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Thread: Leading

  1. #1
    Great Master j1's Avatar
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    Default Leading

    Would 38 revolver bullets with gas checks Lead barrels less than plain base bullets?

  2. #2
    Dogs Like Him versifier's Avatar
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    If there are no throat/forcing cone issues with the revolver, then it depends on the bullet's diameter relative to the barrel's groove diameter, the alloy's hardness, and the pressure level it is loaded to. Quick answer is usually, but you only need them with the hotter .357mag loads. There's no real reason to use a GC in a .38spec load, even the +P's really aren't hot enough to do any gas cutting. OTOH, undersized and overhard bullets will lead up a barrel GC or not. You can push a plain based bullet pretty hard if it is sized correctly, 12-1500fps, even more depending on the bore diameter and the bullet's weight. Gas checks become much more important above 1500 as do harder alloys, but correct bullet diameter for the barrel (+.001-.003 over groove diameter) is still the single most important factor in preventing leading with your cast bullets.
    "Stand your ground.
    Do not fire unless fired upon.
    But if they mean to have a war let it begin here."
    - Capt. Parker, Lexington Militia, April 19, 1775

  3. #3
    scat master Clayt's Avatar
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    ^^^^ what he said! ^^^

    HE taught me that!
    ~Clayt

    hunter at large

  4. #4
    Great Master j1's Avatar
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    I like this site. When I ask a question I get an answer. That is the way it SHOULD work. Thanks v.

  5. #5

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    Nothing like leading a barrel up.Everyone needs the joy of cleaning lead out for days.I leaded my 9mm barrel up bad a few weeks ago because I didn't flare the case mouth out enough for the cast I made.When I seated the bullets,the case mouth was stripping the lube and lead off of the bullets.I shot only 12 of them and cleaned lead out for many days on and off.I picked my brain hard on this one but after telling Verse everything that I could think of,he got me pointed in the right direction.

    If its nice this coming weekend,i will make some more to try because the accuracy sucks so far and going to use my new bottom pour pot instead of pouring with a ladle.I have a lot to learn and if it was easy,I WOULDNT DO IT.

  6. #6

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    I think you'll like bottom-pour, PH.

    I forgot this forum exists here. I started a thread on casting for a new-to-me Blackhawk in .44 Mag in the "Revolvers" section.
    Still an ogre in need of hormone therapy, living under a bridge somewhere in Texas.

  7. #7

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    I ordered the Lyman starter kit a few years back but only made a few 308 bullets and sizer/top punches was messing with my head so I ordered a LEE 9mm tumble lube mold for the 9mm and a PRO4 bottom pour pot.The mold was fine but the pot was torn to heck in shipping.Got midway to replace it and haven't fired it up yet.Just got it a few days ago.

    After Versifier got me straight on the stripping lube/lead deal,my accuracy was better but still had a few bullets to tumble threw paper at 14 yards.We think its because of me pouring bullets in the cold with a ladle and getting air pockets or whatever instead of a good pour at the right temp.I need to learn how fast or slow to go also with the sprue plate/mold temp.Heck,i made 134 of the prettiest 9mm bullets ever but they was trash.A sling shot shoots better than they do and love it.I bet before summer is over,i will be able to hit a barn with them.

    Its not that bad but not to good either.

  8. #8

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    I may not have the most expertise, but I have had a certain amount of success casting and I have some suggestions.

    You want your mold to fill very quickly. The lower the viscosity of the melt, the better. You don't want the nose of the bullet to solidify before the base is poured. Look at the bullets coming out of your mold. If the edges of the driving bands are nice and sharp, then your metal is filling the mold before taking a set and that's good. If the driving bands are rounded, then you're working with your metal at too low a temperature which causes your mold to run too cool. You need to step up the temperature of your melt and step up the pace of pouring. Once you start getting things running well during a casting session, it becomes a matter of rhythm. With your melt a little hotter, you can be a bit more leisurely. I tend to run this way. If you run your metal a little cooler, then you need to step up the pace a bit to keep your mold at operating temperature.

    There's really a lot more art to the whole endeavor than science, in my opinion. But the science can't be ignored or the art suffers.
    Still an ogre in need of hormone therapy, living under a bridge somewhere in Texas.

  9. #9

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    Going to try posting a picture so if this is screwed up than I will try again.Dont think it will work because my pic is to big.Now I need to figure out how to make them smaller.

  10. #10
    Great Master j1's Avatar
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    Hey Pickle use a scissors to make those pictures smaller in size.

    You also can increase your chances of hitting that barn a whole lot if you go inside.
    Last edited by j1; 03-12-2014 at 03:36 PM. Reason: Correct spelling

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check        

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