Question About Leading

[Mowgli Terry]

Mr. Fryxell's book is online. It's an easy read by a noted authority. The author covers aspects of leading not discussed here.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Well, after the previous post I finally ciphered through the last leading situation. Bullets too big and too soft despite gas checks. The wild card in this mix was a heavy lead deposit on one side of the forcing cone, This was a used Vaquero in 44 Magnum. This was the second time out with this handgun. The bullet was the Lyman 429421 using a alloy on the line of Lyman #2. The Bubba Custom Shop had done work on the barrel. The barrel had been attacked with major gap on the side of the fouling. Gun goes to Ruger for correction. This will be the second time this year for a mending after the Bubba attack. I wonder how many negative reports on Ruger handguns have to do with Bubba. The next run of bullets done this morning would slip the the throats and were cast harder. This run is for my Super Blackhawk. Added: I scrounge for range scrap. It is not unusual to find pistol bullets in the backstop still holding lube. Wonder how that worked out.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

My opinion is Ruger has a bad habit of oversizing their cylinder throats, my Redhawk in 44 mag has .434" throats. I cannot not shoot a lead bullet from this gun without leading, I have tried dozens of cast bullets of various diameters up to .432" and BHN at all different velocities.
My S&W 696 does not lead with the proper BHN for the pressure, the throats on the 696 are on the + side of .429"

Have you tried powder coating, especially with a gas check? You can double or even triple coat to increase bullet diameter -- up to as large as you can seat in the case without damage and chamber in the revolver.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have been kicking this change around. Powder coating has been discussed here with several other casters. We have considerable money and time invested in the conventional stuff. At this point in life we are unsure about another learning curve. Although it seems like they're lessons most all the time with conventional casting. Power coating is the new technology and it works The problem here is senior humans..

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have been kicking this change around. Powder coating has been discussed here with several other casters. We have considerable money and time invested in the conventional stuff. At this point in life we are unsure about another learning curve. Although it seems like they're lessons most all the time with conventional casting. Power coating is the new technology and it works The problem here is senior humans..

Powder coating is cheap -- both the powder and the equipment. I use Harbor Freight Red and a $20 toaster oven from Wal Mart. It's as easy as tumble lubing -- put the bullets in a plastic container, add powder and shake.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Let me do some homework. Gotta finish up with some grease groove bullet stuff first. Basically, what I hear everywhere is simple, economical, and not expensive. Working on getting all my long guns shooting lead. Powder coating could be a real help getting to that goal.

 

[joneb]

Have you tried powder coating, especially with a gas check? You can double or even triple coat to increase bullet diameter -- up to as large as you can seat in the case without damage and chamber in the revolver.

No sir I have not, but this issue kept me from buying a GP 100 chambered in 44 spl.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Wonder what the specs are on the throats of Ruger Revolvers. Not speculation but hard figures.