38 spl leading

[soldierbilly1]

OK, I have to go to the hive for this one.
Normally I shoot my J frame clone using the Lee 358 158 RF boolits. I use the NRA 50/50 as a lube, sizing at 357, and I have shot about 800 of 'em through this gun, no leading whatsoever.
I wanted to go the TL route as it is faster, yadda yadda. I tried the Lee TL 158 gr SWC's and they leaded up the barrel, not really bad, no keyholing but kind of a PIA to clean up. All the time I "saved," I lost.
I just miked some out of the mold at 358 - 359. I shot them unsized after coating with the Lee Liquid Alox.
I think maybe I used too little LLA. Anyway, that is the easiest, fastest thing I could do.
Any suggestions? thanks for the help.
billy boy

[Mlcompound]

What alloy? What load are you using? I have the lee 158 swc with traditional lube grooves and it works great in my model 60 j frame, rossi r92, and 7.5 in 686. You may need to up the charge a bit to get good them to seal if the lead is hard. I use range scrap from an indoor range. It is fairly soft.

[1Shirt]

Logical advice!
1Shirt!

[Bucking the Tiger]

I have been using the Lee 158gr RF as my #1 plinking bullet in my .38's. They drop out of the mold( 6 cavity) at exactly .358 using range scrap and a couple pounds of linotype in a Lee 20lb. pot, with about 30" of plumber's solder for tin. No sizing, but probably a bit much LLA.
I give them a varnished tint. I tried to lube size( or really just lube) with a RCBS .358 die in my Lyman 4500 without good results. Too sensitive to pressure adjustments and the lube groove on the 158 RF is skimpy. This is really simple and I go through .38's like popcorn.

[runfiverun]

i'd just go back to not using the tumble lube.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

i'd just go back to not using the tumble lube.

I'd have to agree, I used to shoot a lot of the TL 358 158 SWC and, in my experience the ribbing doesn't hold the rifling quite as well as a standard boolit, you may have shallow rifling in your barrel.

Or, you may have tight cylinder throats that are smoothing out the ribbing on a boolit that is 359-360 and is taking much of the lube of as the boolit exits the chamber, something that was previously not a problem with boolits sized to .357.

Or I may be way off, in the 38 spl the TL is generally quite sufficient as lube, and you are using a larger boolit, so your problem does not elicit an obvious answer.

[357shooter]

I get spotty results with tumble lube. Out of frustration I just quit using it.

Others get good results, however easist and fastest doesn't work for me either.

[soldierbilly1]

What alloy? What load are you using? I have the lee 158 swc with traditional lube grooves and it works great in my model 60 j frame, rossi r92, and 7.5 in 686. You may need to up the charge a bit to get good them to seal if the lead is hard. I use range scrap from an indoor range. It is fairly soft.

I, too, am using range scrap, it's all I use! I use 3.5 gr of Titegrp for both loads.
Some of the group comments here are very interesting.
I think I will try dumping more of the LLA on the bullets, and if she don't work, back to the LubriSizer!
yupper, TL does not work on everything. (Works well on my 45 however.)
thanks for the help.
billy boy

[runfiverun]

this might seem a little odd.
but I have never used tumble lube in a handgun cartridge.
I do use it in three different rifles however.

[MtGun44]

LLA is a marginal system. IMO, if it fails, cut your losses and drop it. If you get it to
work, enjoy.

Bill

[cbrick]

I don't like my boolits tumbling before or after I pull the trigger. :mrgreen:

Rick

[Bucking the Tiger]

MtGun44, I agree with you. LLA is a marginal system. I use it in low velocity, small bore handgun rounds( 32 S&W Long, light 32-20, .38 Special) and it works. I drop 158gr RF from a 6 cavity Lee( they are.358) LLA and load. I have a Lee TL 314 90gr SWC that works great.
I have tried to use it in big bore( .44 Magnum, 208 Lee WC) at slow speed without good results. I tried to use the 158 RF in .357 Magnum at speed of 1250fps to 1400fps: not good.
A good, tacky wax lube serves me best in .357, .44, and .45 Colt.

[soldierbilly1]

thanks to all.
I think I solved my problem. I took 25 rnds and double coated them with the LLA, loaded them up and went to the range.
No leading whatsoever! Two passes with the bore snake and the barrel was shining like the cat's a**.
However, I won't be selling my Lyman LubraSizer anytime soon!
Now I can work on my shooting. (hah)
billy boy

[rintinglen]

I have used LLA for years, either plain or as one of the "45's" in recluse formula 45/45/10. It works well, but it is not magic.

Your boolit still has to fit your gun. It has to be of a proper hardness for your intended purpose. The boolit design has to be appropriate for your guns throat(s) and forcing cone. And you have to use enough lube for your gun.

My rifle boolits get two heavy coats, after sizing. My pistol boolits get two medium coats. Two light coats is the minimum, and often not enough. I want to see a varnish-color when it dries. If it is gray, I may not have enough. If in doubt, add more. I will add that I have not generally had good results with the Lee Tumble Lube boolits. The rounded edges make it hard to tell a boolit with good fill out from bad.