Friends call me Pac
04-21-2013, 12:27 AM
I have a NOE .225 60 gr RN mold. I made the bullets from the Lyman #2 recipe from my manual (lead, coww & tin) & shot them in my Rem 700 in .223. Poured up some nice looking bullets, put GC on them and tumble lubed with 45-45-10. I took them to the range a few days ago and loaded them with 8.6 gr of 2400 as per the suggested starting point in the book. After about 10 shots and only hitting the copier paper target twice I put the rifle away. I had tried shooting as cast but the lead was plainly visible in the barrel and even more so when I got home and got the first patch through the bore. Lots of lead on that first patch.
My next plan was to size them down to .225 with a lee .225 sizer kit instead of shooting them as cast. Today I took the sized bullets to the range & at 100 yards with a load of 2400 @ 8.6 gr my rifle made a 1.5-2" group with 7 shots. I was pretty happy. I removed the bolt and checked out the barrel. It looked fine. I came home and ran a patch through to see if I picked up any lead on the patch like the last attempt. I didn't have obvious patches of lead on the patch like last time but I am seeing what I would describe as shiny tiny gray flakes. If you have ever seen gold dust that is about the same size. Do you think these tiny flakes are lead & is it a concern considering the group I shot or am I ok?
My next plan was to size them down to .225 with a lee .225 sizer kit instead of shooting them as cast. Today I took the sized bullets to the range & at 100 yards with a load of 2400 @ 8.6 gr my rifle made a 1.5-2" group with 7 shots. I was pretty happy. I removed the bolt and checked out the barrel. It looked fine. I came home and ran a patch through to see if I picked up any lead on the patch like the last attempt. I didn't have obvious patches of lead on the patch like last time but I am seeing what I would describe as shiny tiny gray flakes. If you have ever seen gold dust that is about the same size. Do you think these tiny flakes are lead & is it a concern considering the group I shot or am I ok?