.40 s&w lead powder question

[diebog]

Hello all, this is my first post and I was wondering if anyone had some info or suggestions for an .40 lead reload. I currently reload using berrys fmj 180 grain with 6g of unique powder and Winchester primers.

so I recently just bought 2000 of these bullets http://www.missouribullet.com/detail...y=11&keywords=

so my question is how much powder should i use? they are still 180 grain bullets and i will be using unique powder with the same primers, so do i stay with the same 6 g of powder? or will that be to much for a lead bullet? from what i understand the faster you puch a lead bullet the more chance you will have leading problems. The gun i will be using them in is an Springfield xd .40

any info or suggestions would be gladly appreciated!

thanks,

Jeremy

[versifier]

Welcome to the Guide.

Start at a minimum charge (Sierra says 4.6gr) and work your load up from there until your groups tighten up or your barrel starts leading up. That is the only safe way to do it when you switch to a bullet of different construction, even if it weighs the same as one previously tested.

The limiting factor will be the actual (not the advertised) diameter of the bullets and the groove diameter of your barrel. Ideally, your bullets should be .001-.003" larger than your groove diameter. A caliper is not accurate enough to give you the data you need to measure bullets and barrel slug, even if it has a fancy digital readout to four places it is only accurate to .005", you need to measure with a micrometer. Overly hard and undersized bullets obturate poorly and will cause barrel leading, how quickly and how seriously are relative to the above measurements and to the degree of finish on the inside of your barrel. The XD has a very good reputation with cast bullets if you feed it ones that are properly sized. If yours are undersized (as are most commercial offerings) then you will be limited to relatively light loads, but if they are correctly sized can be pushed to the same levels as jacketed in the .40S&W and will yield slightly higher velocities at slightly lower pressures.

[diebog]

Thanks for the quick response and info. I think ill do that.......start low and she how it reacts. I have never shot lead before so how do I know if it is leading? I assume there will be lead stuck to the I side of the barrel. About how many rounds does it take to start leading if it is goig to lead? Say i need to up the charge a bit to improve accuracy. ..........will I see leading after 1 round If I'm either pushing it to fast or its too small for the barrel.

Also was that recipe of 4.6 gr for unique? I am very new to reloading and from what I gather different powders have different velocities.

[versifier]

4.6 is Sierra's starting load for Unique with a 180gr bullet in 40S&W.

Leading usually appears as dark streaking in the barrel. It may start right away quickly building up opening groups dramatically, or it may deposit more gradually. Every barrel is different and add in the variables of powder, lube, and pressure and you will realize that there is no certain way to predict it. If in doubt, run a patch through the barrel to remove powder residue and if it's there it should be much easier to spot. I usually notice my groups opening with more accurate handguns, other times when it is not as severe I will simply not be impressed with the accuracy of the loads I'm testing and then notice when I'm cleaning. Rig #44 is one of the better lead solvents that I've found and used with a bronze brush will easily remove mild to moderate leading. If it's bad enough to need serious mining equipment (usually you can tell long before it gets that bad), Brownells sells caliber specific Lewis Lead Removal tools.

One other thing: Usually you will have better cast accuracy if you take the time to remove every trace of copper fouling from your barrel before firing any cast bullets through it. Sometimes with certain barrels it can make a dramatic difference. There is a theory (still unproven as far as I know) that lead sticks to the copper residue causing it to build up much more quickly. Whatever the actual connection is, I have found it is always a good idea to to use a good copper solvent with a nylon brush to get it all out first.

[diebog]

So if i were to run a bore snake, will it clean out the copper fouling? Or do I need to buy one just for removing the copper? I assume u can buy the stuff u mentioned at Cabellas, or is there a specific place to order them from? And as far as leading goes, does it just mess up accuracy I too much builds up? Or can there be dangers to yerself and the gun if you do t keep up on it?

I have been reading up on leading a little bit and it seems that allot of people are just firing FMJ after shooting lead to knock out any lead deposits. Does this accutaly work? It seems if it were that easy you wouldn't have to worry aboutmlead building up as Lon as u followed it up with some FMJ.

[versifier]

I would go to Midway, Graffs, or Midsouth. Even with shipping, just about anything will be cheaper than Cabella's.

Accuracy deteriorates as the lead builds up. When it reaches the point where it begins to actually obstruct the barrel, pressures rise dramatically and very bad things can happen to both firearm and shooter.

Copper solvents need a little time to work. Sweets is one of the better ones, but not the only one. Apply it with a cotton patch or mop, wait for a bit, then brush with a nylon brush as per instructions. A bronze one will react with the ammonia in the solvent. You use it until no blue (copper oxide) shows up on the patch - if you use bronze (a copper alloy) the the patches will stay blue even long after the barrel is clean as they keep pulling the copper out of the brush.

For me, a Boresnake is an emergency field cleaning tool and nothing more. There is always at least one in my hunting pack, but that is their limit. They do not do a thorough job of cleaning a barrel even of powder fouling - they just don't get the crud out of the corners of the grooves. Copper solvents will eat the bronze wires they are wrapped with, and the tight fitting boresnake will not leave enough solvent in the barrel to do much good. Try a solvent soaked patch on a barrel you think a Bore Snake has cleaned and you will be surprised at all the crud that still comes out of it.

Shooting jacketed bullets will sometimes remove minor lead deposits, but then you have to remove the copper afterward. I don't consider it a very reliable method. Rig is easier. It has the consistency of mineral oil and stays on the patch instead of dripping off, and the solvent gets under the lead deposits and lifts them off so that they are easily pushed out with a patch.

[Toney]

I use a jag with several patches over it and a brass screen then wipeout the lead. I think i bulged a supper blackhawk barrel after shooting a few cylinders loads of cast and then a few jacketsI just don't know . Had just bought the pistol, maybe i missed it when i bought it,or i did it all i know it ain't happening again!

[diebog]

i tried to order some of the rig #44 and it seems the manufacturer discontinued it. does any body know where i can get some? if not what would be the next best thing? I plan on getting a lewis lead removal kit, so will i still need the #44 or another lead solvent with it?

I also bought a micrometer and checked the lead bullets i bought from missouri bullet. they measure .40125 does this sound like its the right size to handle what a FMJ can?

[versifier]

To be honest, after I discovered how well Rig #44 worked, I never bothered to test any other lead specific solvents. It bums me out to hear that it's discontinued. Midway still lists some in stock for really cheap, so I'd be ordering it ASAP. Electronic bore cleaners like Outers FoulOut2 or home made versions also work very well, but are expensive to buy and time consuming to use. I like Toney's home made Lewis Tool idea (a Lewis Tool is a brass screen over a caliber specific hard rubber mandrel with a handle on the other end). For me, they're a tool of last resort due to their cost and the fact that I can't remember who I let borrow my .35cal version.

.40125 is larger than most I've seen, and that's a good thing. It used to be you couldn't find anything bigger than .400. They're well worth a try and ought to work well at least for light loads. Only your pistol can say for sure how well they will do as you approach the middle and upper end of the charge table. I used .402 primarily and .403 sizers when I was casting for and loading .40's, but I sold pistol, dies, and mould some time ago or I would run a few experiments for you. Some commercial casters are finally beginning to get it through their heads that larger diameters work better, but none I've heard of seem to understand about softer alloys yet.

[diebog]

when i go on to midways site it says its also discontinued. Am i doing somthing wrong?