I think I'm about done with lead projectiles

[rsrocket1]

Interesting that I found the exact opposite. I recently bought a 9.5" Super Redhawk in 44 magnum, a Lee 430-200-RF 6 cavity mold and a 0.430" push through sizer. I get zero leading from 1000 fps mild loads (6.6g Titegroup) to 1500 fps (17.2g AA#7) stout loads even when shooting 100 rounds of each. I powder coat with Eastwood powder that I got from a local powder coat shop.

 

[rsrocket1]

deleted dupe

 

[.38 Special]

Lots of good posts here. The bottom line is that some guns will go right to work with cast bullets and require no particular knowledge or effort. Others guns can be real devils and are essentially "graduate level" projects. For the fellow who has one of the latter and doesn't want to head down that particular rabbit hole, there is one thing to try before throwing up your hands and switching to plated: gas checks. A checked bullet can hide all sorts of sins both in the gun and the bullet, and is hardly more effort or expense than is a plain base.

 

[GRIZ22]

I probably have done most (90-95%) of my reloading with swaged or cast bullets without coating. Don't push velocities (pressures) with swaged. I might have a bit of leading with cast bullets at full velocities in 357 and 44. Nothing that can't be removed with a bore brush. The only rifle round I load with cast is 30-30 at about 1600 fps.

Maybe I've been luck?

 

[.45Coltguy]

As mcb mentioned, I also use coated cast in my revolvers and lever rifles except my 30-30. Waaaay cleaner, no leading. No hot rodding, mid loads.

 

[DMW1116]

I love some low powered cast bullets in my 30-30. I’d be fine if cast bullets were all I used from my pistols. You might have to do some pretty in-depth investigation on those 44 may loads but switching to plaster might be the most time efficient solution.

 

[41 Mag]

So are you getting this,

Or is it more like this,

The first is over a hundred plus rounds of pretty stiff 45 Colt loads, the second is only four rounds of my standard powder charge for my 41 magnum under the same alloy. The latter was a chore to clean up.

One thing you might try after cleaning your barrel up squeaky clean. If you have some available or have a friend you could get a bit from, take a jag and patch or a dedicated bore mop, and slather it down with Alox bullet lube. Run it through your barrel and give it time to dry. This will somewhat pre-lude prior to the first rounds passing through.

While the alloy used for the 41 wasn't quite up to the pressures associated with that load, I have since found I can still use the alloy at the same velocity with a different powder and by slathering the bore down prior to shooting. I still get some residual leading, but it swipes out with just a tight fitting patch most of the time. I can usually get 50 or so rounds through before things start to get really noticeable. The Alox helps to keep the initial deposits from REALLY adhering. If you can't use Alox, dig a bit of lube from the groove of a spare bullet. You're looking to pretreat the bore and anything is better than nothing. It can be used the same way but you might have to warm it up to get it to slather down a patch or mop.

 

[TTv2]

Measure your throats, if they're too small your bullet will not be filling the grooves and gas will blow by, alternatively if they're too big the gas will blow by the bullet and soften the lead by the time it has entered the bore.

The worst leading I've had so far is with the Taurus Judge and that's due to the giant .456 throats that my .452 bullets don't care for.

I've had issues with Speer lead projectiles in the past, I think that's more the dry lube that's used and that cleans out the bore after I shoot jacketed or plated bullets.

My experiences with Ruger is they like to run their throats big with the magnums, but on the Super Redhawk that makes no sense for them to do that.

Then again with the way Ruger is these days I shouldn't be surprised.

 

[roval]

Measure your throats, if they're too small your bullet will not be filling the grooves and gas will blow by, alternatively if they're too big the gas will blow by the bullet and soften the lead by the time it has entered the bore.

The worst leading I've had so far is with the Taurus Judge and that's due to the giant .456 throats that my .452 bullets don't care for.

I've had issues with Speer lead projectiles in the past, I think that's more the dry lube that's used and that cleans out the bore after I shoot jacketed or plated bullets.

My experiences with Ruger is they like to run their throats big with the magnums, but on the Super Redhawk that makes no sense for them to do that.

Then again with the way Ruger is these days I shouldn't be surprised.

my SRH 7.5" was leading when i first got it. the throats were oversized. i bought pin gauges. the throats measured 0.431. they shoot 0.432 MBC 240 gr PC with minimal leading. still some but 1-2 swipes choreboy cleans it.

 

[Speedo66]

they work good?

Are you asking if any ash gets through?

 

[Mark_Mark]

Are you asking if any ash gets through?

if it scrubs the barrel of lead

 

[Typetwelve]

I have the best luck with Summers enterprises.

Summers Enterprises – Summers Enterprises

summersenterprisesllc.com

I'm using his 145g LRN Hi-Tek:

Hi-Tek .38 145gr, .358 800 ct. box – Summers Enterprises

summersenterprisesllc.com

I think his hardness of 18 is just too much for a 38 special.

I'm getting leading at the bottom of my forcing cone, strangely. 200 or so rounds in a session will give me a nice amount of lead around the 4 to 8 o'clock position at the mouth of the cone. My current "go-to" is 4.5g of W231/HP-38.

I'm sorry if I derailed the conversation with the 44 magnum Super Redhawk mention, I'm past done fighting things with that gun. I moved on to Zero JSP years ago.

I'm trying to sort things out with 38 spcl for cheap steel shooting.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I find bullseye powder to work good with his bullets for 38. I run the 158 grain.