JeffG
11-11-2013, 11:43 PM
Hi folks, I have an interesting thing I'm trying to work out and need a sanity check.
I'm shooting a S&W SD9 VE 9mm. I'm casting 2 different bullets, a TL356-124TC and 356-120-TC, both from Lee. I use the same alloy of air cooled COWW with 3% tin then age hardened 3-4 weeks. I lube the TL356-124-TC with straight LLA, dry, run through .357 sizing die then lube with LLA again, let dry and age harden. For the 356-120-TC, I dip lube these in melted sticks of Lyman Alox (NRA 50/50 formula) and run through the same .357 sizing die, followed by age hardening. The bullets are about .0005 over chamber diameter and there is an noticeable interference fit when I manually press a round into the chamber.
As far as the charge goes, I typically use 4.1-4.2 grains Unique but am also playing with Blue Dot at 5.9 grains. I'm using a Lyman M die and when I run though the Lee FCD, I apply no crimp. When I pull these rounds and mic, no resizing has taken place.
Now here's the thing I'm trying to understand and troubleshoot. The TL356-124-TC doesn't lead at all. The 356-120-TC leads a minor amount at the muzzle only, but easily cleans up with a couple strokes of a bronze brush and sometimes just a solvent patch. When I inspect the chamber after firing the non TL rounds, at the point where the cartridge headspaces, I sometimes see a buildup of lube that has a couple times resulted in it sometimes not completely going into battery. In short, it seems like it's losing some lube in the headspace area. This is making me wonder if this is part of the reason why I'm leading at the muzzle, because I'm losing some lube at the headspace or edge of the chamber.
I skipped dip lubing a batch and have been trying those 356-120-TC's with nothing but LLA or 45/45/10 on them and basically see no difference between them and when I fill the lube groove, other than the chamber area no longer gets gummed up.
So, here's my question... Is it possible my lube is a little on the soft size and I perhaps need to do something like add a little Orange Magic or some other harder lube to the NRA formula melt I'm dip lubing in? I also experience some blow by around the cases with either bullets, maybe because I'm staying closer to starting loads. Would upping the powder charge have any positive effect on the lube issue?
Thanks:confused:
I'm shooting a S&W SD9 VE 9mm. I'm casting 2 different bullets, a TL356-124TC and 356-120-TC, both from Lee. I use the same alloy of air cooled COWW with 3% tin then age hardened 3-4 weeks. I lube the TL356-124-TC with straight LLA, dry, run through .357 sizing die then lube with LLA again, let dry and age harden. For the 356-120-TC, I dip lube these in melted sticks of Lyman Alox (NRA 50/50 formula) and run through the same .357 sizing die, followed by age hardening. The bullets are about .0005 over chamber diameter and there is an noticeable interference fit when I manually press a round into the chamber.
As far as the charge goes, I typically use 4.1-4.2 grains Unique but am also playing with Blue Dot at 5.9 grains. I'm using a Lyman M die and when I run though the Lee FCD, I apply no crimp. When I pull these rounds and mic, no resizing has taken place.
Now here's the thing I'm trying to understand and troubleshoot. The TL356-124-TC doesn't lead at all. The 356-120-TC leads a minor amount at the muzzle only, but easily cleans up with a couple strokes of a bronze brush and sometimes just a solvent patch. When I inspect the chamber after firing the non TL rounds, at the point where the cartridge headspaces, I sometimes see a buildup of lube that has a couple times resulted in it sometimes not completely going into battery. In short, it seems like it's losing some lube in the headspace area. This is making me wonder if this is part of the reason why I'm leading at the muzzle, because I'm losing some lube at the headspace or edge of the chamber.
I skipped dip lubing a batch and have been trying those 356-120-TC's with nothing but LLA or 45/45/10 on them and basically see no difference between them and when I fill the lube groove, other than the chamber area no longer gets gummed up.
So, here's my question... Is it possible my lube is a little on the soft size and I perhaps need to do something like add a little Orange Magic or some other harder lube to the NRA formula melt I'm dip lubing in? I also experience some blow by around the cases with either bullets, maybe because I'm staying closer to starting loads. Would upping the powder charge have any positive effect on the lube issue?
Thanks:confused: