Rust on lead bullets

Warpspasm · Jan 16, 2018

I just picked up a nice used Lyman Plains Rifle and it came with a box of Buffalo Bullet Company .54 cal hollow point bullets. I get the feeling this rifle was used for hunting and must have been in some wet conditions at times. When I opened the box of bullets I saw they have a good bit of what looks like rust on them and a fair amount of oxidation on the lead. I wonder if that brown stuff could be bullet lube too. I know lead doesn't rust, so I guess something rusted leaked onto them. Is there an easy way to get the rust off, or should I just shoot them as they are?

iH8DemLibz · Jan 16, 2018

If you're not kidding, it's Wax/Lube.

Leave it on there.

Gcs7th · Jan 16, 2018

That looks like dried lube to me.

iH8DemLibz · Jan 16, 2018

Rifle Pics?

Warpspasm · Jan 16, 2018

Do you think I should re-lube them with some Alox?

iH8DemLibz · Jan 16, 2018

They have plenty of lube on them.

Warpspasm · Jan 16, 2018

Here are some crappy pics of the rifle. They really don't do it justice. It was pretty dirty when I got it. The bore is strong, but had a little bit of rust spots. I spent some time on the bore and even though there are still some rust spots it's pretty minor. Externally, the barrel is very nice with excellent bluing and it has a beautiful stock now that it's been cleaned and oiled. The nipple was a bear to get off because of rust and the needs to be replaced. It also came with fiber optic sights, which I removed. I am waiting on a set of the original sights coming from Track of the Wolf. I only paid $75 for the rifle and around $50 for replacement sights and a nipple. Not bad I'd say. Now, the FUNNY thing is, I was so excited to get it for $75 that I didn't notice it was a left handed rifle until I got home! I'm a righty.

Art3 · Jan 16, 2018

Warpspasm said:
Do you think I should re-lube them with some Alox?

I don't know the rules for "modern" style bullets like that, or black powder substitutes...but you generally don't use alox for BP. BP lubes (like bore butter, spg, or even crisco) tend to be softer and, in addition to helping the bullet slide in and out of the barrel, are meant to keep the powder fouling soft.

Unless you plan to hunt with it, that rifle should be plenty happy with a patched round ball...that's what I'd do with it :innocent0

If that stuff is old lube, I'd try to get it off and re lube. If it is actually rust (maybe a magnet would tell?), I wouldn't put it in my barrel...I'd melt them down and recast them round

Art3 · Jan 16, 2018

Warpspasm said:
Here are some crappy pics of the rifle. They really don't do it justice. It was pretty dirty when I got it. The bore is strong, but had a little bit of rust spots. I spent some time on the bore and even though there are still some rust spots it's pretty minor. Externally, the barrel is very nice with excellent bluing and it has a beautiful stock now that it's been cleaned and oiled. The nipple was a bear to get off because of rust and the needs to be replaced. It also came with fiber optic sights, which I removed. I am waiting on a set of the original sights coming from Track of the Wolf. I only paid $75 for the rifle and around $50 for replacement sights and a nipple. Not bad I'd say. Now, the FUNNY thing is, I was so excited to get it for $75 that I didn't notice it was a left handed rifle until I got home! I'm a righty.

That's a really good deal...but :lol2:

it's gonna be weird to shoot! You might get some splatter on your left arm from the the cap...and wear safety glasses!!!...at least it isn't flint :shrug:

Warpspasm · Jan 16, 2018

Art3 said:
I don't know the rules for "modern" style bullets like that, or black powder substitutes...but you generally don't use alox for BP. BP lubes (like bore butter, spg, or even crisco) tend to be softer and, in addition to helping the bullet slide in and out of the barrel, are meant to keep the powder fouling soft.

Unless you plan to hunt with it, that rifle should be plenty happy with a patched round ball...that's what I'd do with it If that stuff is old lube, I'd try to get it off and re lube. If it is actually rust (maybe a magnet would tell?), I wouldn't put it in my barrel...I'd melt them down and recast them round

I don't plan on hunting with it. My understanding is Lyman made two different twist rates for their rifle. One was best for balls the other for bullets. I could probably call Lyman and give them the serial number and they may be able to tell me which I have.

ted76 · Jan 16, 2018

I have used Alox for years and it works fine on cast bullets, like the TC Maxi Ball.

John from MD · Jan 17, 2018

Warpspasm said:
I don't plan on hunting with it. My understanding is Lyman made two different twist rates for their rifle. One was best for balls the other for bullets. I could probably call Lyman and give them the serial number and they may be able to tell me which I have.

