Leading problem with Taurus Tracker .38/357 loads.

Just traded for a really nice Taurus tracker SS in 357 mag. Due to component shortages I'm stuck with older orange label Unique powder and north star 158g RNFP cast bullets. Primers are cci mag and normal. (whatever I can get)
The problem is that I'm getting leading in the first part of the barrel. The rest of the barrel will shows little to no leading. It's the same with 38/357 4.0-5grains of Unique. The tracker is not spitting out lead from bad timing or anything. It shoots great! The sames loads out of my Rossi m92 produced little if any leading.
Any suggestions? At this point I don't like to shoot more than a hundred rounds at a time threw it due to the leading.



R

 

Is it leading the face of the cylinder too? I had a similar problem with 38 loads using 158g swc. Took the same bullet and put a 357 charge behind it and the leading went away. My theory is a large charge is needed on stronger alloys or heavier bulleta to expand the base of the bulllet. Without enough preasure it flame cuts on the side as it enters the forcing cone leaving lead residue and in my case star pattern leading on the cylinder face.

Don't know if that's what actually happens but it makes sense. I switched to a 105g mold and the ledding problem went away with 38 loads.

 

No leading on the cylinder face but a little in the cylinder it's self.

 

for a good read on leading: http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_7_Leading.htm

 

I'm not at all familar with leading, or what causes it, because I don't load with lead. But I do know it doesn't take much build up in the forcing cone to fracture one.

GS

 

Are you shooting 38's or 357's or both?

You listed 4-5gr Unique. Is that for 38 or 357? need more info.

Some time leading occurs because the charge is not hot enough to expand the bullet to seal the gasses. Bumping up charge will fix it. Have to make sure you stay at or under max load though.

 

I was thinking the same thing, my 357 plinking load with 158 gr. LSWC is 6.0 gr. of Unique.

 

Exactly - 6gr of Unique for a 357 LSWC is "The Load" for a 357.

 

With .38 I usually load 4.0-4.6g and 5g with 357. I mostly load .38. I'll try upping the charge to on my next batch of 38's. No lead in the forcing cone just in the first part of the barrel.



R

 

4.7 is max according to alliant for 38's

 

Which happens to be the max load for .38 Special +p in a .357 case.

 

I'll try some 4.5G .38's and scene I actually found a box of primers to buy today. I'll also try the suggested .357 load.

 

Those North Star Cast bullets are 15-16 BHN. Being that hard you will need higher pressures than you're generating to prevent leading. Too hard a bullet will usually lead at and just past the forcing cone and then sometimes the bullet will seal off the barrel the rest of the way down. Those bullets are too hard for the lighter loads you're shooting. I shoot 10-12 BHN at lower pressures and under 1000 fps.

 

Leading at the forcing cone and chamber end of the barrel means the bullets do not seal the gas off before the bullet starts moving. Usually the bullets are undersized and too hard- both of which are common problems with commercial cast bullets...the manufacturers undersize them so they will fit in even tight guns without sticking, and use hard lead because that's what people think they want & they can sell the same bullet for 357 Magnum.

My rule of thumb is 100 fps for every BHN number. So for 1000 fps a BHN of 10 is just fine if properly sized and lubricated.

I size my 158-gr LSWC 38 specials .0358" and use water-quenched range scrap (BHN before water quench is 8.5), load them with 3.5 grains of Titegroup which should be around 800-850 fps from the Hodgdon Cowboy data. No leading, very good accuracy, hits POA/POI, I could shoot them all day long.

 

Ah there we go. I was thinking the bullets might be too hard for light loads. Do you guys know any commercial manufactures that produce the softer bullets for light loads?

 

Missouri bullet company

 

Yep, good bullets at a fair price. Good people too.

 

Ok thanks folks. I will put an order in with them next time I order bullets. Actually next time I get payed. Haft to get used to the whole back-order-Obama thing. Will let you know how my 4.6g .38 loads work out. Loaded 100 rounds of that load this evening.

 

I was going to send my Tracker to Taurus because of this. I don't load for this gun - just use commercial ammo, but having jackets pile up and cylinder lock is bugging me. Now, what to do ...

 

When I'm stuck with a batch of bullets that leads in one of my .357s I roll them in liquid alox.
Cooler, cleaner powders like Universal help too.

 

The experts on leading reside here. Not all of the experts, but many of them.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?8-Cast-Boolits

 

I feel your pain with the Unique and 158 LSWC. Everything I tried with 158 gr Missouri Bullet Company (Action) and Unique left severe leading just ahead of the forcing cone in my Ruger GP100. By the way, a Lewis Lead Remover is a great tool. I did some research and decided to try a slower powder. Had some W296 on the shelf and it was a success. No leading and ended up trying AA#9 since it is only a little slower than W296. Right now I'm using Alliant 300 MP for the 158 LSWC and really like it. I've had them up to 1375 with no leading problems whatsoever. But never could find a powder charge with Unique that would work with the lead. However, Unique 6.5-7.0 grains with Berry's 125 grain hollow point plated bullets works great in my gun.

 

Yeah thanks for the input. I may just haft to deal with the leading until I use up all my Unique. Maybe 400-600 rounds left. By then I hope to find some HP-38/Win231 to use. Also want to start loading .45acp and 9mm.


R

 

Why would you have to put up with the leading? you said in your OP, "The sames loads out of my Rossi m92 produced little if any leading." Why not just shoot that ammo in the Rossi and load up a different powder for the Taurus?

 

I traded the m92 for the Tracker. Also a little broke right now and powder is hard to find. Besides I need to use up that old bottle of Unique.