Any harm in shooting cast through a brand new barrel?

[aussie-dave]

Hi all, I finally picked up a brand new Ruger 77/357mag today and I'm itching to put some rounds down range.

Problem is the local shop was out of jacketed projectiles for me to load and the factory ammo was over priced. What's the opinion, is it ok to put some cast loads through a brand new barrel after a good hoppe's scrubbing or should I wait and use jacketed to smooth out the barrel?

Thanks for your thoughts, Dave.

[capt.hollis]

I don't see any harm in it, but maybe some of these other guys could explain if there was ? I've done it many times with new barrels.

[bruce381]

ALL of my pistols have ONLY had cast down the tube, rifles I do not know about that.

[308w]

NOOOOOOO! don't do it, its an addiction once you do the only cure will be to keep doing it, run for the hills save yourself.....

[Wal']

Go for it ........ if you have a micrometer available, check the boolit size you are going to use just to be on the safe side.

.358 minimum for a cast load.

[geargnasher]

Just shoot it. If it's rough enough to cause problems with lead, shoot a few paper-patched boolits through it.

Gear

[aussie-dave]

Thanks guys. I've got some checked Lee 358-158-SWC's sized to .358 loaded up with 14.5gr 2205. I'll see how they shoot.

I read that swc's wont load through the rotary mag but 5 dummy rounds chambered perfectly, just have to treat it like a Lee Enfield, work the bolt hard and fast.

[tomme boy]

I put a Shilen Select Match barrel on my 308 win barrel. It has 5 jacketed bullets threw it. That was to just break the throat in a little faster than lead would do. After that is has had nothing but lead. I am a little over 1K rounds through it.

[MBTcustom]

If you're really worried about it, roll five of your boolits in valve grinding compound and shoot them about 800fps.
After that, carry on my wayward son.

Honestly, cast lead is just fine right out of the box, especially with that caliber!

[runfiverun]

Just shoot it. If it's rough enough to cause problems with lead, shoot a few paper-patched boolits through it.

Gear
ditto this.
I have a few rifles/handguns that were bought new that I don't even own any jaxketed bullets for.
and have never seen a factory round. [except the test fire at the factory]

[cainttype]

I'd be more concerned with the choice of bullets/boolits. I have seen the 44 Magnum lever action from Ruger have feeding problems using the rotary clip. Rims from lower positioned rounds can slip forward, in front of the round above it, effectively locking the gun up. If you open your bolt and can't strip a round from the mag, you'll know the likely cause.
It appeared that projectile choice "might" be a cure. If a round was long enough to prevent the forward slippage without binding it should solve the problem.
What would have been optimum was if Ruger had designed the removable rotary clip with a ridge in front of the rims, or a recess for them to slide into, to prevent the possibility of that jumping. That would have allowed any projectile to be used.
I don't know if others have seen this problem regularly or if Ruger solved the problem since those days.

[Jailer]

My 45-70 has never had a single jacketed round or gas checked round down the pipe and it shoots fantastic. Nothing but plain base boolits since it was new.

[Love Life]

5 gr of unique under a Lee 358-125-RF in 38 special brass will punch lights out at 100 yds from that rifle.

Easy shooting, no leading, accurate.

[Ghost101]

I don't really know if it helps or not on the throat an bore, but I always break them in or season the metal. Shoot a round, clean it all up, shoot another round an clean it up. I fire 10-15 rds. this way then I will shoot two an clean for another 10 rds. Then shoot 3rds. an clean. I'll go thru 50 for a handgun and 100 for a rifle. The money I payed for whatever didn't come easy, so I will try to protect my new gem.
I have been doing the same for my H-D motors since 1965. I have one motor with over 450,000 miles on her. My daily 03 has over 200,000 on her. Heat treating the metal works on them, so it should work on my guns. Heat cycles with a cool down. Vary the cycle times progressing until I can throw a leg over her an go for a short ride. Then longer and longer. It just plain works.
Goodsteels method works just as will and have used it on bores.


Ghost101

[altheating]

As Troy Landry says "Choot Em !"
My 77/357 has never had a J word down the tube! Even took a world record caterpillar with it using cast at 103 yards. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/122654e3c820cdb27c.jpg

8.5 grains of surplus 10B101 powder and a cast boolit sure makes for real cheap chootin.

[Duarteus]

Hello all 1 Post on Here ;)

I had ,and still do on most of my firearms .. we not problem .. Who do you like the Ruger 77/357mag I have a Rossi R92 it is a great lever gun :guntootsmiley:

[DeanWinchester]

How did people ever break in a new barrel before copper condoms were invented? Think of all those poor Colts, Sharps, Rolling blocks and trapdoors that were never broken in with a jacketed bullet!:kidding:

[paul h]

I can't imagine shooting anything but cast bullets through a 357 mag rifle. Starting with cast and only shooting cast will never hurt a barrel.

Some barrels do benefit from either running some condum bullets or fire lapping, but don't do that until the barrel shows it needs some help.

[jonk]

If a brand new barrel is so rough that it has issues with cast, I'd return the gun. I find the whole idea of 'break in' is overrated.

[.30/30 Guy]

Mt idea of break in is to start them out with my favorite cast load.

[offshore44]

Don't think it's an issue to shoot only cast from a firearm. CZ 550 Safari in .458 Win mag - the only jacketed bullets through it were at the factory. The bore looks new after several thousand cast and paper patched boolets down the pipe. That's a hammer forged barrel, just for information's sake. Zastava re-arsenaled M24/47 (new M48 barrel screwed on at the arsenal about 1949 - '50 or so and some wood work done) Nothing but cast plain base and gas checked, with maybe a few paper patched down the pipe. No issues. Barrel looks new. Those folks at Factory 44 know how to make a barrel, BTW.

I don't think it matters with a new barrel. The firearm is going to settle in, in any event. Once that stable bore condition is achieved, you're golden. If the firearm won't settle in, it needs some paper patched to polish it out a bit or it needs to go back under warranty. My humble opinion, anyway.

[waksupi]

It just depends on the barrel. Some shot cast well from the first. Some needed some fire lapping. No problem, a dozen shots with something like LBT lapping compound, and you're good to go.

[Island Trash]

A load that works very well in my Ruger 77-357 is Starline brass, CCI 500 primers, Saeco 382 158 gr SWC sized .359, and 6.0 gr of green dot and crimped in the crimp groove. Very consistent .75" groups at 50 yds with the scope. I think a change of primers would shrink it just a touch more, but I have a lot of CCI 500's. All I have shot through the gun has been cast since it was new and it seems to have broken in just fine. The gun is stock except for floated barrel and some trigger work.

[ACrowe25]

I don't think more than half of my guns have any jacketed through lol

[44man]

Barrels are made for cast, need I say more?

[scattershot]

Lead bullets have been shot from new barrels since there were barrels. Shoot the heck out of it and don't worry.

[osteodoc08]

My marlin guide gun has had nothing but cast through it. I pass a wet patch through, then a dry one. Done.

No copper fouling, no leading. Simple and effective. Love it.