Author Topic: question from the new guy. (Read 702 times)

Flinch · « **on:** September 30, 2003, 01:46:37 PM »

Hi all, im fairly new to these forums but I had a question for some of you guys that know a lot more about cast bullets then I do. My problem is lead fouling the barrel of my super blackhawk 44. I know this question has probably been covered before. Im loading hard cast 240 grain semi wad cutters .429 with 20 grains of 2400. Im guessing the velocity is about 1200 fps. I can shoot about 12-15 before the accuracy really starts to fall. Is this normal? A friend says I should try to keep them below 1000 to keep the leading down but I have read in some of these other posts of cast bullets being used in high powered rifles with velocity over 2000. So what im I missing here? Im not sure of the brand of bullets im using or what kind of lube is used, it looks like regular candle wax to me though. Thanks for any input in advance.

Tom W. · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2003, 05:30:17 PM »

I've been loading 21 gr. of 2400 under a 240 gr cast SWC with a gas check for 10 years or more without any trouble.I've been using beeswax as a lube, and despite the "woe unto you" warnings I've received, it's worked well.
I just bought a 245gr. plain base bullet mold, and I size it to .430. It also shoots cleanly from my 5 1/2 inch SS SBH.
Try a harder bullet and/or some with a gas check and see if that helps.

Car Knocker · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2003, 06:04:22 PM »

I suggest that you mic the chamber mouths and compare to actual bore diameter. They may be somewhat smaller than bore diameter and may be swaging your bullets sufficiently that the bullets 'skid' down the barrel.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2003, 11:27:14 PM »

make sure you start with a clean barrel get out all the copper fouling then size you bullets to .430 or .431 if your using comercial bullets with hard lube the lube may be your problem too.

Flinch · « **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2003, 03:56:36 AM »

Thanks for the replies. I will check the chamber mouth and bore dia. All sugestions make perfect sense, I had no idea there were so many variables to think about when buying cast bullets. I just got them because they are way cheaper to shoot then jacketed. Thanks again, I will do more testing and see if I can make it work right.

Johm D M · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2003, 04:54:04 PM »

Leading is generally caused by bullets running out of lube or by skidding in the rifling. If your bullets are too soft they will not hold psi and strip in the rifling. If they are too hard they can skid or skip if they are not driven with enough speed to obdurate or swell to fit the rifling. If the lube fails the leading is usually at the myuzzle end of the bbl. If you have access to a vise and a soft lead bullet put them in either end of the vice and with both ends touching see how much softer the lead is. If they are hard cast [2/6/92] tin antimony lead, then up your velocity and see if you can get obduration while keeping some lube going on. If the hard lube is failing the cheapest solution would be to buy some tumble lube/ liquid alox and relube them, then drive them at jacketed velocities or slightly under. Gianni.

Castaway · « **Reply #6 on:** October 02, 2003, 07:29:01 AM »

Ditto the Lee Alox on the bullets. I've had commercial bullets that fouled terribly and cured the problem with a dose of alox. Another thing that might be contribluting to your problem is the base of your bullet. A lot of commercial bullets are bevel based. While this makes it easier for the caster to produce more bullets with fewer culls, they advertise them as easier to load. A flat base will do you better with less likelyhood of leading.

Flinch · « **Reply #7 on:** October 02, 2003, 10:10:29 AM »

These bullets do have a bevel at the base. I check into that Lee Alox lube also. Thanks again

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 02, 2003, 01:30:56 PM »

Hard bullets with a beveled base are the worst at leading. Most likely you have slightly oversized chamber throats and instead of the base of the bullet expanding (obturating) to fill the throat and seal the gases behind it, the gases are blowing around the base (with help from the bevel) and melting a portion of the base and sides onto your barrel throat and bore. Not being a caster yourself, you will need to see if the seller of your bullets offers them in larger sizes, .430 or .431. If you were a caster, a square based bullet sized .001 or .002 larger and cast of softer alloy would surely cure the problem. With the more recent lots of 2400, 20gr should be more than enough. That's good for more like 1300fps, not 1200. 21 to 21.5gr of 2400 is absolute max. Increasing the charge is not the answer.

Flinch · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2003, 08:24:15 AM »

Thanks for all your help. So my best bet with this box of 500 bullets that I bought (short of using them for slingshot ammo) is to maybe slow them down some and try to re-lube them with some Lee Alox. I will buy the bigger square base bullets next time for sure.

jpaulghetto · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2003, 09:01:29 AM »

Flinch, I feel your pain!! I had the same problem with commercial cast bullets in my SBH 44. Not to mention the weight variations. Measuring chamber throats is tricky bidnet. Its easier to just drop slugs of different diameter into your cylinder. If they just fall through, there too small. Now that I've honed out a mold and a sizer too .431 my Ruger is ready for a Javalina hunt in Texas. I bet your leading is 1 inch forward of the forcing cone. Right? Good luck and don't give up.