Author Topic: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question  (Read 13247 times)

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Offline Dan_69GTX

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Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« on: November 08, 2018, 09:18:51 PM »
As you know I just started loading coated bullets.  After shooting about 300 rounds I cleaned the gun.  I noticed some lead residue in the barrel.

So, is the only way this can occur is if I didn't bell the case enough and scratched the coating - or ...(fill in the blank).

I pulled about 10 bullets and one did have a little bit of scratching on it, but not much....so...I'm not sure.

I already adjusted the press to bell the case a bit more.

Thanks for your answers.

Acme 124 RN coated, Bullseye powder
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Offline ThompsonCustom

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2018, 05:44:05 AM »
When you push a dry patch down the barrel are you getting pieces of lead on your patches or are you just seeing lead on the rifling in the barrel?
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Offline Dan_69GTX

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2018, 07:14:54 AM »
Good question and I don't know - didn't run a dry patch down it.   However, I can say there was enough lead in it that I did run a brush down that is wrapped in bronze wool and did get a few flakes out that way.

Oh yea,  The lead was located at the muzzle end of the barrel - if that helps to diagnose anything.

Doing some other reading on the Internet (which is always true)  I found another possible option, a bullet too small will cause leading... so do I need to size the bullet to .357.  If that possible reason is true, I guess slugging the barrel is needed to see if that is part of my problem.

I do know that the .357 Precision Delta 124 RN was less accurate for me than the .356, if that helps muddy the waters at all.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2018, 09:06:01 AM by Dan_69GTX »
Some trust in chassis, Some in Horsepower, But we trust in the Lord our God.

If it goes "boom" or "vroom" I'm intersted.

Offline daved20319

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2018, 10:30:56 AM »
Any idea of lead hardness and/or velocity of your rounds?  Too soft and too fast is a recipe for barrel leading, if that's what you're getting.  Might be something to look into.

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Offline Dan_69GTX

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2018, 10:34:29 AM »
They are ACME bullets - no idea on the hardness, but brand name, been around a while, doubt it is their issue.

Speed - yes - right at 1030 FPS.
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Offline redbaron

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2018, 10:37:35 AM »
There may be a few reasons you're getting leading in the bore, but the most common with 9mm is either the bullet is too small to begin with, or some step in your reloading process is swaging the bullet down to a smaller diameter without you being aware of it. A .356 bullet should be OK with a typical CZ barrel, but slugging it to be sure is always a good idea. Ideally you'd want a bullet .002" to .003" larger than what your barrel slugs at, but anything larger than the bore diameter should be OK. All my CZs slugged at .355" so I use a .358" cast bullet to great effect, but I could probably get away with a .356" if I had to.

With those bullets you pulled, you need to measure them to make sure they're still the advertised diameter. If you put .356" bullets in there but they measure .355" or .354" or something, you'll know there's an issue with one of your steps in the reloading process. A scratched coating usually doesn't matter too much unless it's a huge amount of coating scraped off.

The most common places you'll get accidental swaging would be when you expand/bell the case mouth and when you apply crimp. Not enough expansion will cause the bullet to be swaged down by the case as you try to cram in in there. For 9mm you should be using a taper crimp die. If you're using the Lee Factory Crimp Die, that might be your problem right there. Many, many people have reported that the carbide ring in the Lee FCD swages bullets pretty consistently.

First thing I would do is measure those pulled bullets to make sure they're still whatever diameter they were supposed to be before you loaded them. If they are, then you may need to find a cast bullet that is a little larger. I think most of the cast bullet sellers will do custom diameters if you request it

Offline Dan_69GTX

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2018, 10:51:50 AM »
Redbaron - Thanks!  Didn't think about checking the pulled bullets for diameter!  I'll do that tonight when I get home.

I don't use/own the FCD - just a taper crimp - and that is it's own stage.  I should double check, but it was initially set up to just barely give the correct crimp - not to overdo it.

I appreciate the response.

Amazing how much I have learned in the few years I have been reloading - and that is just the pistol aspect of it.
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Offline redbaron

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2018, 11:32:30 AM »
You're welcome! I went through a month long battle when I first started casting for my 9mm with much of the same problem you're having. If I can help somebody else avoid that headache, I'll consider it a win.

If you find those pulled bullets are undersized then it's got to be the expander that's not doing it's job well enough. What are you using to expand/bell the case?

Offline lewmed

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2018, 12:12:29 PM »
 I had the same thing happen with 2 of my 5 9mm pistols most for the deposit was in the last 2" of the barrel.  I cleaned both barrels and applied a couple coats of Sentry smooth kote I also switched to Bayou bullets. That was about 8,000 bullets ago and I still have clean bores. I recovered a few of the fired Bayou bullets form the back stop and found most of the coating intact.

Offline Dan_69GTX

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2018, 12:39:17 PM »
Redbaron - Currently loading on a Hornady progressive LNL.  All dies are Hornady. Custom grade dies.  Seat and crimp are separate.

Lewmed - you are using Bayou now, what were you using when you had the problem?

Thanks!
Some trust in chassis, Some in Horsepower, But we trust in the Lord our God.

If it goes "boom" or "vroom" I'm intersted.

Offline Papa Bang

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2018, 12:50:13 PM »
We cast and coat our own and my son shoots about 15000 each summer all with no leading. Alloy is 2% tin 3% antimony 15 bhn sized .001 over groove to .356 and a very slight crimp with LFCD. 1110 fps. Check the diameter of the bullets you buy before you load them I have found many to be not what they claim to be. Also some skimp on coating.

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Offline lewmed

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2018, 01:28:25 PM »
DAN_69 GTX my problem bullets were Hi-Tek coated from Black Bullet Int.

Offline Papa Bang

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2018, 04:22:20 PM »
We also use Hi-Tec.

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Offline Earl Keese

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2018, 05:57:28 PM »
We also use Hi-Tec.

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Offline Wobbly

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Re: Coated bullets and lead residue in the barrel question
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2018, 07:33:36 PM »
My understanding is that if the bullet is too small, you'll get the "gas cutting" immediately, which places the lead near the chamber end of the barrel. Same thing for lead being too hard. You stated your leading was near the muzzle end. So I'm thinking your bullet size is OK.

Leading at the muzzle is typically too high velocity, or not enough protection for that velocity. Are you sure you didn't start with copper fouling, which scrubbed off the Hi-Tek ??


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« Last Edit: November 09, 2018, 07:46:21 PM by Wobbly »
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