Lead versus FMJ in revolvers.

[His lordship.]

I have had some leading problems in the past with several of my revolvers.  Today I had to use some jacketed .357 ammo to knock out a disturbing amount of barrel fouled leading, after shooting .38 special PMC brand, leaded, non-jacketed ammo in my Ruger GP-100.  And this was in desperation as I had cleaned the dickens out of the barrel, and still could not get all the lead out, even after using solvent and using a bronze brush, and stainless steel hooped brush.

I also had lead build up real bad with my Russian Nagant 1895 revolver using .32 S/W long lead ammo, again with the PMC brand, but not so much in the barrel, but all around the forcing cone.  

I am to the point where I only want to shoot jacketed as this lead problem is annoying.  Sure, lead is cheaper, and I suppose it is easier on the barrel.  At this point the PMC brand is suspect, but I have had this problem in the past as well with other brands.

How do you people feel about it, if you really like to use lead, what do you do with the globs of layered lead debris that collects on the frame top strap, barrel forcing cone, frame front, and grooves of the barrel?

Thanks.

[bigdaddytacp]

I have had some leading problems in the past with several of my revolvers.  Today I had to use some jacketed .357 ammo to knock out a disturbing amount of barrel fouled leading, after shooting .38 special PMC brand, leaded, non-jacketed ammo in my Ruger GP-100.  And this was in desperation as I had cleaned the dickens out of the barrel, and still could not get all the lead out, even after using solvent and using a bronze brush, and stainless steel hooped brush.

I also had lead build up real bad with my Russian Nagant 1895 revolver using .32 S/W long lead ammo, again with the PMC brand, but not so much in the barrel, but all around the forcing cone.  

I am to the point where I only want to shoot jacketed as this lead problem is annoying.  Sure, lead is cheaper, and I suppose it is easier on the barrel.  At this point the PMC brand is suspect, but I have had this problem in the past as well with other brands.

How do you people feel about it, if you really like to use lead, what do you do with the globs of layered lead debris that collects on the frame top strap, barrel forcing cone, frame front, and grooves of the barrel?

Thanks.

.........I don't like to clean after lead bullet shooting.....BUT..I like the expense of jacketed bullets and added wear on hard used guns even less.....so I got some LEAD solvent and a Lewis lead remover kit with the jags/cones for the calibers that I shoot and a good heavy wet coat of the lead solvent and some tine to soak then the cone and brass patch for the forcing cone and the rubber plug and brass patch for the barrel and the cleaning is done......if I don't need the gun quickly then I soak the barrel in a sealed can of lead solvent overnight...on blue and stainless guns..haven't tried this on nickle!!..and you don't even need the Lewis lead remover to clean the guns barrel..a couple of patchs will get all the leftover lead....same with the cly in revolvers......small glass jar with a sealable lid and let the cly soak overnight and just wipe the lead away........I shot competition heavy for a few years with lead bullets in custom PPC revolvers and this is how we kept them clean and shooting well.......hth...good luck and good shooting!!

[Mikey]

Chris D:  sometimes the wrong combination of powder and bullet can cause severe leading and this may be the problem for your GP-100.  Sometimes swaged bullets do this and PMC might be using swaged bullets in the two loads you mentioned.  Years ago I purchased some lead 38 spl ammo for one of my 357s and after 20 rounds the rifling was so obscured the barrel looked to be 32 caliber.  

Try some hardcast bullets for that GP-100, either in 38 or 357 caliber.  You didn't say you were shooting wadcutters for target, so I'm going to assume this is just shooting fodder that you may not be particularly invested or interested in.  

I would try other brands or bullets or reloads first, the soft lead may be the problem for you.  HTH.  Mikey.

[Questor]

Mikey is right as usual. I had a favorite load that was  based on swaged bullets and it worked fine without leading. I then changed barrels in the same gun and I got terrible leading.  I had to switch to cast bullets, which are harder than the swaged bullets. That solved that particular problem.  You may have the same situation because factory cartridges featuring lead bullets usually use swaged bullets.  If you are getting leading, try another brand. You should not get much if any leading if all is well with your load.

[Castaway]

A red flag went up when you mentioned you shot jacketed bullets because of a "disturbing amout" of leading.  Jacketed bullets tend to iron on the leading a little bit tighter and make it harder to remove, not to mention the possible increase in pressure if the leading was that bad.  As mentioned, a Lewis deleading tool does the trick quiet well as does a wad of copper scouring pad over a cleaning jag.  I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, all I shoot out of my pistols (less Glock) and two of my rifles is lead and it isn't an issue.  From as low as 680 f/s to as high as 1200 f/s from my Black Hawk to over 1500 f/s from a Win Trapper.  If you decide to releod, you can tailor the pressure to fit the hardness of the bullet and cure many of the problems you are experiencing.  If you cast, you can somewhat control the size of the bullet also.  Could be that the Nagant is slightly over nominal bore diameter and that could cause leading but that doesn't explain the Ruger.  Could very well be the swaged bullets as mentioned.

[His lordship.]

Thanks for the info.  I will look at some improved lead removal items.  I have used the old "run a few FMJ rounds through it" method before with my other revolvers, and it is done when the lead will not scrub out, and there is a build up in the rifling.  If the lead was real bad to the point that it might cause pressure problems, I would not use the FMJ bullets.

Mikey...your experience reminds me of several boxes of, I believe they might have been made in venezuela, .38 specials that were really bad in the leading department.  These were so bad that the small amount of rounds I put through both of my Taurus revolvers just caked them up.  I was able to get most of the lead out with a bronze brush.

[sawfish]

Shooting too many rounds at one sitting will cause the lead build up you mentioned.  Try to alternate between guns after 15-20 rounds.  Otherwise the barrel heat tends to "vaporize" certain bullet lubes, and you get leading.  I find a real difference in leading between a high quality lube such as LBT Soft Blue and some of the more obscure formulas.  However, even with the old beeswax-alox formula, leading is kept to a minimum if you do not let the barrel get too hot.  This answer and the others in this thread are very simple answers to what may be a complex problem.

No offense intended to anyone, but there are a lot of other factors to be considered, which are almost impossible to adequately address in a posting.  Some of these are hardness of the bullet alloy; alloy composition; bore diameter; throat diameter; condition of throat, bore, and/or forcing cone; gas cutting on base of bullet (pb bullets), etc..  For more complete information, you might want to check out the Cast Bullet Shooter's Association.  

[Leadlum]

You didn`t mention using a Lee lead remover. I bought one of these items when I was having leading problems, and it worked good. It`s a rod with a expandable rubber plug on the end you put a screen around; after the rod is inserted through the barrel. Then you pull it through. It pulls the lead out good. Alot better than brushes and solvents. Next thing I can recommend is trying different lubes on the cast bullets. I find the NRA formula 50/50 beeswax and Alox is great. Also if you go to aminoo.com and go to cast bullets they talk about "Felix" lube this is what I`ve been making at home, and ALL my leading problems are behind me now. I havn`t used my lee tool in a long time. Hope this helps.