[jimbeam]

Guys, is there a velocity at which cast bullet leading really starts to be a problem, or is it something that happens regardless? I have always shot jacketed bullets, but have had cast bullets on hand for years, forced retirement gives me plenty of time to load. I know that material written down or saved should be around my place, but since illness my memory is not that great, actually my memory is pretty good, it's just short.:banghead:

[highlander 5]

rifle bullets with gas checks can be pushed 2000+ fps with no problems.
Pistols 1200+ with gas checks. I get some leading with plain base at 1000 fps
but ymmv

[Desert Dog]

It also depends on the hardness of the lead.

[Walkalong]

Welcome to THR

It depends on too many variables. What do you have and what do you want to shoot in it? :)

[Shoney]

There are many factors influencing leading. Velocity at which leading begins varies greatly with:

Bullet: Brinell hardness of the lead; bearing surface

Powder used (hotter burning powder tend to lead more)

Cartridge the weapon is chambered for

Type of rifleing and barrel length

[jimbeam]

I should have specified revolver, .357 and .44 Bullets may be a local thing, Wisconsin cartridge corp. semi-wadcutter with a red band around middle. thanks jim

[Stinger]

There are definitely a ton of variables here. Each and every gun will bring in new variables. But it basically comes down to bullet hardness, velocity, and chambers (in revolvers). If the chambers are too small, or too big, you are going to have leading problems no matter the bullets used or the velocity.

[qajaq59]

Jimbeam, I think lead bullets were invented for retirees. I shoot about a 100 a week in my 30-30 with Unique powder and it doesn't dent the pension too bad at all. Load a bunch and have a ball.......

BTW mine are going 1500 fps and I don't use any gas checks. Works fine.

[Master Blaster]

Leading is caused mostly by Flame cutting of the bullet when the hot gasses blow by and deposit vaporized lead in the barrel. Correct bullet sizing, high enough pressure, and corect chamber throat size (bigger than the bore of the barrel) in revolvers, all ensure that the gas is sealed behind the bullet. That is what prevents leading.

So you can drive a very soft correctly sized bullet, faster than a very hard too small bullet and not get any leading. My current .44 mag load proved this to me. When I used the softer cast bullets brinell 14 with the same powder charge and drove them to 900 fps I had no leading. When I used the super hard cast bullets 21 brinell with the same powder, same charge in the same gun I had lots of hard to remove leading. The bullets were both sized the same. I upped the charge 2 grains with the harder bullets and viola the leading stopped.

[Walkalong]

You need to match pressure to bullet hardness to get the bullet to obturate and seal the chamber/bore to prevent "flame cutting" as Master Blaster said. (Oversized throats cause a lot of leading and or poor accuracy with lead bullets) You also have to have a hard enough bullet for the velocity and enough lube for the velocity/caliber for any given bullet.

In general, if the leading is in the first part of the barrel you are getting flame cutting, if the leading is happening towards the end of the barrel your bullet is not hard enough or you are running out of lube. If you continue to shoot the whole barrel will be leaded up and the clues gone.:)