For the Great Plains Rifle, if your barrel length is 33 inches, the twist is 1 in 66. If the barrel length is 32 inches, the twist is 1 in 60. For either, the patched ball is the best projectile.

The other drop in barrel for the Great Plains is called the Hunter. It is marked as such on the barrel and the twist is 1 in 32. It likes a sabot type or powerbelt type projectile.

You got a fantastic deal on that rifle. You can get the parts you need for it directly from Lyman.

K31 · Jan 17, 2018

Mods!

There are no feet in those pics!

Warpspasm · Jan 17, 2018

John from MD said:
For the Great Plains Rifle, if your barrel length is 33 inches, the twist is 1 in 66. If the barrel length is 32 inches, the twist is 1 in 60. For either, the patched ball is the best projectile.

The other drop in barrel for the Great Plains is called the Hunter. It is marked as such on the barrel and the twist is 1 in 32. It likes a sabot type or powerbelt type projectile.

You got a fantastic deal on that rifle. You can get the parts you need for it directly from Lyman.

Thanks. It's a beautiful rifle. You saved me the time of calling them. Why a different twist if they both work best with a patched ball?

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John from MD · Jan 17, 2018

Warpspasm said:
Thanks. It's a beautiful rifle. You saved me the time of calling them. Why a different twist if they both work best with a patched ball?

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That question you probably have to ask the engineers at Investarm spa in Italy as they are the manufacturer of the rifle.

I can't think of any reason they made the change that makes sense. :shrug:

Melnic · Jan 17, 2018

NICE PICK UP!

I have a 58cal Lyman kit I got from a fellow MDSer (thx again Threeband!) It is a great Rifle and I learned alot building it. Stamped my initials and build date on the underside of the barrel.

Not
Make sure you get a range rod, bullet starter and never use the wooden one that came with it.
Do you have all the other stuff like nipple pick? cleaning patches etc?

I have shot the great plains bullets in mine. Did not seem to be as accurate as a tight patched roundball though. But easy to load.

If you are able, use REAL black powder with the sidelock. You will get less ignition problems in my limited experience. If you do use a BP substitute. Make darn sure the channel from the nipple is clear. Learn how to blow out a dryball (when you forget to load powder) by dumping some powder under the removed nipple. I had to do this ONCE and worked like a charm.

When I got mine, real BP locally for some reason was scarce. I ended up duplexing 15g BP with 60G BH209. You can't use BH209 by itself without fear of ignition problems.

My build:
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=146815
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=153792

Breaking it in:
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=155738

BP sidelock is lots of fun and a bit of nostalgia mixed it.

John from MD · Jan 17, 2018

For you guys in the Baltimore area, Clydes Sport Shop in Halethorpe sells Black Powder. Bass Pro sells it also but it is about $6 more a pound.

Warpspasm · Jan 17, 2018

I got the Lyman Plains Pistol kit for Christmas and figured I'd take the winter to complete it. With the weather being so cold right after Christmas this year I ended up staying inside and had it completed in a couple of weeks. I learned a ton. I even draw filed all of the writing off of the one barrel flat. There was so much writing it covered the entire flat! Not anymore. I also browned the barrel on the pistol and all metal. It came out really nice. I'd post a pic, but I'm not home. Anyway, I was telling a guy I know about it and showed it to him. He said he had some kind of BP rifle that someone gave him for some work he did and he stuck it in the back of his safe a few years ago. He didn't know the make or anything else about it. I asked him to bring it by so I could see it. I was shocked that it was a Great Plains Rifle. I don't think it's from a kit, but factory made. It is blued as opposed to browned. It was dirty as hell, had some rust in the barrel and fiber optic sights installed, but otherwise it looked like it was in nice shape. I told him I'd like to have the sister gun to my Plains Pistol and he said "it's yours for $75". Needless to say I took him up on that. He threw in a full can of Goex, a box of bullets, two Traditions Quick Loaders, a powder measure and a nipple pin all in a leather pouch. This BP thing is all new to me, but I think I'm starting out well. LOL. I looked up the Quick Loaders and saw that they'r for pellets and bullets, so it won't be much use for this rifle.

John from MD · Jan 17, 2018

You can get the original sights from Track of the wolf. If you are an older guy, you can get a lyman peep sight for that rifle also but it will cost more than you paid for the rifle. :lol:

Warpspasm · Jan 17, 2018

John from MD said:
You can get the original sights from Track of the wolf. If you are an older guy, you can get a lyman peep sight for that rifle also but it will cost more than you paid for the rifle.

Already ordered the sights from Wolf. They should be here Friday or Saturday

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Rust on lead bullets

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