Lead Cast Bullets

[PMD354]

After shooting lead cast bullets does firing jacketed bullets such as hornaday XTP's help clean some of the lead out of the barrel. Also what is the best way to get lead out. Do you use some chemical or a brush or a combo of both. By the way tumbling with the fired primers still in worked out just fine.

 

[coopermania]

 

[august1410]

Got some more of that?

 

[j8064]

Got some more of that?

I'm in for popcorn karma!

 

[lee2]

mercury.

 

[coopermania]

Hahaahaahaahhaahhahaaahhahahahahahahaaahahahahahahaahahahahhhahahaahhaahhahahhhahahhhaahahahahhhahahahhahh. 1% -- 3% Antimony. ......shhhhhhh. I am trying to be very very quiet...

 

[coopermania]

This is better that a Shaft Movie on BET's Brown Sugar Saturday Night .

 

[j8064]

Hahaahaahaahhaahhahaaahhahahahahahahaaahahahahahahaahahahahhhahahaahhaahhahahhhahahhhaahahahahhhahahahhahh. 1% -- 3% Antimony. ......shhhhhhh. I am trying to be very very quiet...

Some say the antimony "could" evaporate...

I popped enough corn for everyone...

 

[wgttgw]

The best thing would be to not lead the barrel to start with. An education gotten through one of Lyman’s cast bullet manuals or this free download http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm and applied to your casting/loading can stop it before it starts. Bullet fit to your gun is key.

As far as cleaning it out I don't think it is all that difficult with a copper chore boy and I have read that shooting jacketed through a slightly leaded barrel will clean it out. I can't say first hand because even though I do 95% of my shooting with cast in both rifle and pistol I have never had anything left in a barrel that a brass brush and some solvent would not easily remove.

 

[wilcam47]

Hahaahaahaahhaahhahaaahhahahahahahahaaahahahahahahaahahahahhhahahaahhaahhahahhhahahhhaahahahahhhahahahhahh. 1% -- 3% Antimony. ......shhhhhhh. I am trying to be very very quiet...

Im surprised that one wasnt the first response

Some say the antimony "could" evaporate...

I popped enough corn for everyone...

what flavor cupcake is that??

 

[HogCommander]

Based on the popcorn posts, suspect there will be a different dimension to other responses but here goes:

I shoot Bullseye competition and use both jacketed and lead bullets. After a few hundred rounds of lead bullets (usually for practice), I run patches with solvent designed specifically for lead, then run brass brushes through the bore followed by dry patches until clean. I use this method because it's the one recommended to me by our team gunsmith who built my pistols.

For jacketed bullets, I clean the bore using same process except I used Hoppe's #9 as the solvent. Occassionally I will shoot jacketed bullets at the 50 yard line followed by lead bullets at the 25 yard line during the same match. I try to avoid this but sometimes don't have a choice. My gunsmith said this is OK if done infrequently but never said anything about using jacketed bullets to de-lead the barrel.

FWIW: My gunsmith is no metallurgist but the pistols he builds put 10 rounds in 1.5" center-to-center groups at 50 yards from a Ransom Rest and he shot for a military pistol team for about 8 years.

 

[wgttgw]

Copper is harder than lead (obviously right). We use copper to clean the lead out (Lewis lead remover or chore boy). These facts rather it works or not gives birth to the idea that jacketed bullets could remove some lead. The question is how much lead build up would cause and unsafe bore restriction. I would think not that much.

This is also why extensive copper build up must be removed before shooting lead or you will lead the barrel by the copper build up stripping lead off the bullets. I don't think there are any chemical safe for shooters to use that will remove lead. Copper or brass and elbow grease it is.

 

[coopermania]

The best thing would be to not lead the barrel to start with. An education gotten through one of Lyman’s cast bullet manuals or this free download http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm and applied to your casting/loading can stop it before it starts. Bullet fit to your gun is key.

As far as cleaning it out I don't think it is all that difficult with a copper chore boy and I have read that shooting jacketed through a slightly leaded barrel will clean it out. I can't say first hand because even though I do 95% of my shooting with cast in both rifle and pistol I have never had anything left in a barrel that a brass brush and some solvent would not easily remove.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh christ, Some had to menion Copper Chore Boys Pot Scrubers.
We just had to go there. Does someone have a magnet handy ????

 

[j8064]

Against my better judgement I'll chime in.

First and foremost, don't shoot CB loads that will lead the barrel to begin with. As a reloader, YOU have control of the cartridge before it's fired. As a reloader, YOU must be in control of the selection of projectiles, powder and the resulting pressures and velocities in YOUR gun.

Learning and understanding the dynamics of different calibers, powders, primers, bullets and load data as they all come together to be fired in a particular firearm is a part of what reloading is about.

Will shooting jacketed bullets after lead clean the barrel? Some say so. But why should that matter if the lead did not need cleaning in the first place?

There are barrel lead cleaning devices on the market. I don't own one. In 25 years of shooting CB's I have yet to lead a barrel. I'll defer to Deep Creek Rock on that because he showed me one he purchased and uses. He, I and others shoot a LOT of home cast CB's.

I can say for a fact I tumble my reloads. But my friends and I only tumble them while they are components.

 

[coopermania]

With cast bullets a few things have to be correct or close to correct to have problem free shooting.
Bullets need to be the right size for the bore, generally 2 thou over bore size
Bullets need to be of sufficient hardness for the caliber and speed you are shooting them.
Bullets need to have a good quality lube to keep the bullet slippery the whole length of the barrel. You should have bullet lube on the face ( crown ) of the barrel after a few shots that you can see/ feel.
IF the lube is there you know for a fact the bore is being lubed. Maybe buy yourself the Lyman Casting book or Richard lees reloading manual. I believe NRA has a casting book also.

And I break all the reloading manual rules !!!
The insane way, I rotary tumble violently for a few hours and then overnight vibrate all of my reloading components separately.

 

[j8064]

With cast bullets a few things have to be correct or close to correct to have problem free shooting.
Bullets need to be the right size for the bore, generally 2 thou over bore size
Bullets need to be of sufficient hardness for the caliber and speed you are shooting them.
Bullets need to have a good quality lube to keep the bullet slippery the whole length of the barrel. You should have bullet lube on the face ( crown ) of the barrel after a few shots that you can see/ feel.
IF the lube is there you know for a fact the bore is being lubed. Maybe buy yourself the Lyman Casting book or Richard lees reloading manual. I believe NRA has a casting book also.

And I break all the reloading manual rules !!!
The insane way, I rotary tumble violently for a few hours and then overnight vibrate all of my reloading components separately.

Didn't take long before the urge to jump in got the best of you, did it?

 

[platekiller]

As someone who leaded their bore very badly I wouldn't try to clean it with bullets. It took a tone of elbow grease.

I'm still more than 3% sure it was the bullets (that's a hint of the source of the bullets).

 

[coopermania]

It was killin me, just killin me... I was trying so hard, And then a Amy Winehouse song came on the radio, No...No...No.... I'm not going to rehab.... I say No...No...No....I need to answer that thread. I was on the edge of having a panic attack. I just crumbled, I am so weak. I am so disappointed with myself I think I am just go and tumble brass with a fired primer STILL in them.

 

[coopermania]

Is there a Unnecessary Tumblers Anonymous Meeting anywhere close ?????

 

[j8064]

Is there a Unnecessary Tumblers Anonymous Meeting anywhere close ?????

There's a section in the Hooligan by laws where unnecessary tumbling and leading are both addressed. I gotta get my handbook out so I can quote the sections. Wouldn't want to post something without double checking.

In any case, once we get you to a Hooligan shoot all your concerns will be put to rest...