does speed=leading?

[gofastman]

I know if you push the wrong bullet too fast you will lead your barrel, does this happen if the bullet goes too slow too?
In other words, is there a certain velocity window you have to work in?

Can I run a WW alloy, 240 TL SWC at 600fps?

[geargnasher]

I know what you're looking for, and unfortunately it really isn't to be found outside of the microcosm of you, your loads, and your gun. There is no definitive answer to your question except to load some up, shoot them in your gun and see how it goes. If you happen to have problems with accuracy/leading/sticking boolits in the barrel etc. then let's worry about fixing it, but not until then.

Gear

[btroj]

Can you? Yes. Will it lead? Maybe.
The key is FIT. If the bullet fits the throats and the throats are larger than the bore and their is no major thread choke then they should be fine. All of those "ifs" are because there is no certainty in shooting.

Best advice I can give you is to make sure the bullets fit the throats and e throats are larger than the bore size. Ensure that and your job is much easier.

I guarantee you this- drive a WW slug that is undersized at low velocity, or any velocity usually, and you will be mining lead from the barrel. It is much easier to figure out what will lead than what won't.

Like Bret is fond of saying- fit is king. Make sure the bullet dits and you can do almost anything within reason to it.

[Larry Gibson]

I know if you push the wrong bullet too fast you will lead your barrel, does this happen if the bullet goes too slow too?
In other words, is there a certain velocity window you have to work in?

Can I run a WW alloy, 240 TL SWC at 600fps?

Assuming you're talking that bullet out of a .44 revolver of some sort?

Yes you can shoot WWs that slow as I have done it in my own .44s with that very load in reduced .44 Special loads. As gear mentions whether or not you can do it remains on your revolver, the sizing, the aomount of lube, the powder used etc. If that's what you want to shoot then I suggest you cut the WW with 60-70 % pure lead and add 2% tin. That will give you a better softer bullet that will obturate at low pressure loads. I've recently done considerable load development with the .44 SPL and .44 Magnum for Cowboy Action loads. I suggest a powder in the burning range of Bullseye or VV N320.

Larry Gibson

[JIMinPHX]

A lot of otherwise-reliable loading manuals perpetuate the myth that you can't push lead boolits past 1,000 fps without leading. I have personally fired properly sized & lubricated boolits out of a .223 at over 3,000fps with no leading at all. Accuracy gets harder for me to come by above 2,400fps though.

[MT Gianni]

Taken literally yes too slow can stick a bullet in the bore which is the ultimate in leading. Barrel leading is caused by many factors and velocity is one of the things that act on those factors. Poor fit, poor lube, poor choice of alloy, and poor mechanical conditions are a place to start but not the complete list by any means.

[got_lead?]

Pressure seems to be the cause of leadding more than speed. For years, I shot the heaviest cast boolits to keep the speed down to reduce leadding. I had it all wrong. The heavies actually caused more chamber pressure, and were more likely to lead than the lighter boolits. I am casting for my 30-30 presently, and am finding I can drive 115 grainers at over 1500 fps w/o any leadding at all, while the 170's won't go above 1300 without leadding.

Lube is a big factor as well, use plenty, there should be a nice greasy star on your muzzle after a few shots, that's the lube making it all the way down the barrel. Lee Alox just doesn't do it for me, I need a bit of grease in the lube band as well for my auto, revolvers, and rifles.

Your desired load of 240 grains at 600 fps is very doable, I'd probably start with some faster burning powder like bullseye, tightgroup, or 700X, probably around 4 grains to start. I'm shooting a smith 52 with 38 wadcutters loaded with 2.4 grains of BE, this gives me around 630 fps.

Seat your boolits deep in the cases to reduce the initial volume which will give you better burning and ballistics.

[1Shirt]

If it is undersized and wabbles down the tube, it will PROBABLY lead regardless of vol. No absolutes in the shooting of cast!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[MtGun44]

Short answer. NO.

A lot more to it.

Can you shoot wwts at 600? Well, I shoot them at 1400 or higher, so done right, the
answer is "Heck, Yes!" and a lot faster, too.

There is a LOT more to it. Start with this if you want it all. Lots of reading, but Glen knows
a LOT.

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm

Bill

[Hang Fire]

Pressure seems to be the cause of leadding more than speed. For years, I shot the heaviest cast boolits to keep the speed down to reduce leadding. I had it all wrong. The heavies actually caused more chamber pressure, and were more likely to lead than the lighter boolits. I am casting for my 30-30 presently, and am finding I can drive 115 grainers at over 1500 fps w/o any leadding at all, while the 170's won't go above 1300 without leadding.

Lube is a big factor as well, use plenty, there should be a nice greasy star on your muzzle after a few shots, that's the lube making it all the way down the barrel. Lee Alox just doesn't do it for me, I need a bit of grease in the lube band as well for my auto, revolvers, and rifles.

Your desired load of 240 grains at 600 fps is very doable, I'd probably start with some faster burning powder like bullseye, tightgroup, or 700X, probably around 4 grains to start. I'm shooting a smith 52 with 38 wadcutters loaded with 2.4 grains of BE, this gives me around 630 fps.

Seat your boolits deep in the cases to reduce the initial volume which will give you better burning and ballistics.

I agree. the higher pressure required to drive a boolit faster can become the culprit pretty quick. That is why the correct powder for a given load becomes important.

[303Guy]

Well, the idea that there could be a window in which cast works best does seem to have some merit. I've found that too low a charge of fast powder produces gas cutting, particularly at the base. A higher charge of slower powder does not. Possible reason - not enough 'bump up' to seal the bore. Or even too long a duration at the vulnerable stage? But I'd say that usually the minimum requirement would be enough powder to reliably drive the boolit all the way through the bore! Otherwise you get the ultimate leading as MT Gianni puts it! :mrgreen:

[runfiveslittlegirl]

for a while there was a kinda mini contest around here to see how slow a boolit could be pushed down the bbl.
my dad got down to about 550 fps in his usfa 45 colt revolvers... but he was using 160 gr boolits.

[gofastman]

Pressure seems to be the cause of leadding more than speed. For years, I shot the heaviest cast boolits to keep the speed down to reduce leadding. I had it all wrong. The heavies actually caused more chamber pressure, and were more likely to lead than the lighter boolits. I am casting for my 30-30 presently, and am finding I can drive 115 grainers at over 1500 fps w/o any leadding at all, while the 170's won't go above 1300 without leadding.
is that were slow burning powders come in? that is, they keep peak pressures down.