 2016, 12:06 AM	#30
shootniron Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,599	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. Last edited by shootniron; September 22, 2016 at 12:37 AM.

September 22, 2016, 09:49 AM	#34
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,083	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. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

September 13, 2016, 08:46 PM	#27
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	I shoot a CZ 452 22lr. I start out with 2 patches of Hoppe's #9 dry patch 1 cut piece of lead away, run it up & down the barrel 10 times , clean out with #9 till clean, dry patch. Finish with a patch of Ballistol.

September 22, 2016, 04:55 AM	#31
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,859	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

September 22, 2016, 07:38 AM	#32
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Do you have garage/shop/shed space? Its pretty easy to DIY. Doesnt take much equipment. Basiclly a cheap used toaster over and a tupperware with a good lid.

September 22, 2016, 09:32 AM	#33
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,859	It doesn't sound too bad. I thought you need to spray the bullets hefore you bake. I can't cast, but I reckon I can buy unsized, unlubed bullets. I will look it up. Thanks. -TL

September 22, 2016, 10:20 AM	#35
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	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