Considering reloading lead

[Lonely Raven]

I have used lead for years until the range I go to stopped all lead from being shot. They only want jacketed shot now. Something to do with the lead levels always being to high.

One thing I can tell you is the lead is much more work cleaning up the barrel etc etc. Its dirty compared to jacketed bullets. The jacketed bullets are a quick cleanup.

Both of these points do concern me. I checked all my local indoor ranges, and they are all going NO lead. So that leaves me to the more expensive outdoor range...which at least means I'll be doing both pistol and rifle....

[Boats]

If a range allows lead they need a good cleaning routine, something commercial ranges don't always want to do. And banning lead probalby means selling more loaded ammo, which is good for business.

Best bet is find a good club and avoid the commercal ranges.

Boats

[NuJudge]

Regarding Lead bullets in 9mm and .45 ACP, it would be nice to know what your barrel groove diameters are before buying Lead bullets. Particularly in 9mm, barrel groove diameters frequently are .357" or .358". If you fire a .356" bullet in a 9mm with a groove diameter of .358", you will have a lot of gas blow-by, the gas acting much as a cutting torch does. The Lead cut off the side of the bullet will in part be deposited ahead of the bullet in the bore as Leading.

I like to have cast bullets be .001" larger than groove diameter.

Beware that there are firearms that have groove diameters so large that if a bullet large enough to fit them is seated in a cartridge case, the cartridge will not fit in the chamber. I do have 9mm pistols with this problem. For them, they get jacketed bullets only.

Bullet lubricants vary widely in their compositions and qualities. For .45 ACP, not much is demanded by the application: low velocity and pressure. On the various cast bullet discussion boards, there are threads that discuss using no lubricant in very smooth bores. The various cast bullet discussion boards also have many threads discussing precisely what a cast bullet lubricant does: lubricant, sealing agent, etc, or some combination.

Commercially sold cast bullets usually use bullet lubricants that ship well, and don't fall out of grooves much. They are typically very hard. Those lubricants don't do well with demanding applications, and the 9mm is frequently somewhat demanding, being much higher pressure and frequently higher velocity.

I cast my own, so I can use whatever lubricant I want. Some lubricants such as the very effective 50% Beeswax/50% 2138F produce a lot of smoke at lower pressures, an example being the .45 ACP. The same lubricant in a high pressure .357 Magnum produces very little smoke. The 9mm is in-between those two, and produces some smoke in my typical load. The smoke does not matter outside, but inside it is a consideration. I am about to experiment with several lubes that are supposed to smoke less.

[Macca]

I shoot nothing but lead, jacketed ammo is banned on the range i go to.

I polished the bore of my gun before i ever fired a round with JB bore bright.

I shoot hard cast lead.

I clean with hoppes number 9....my gun cleaning takes all of 5 minutes for spotless bore, and thats in an ordinary S&W 686.

If you're getting heavy leading you've done something wrong.

I probably shoot a minimum of 1000-2000 rounds of lead a month...no problem.

Load data for lead is different to jacketed...dont use jacketed data...other than that go for it....and be happy knowing you are causing far less wear to the bore of your guns.

As I'm not in the states I can't reccomend a brand of projectiles...but I'm sure there is someone making quality hardcast projectiles locally, or atleast stocking them.

The only other useful suggestion is to 'slug' the bore of your gun....using soft lead you drive a plug of lead into barrel...measure and them buy projectiles .001" larger than that....helps with accuracy.

If loading uncoated lead...maybe using gas checks will help prevent leading....but i reccomend sticking to hardcast/coated stuff....you may even be able to try copperwash if its available locally.

[d_striker]

I shoot nothing but lead, jacketed ammo is banned on the range i go to.

Why is jacketed ammo banned?

[Field]

Why is jacketed ammo banned?

my first guess would be that it screws up steel targets a little more to shoot at them with jacketed ammo. but then instead of shooting lead you can use jacketed hollow points to acheive the same goal.

[Boats]

Close targets like we shoot in IDPA Jacked HP bullets come apart and pieces of jacket material often fly back. Out club has banned JHP's for any steel target less than 25 yards due some minor "hits" on shooters. Also paper targets when the shooter is closer than 25 from the Metal backstop. We allow FMJ's and Lead never having a problem with them.

Boats

[DougCarden]

I have shot lead bullets for close to 20 yrs, and have close to 60K worth of lead at the caster's shop right now....waiting for a rainy day...

It boils down to.....using the right powder for your application and how hard the lead is.

If your bullet is too hard, over 18 brinell, then a fast powder like Titegroup or CLAYS will melt the base and lead up the barrel quickly, making cleaning up a chore. This is true in the smaller caliber pistol loads (9mm, 40) Those powders in .45acp pushing 200-230gr slugs are pretty amazing for accuracy and felt recoil.

Using a medium powder like Solo 1000, W 231, VV 320, etc. will give you the right balance and a comfortable load and not lead up the barrel. Anything close on the burn rate chart to these powders will do what you want them to.

There is a wealth of knowledge here and on the Castboolits forum. Nothing wrong with cast bullets!

Good luck,

DougC

[DCS44256]

Regarding cast lead bullets, fit is more important than hardness. For 45ACP, barrels are usually 451 and bullets should be as least 452. For 9mm, barrels should be .355 and bullets should be at least 356. Best way to know your barrel isze is to slug the barrel - meaning pushing a pure lead ball (many folks use a fishing sinker, I used a black powder revolver ball) through the barrel and measuring it. An alternative is to try different sizes to see which works best. Some folks I know use the largest size that will allow the loaded round to seat in the chamber of the barrel - when the round fires, an oversize cast bullet will fit the barrel. You might visit us at http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

What I use: 45 ACP, 230 gr cast TC bullet sized 452, WW231 powder, taper crimp, 1.182" OAL to feed in all my 1911's.

9MM, 122 gr cast TC bullet sized 356 for some guns, 357 for others, WW231 powder, taper crimp, 1.05" OAL

10mm 175 gr cast TC bullet sized 401, AA-7 powder, taper crimp, 1.23"OAL

My bullets are cast from wheel weights and are softer than the usual commerial cast bullets. My bullets do not lead.

Edited November 11, 2009 by DCS44256