Lead melter
02-15-2008, 09:49 AM
I'm not a history buff like some of you, but if I understand anything about ballistics, the old buffalo hunters with the 45-70, 50-90, 50-110, etc. fired a lead only boolit lubed with mostly animal fat at velocities of 1200-1500 fps. They apparently had no real barrel leading problems, since the BP crud built up and acted as a kind of extra lube.
A 22 caliber rimfire uses a very soft bullet, lubed with wax or other similar composite at velocities of 900-1400 fps. These guns are shot 1000's of rounds without cleaning and still maintain reputable degrees of accuracy.
Moderm muzzleloading shooters still fire conical boolits with natural lube and still have the crud to clean, but don't report any leading issues.
This brings me to an experiment and a question. I have cast Lee C309-170-RN/FP boolits of lead only, lubed with LLA, sized and seated gas checks, and then shot them over 10 grains Unique. No chrono was used, but the same boolit cast with lead/lino mix, and Laser-Cast of same weight each measured about 1500 fps from my Marlin 336. I am assuming the lead only, with less resistance might have shot a little faster.
Accuracy of the lead only boolit was on par with the other two slugs...1 1/2" at 50 yards with a Williams peep sight. Just 10 rounds were fired, but there seemed to be no excess leading of the barrel, at least as far as I could tell.
The question is, just how fast do you think a lead only boolit, with gas check, and proper lube, can be driven before it starts to go astray and/or clogs the barrel with lead residue?
Deer season here in NC finds me hunting the woods in the morning where a 40-50 yard shot is a long one. The idea of a lead boolit with dramatic expansion fired with a relatively quiet report is alluring.
I have seen the result of a Hornady Great Plains 45 caliber slug fired at a sedate velocity striking the rib cage of a 100 lb doe. When skinned, the entry and exit holes in the ribs were large enough for my 11 year old son to stick his fist through. Deer down, vitals mush, venison for breakfast.
What think ye?
A 22 caliber rimfire uses a very soft bullet, lubed with wax or other similar composite at velocities of 900-1400 fps. These guns are shot 1000's of rounds without cleaning and still maintain reputable degrees of accuracy.
Moderm muzzleloading shooters still fire conical boolits with natural lube and still have the crud to clean, but don't report any leading issues.
This brings me to an experiment and a question. I have cast Lee C309-170-RN/FP boolits of lead only, lubed with LLA, sized and seated gas checks, and then shot them over 10 grains Unique. No chrono was used, but the same boolit cast with lead/lino mix, and Laser-Cast of same weight each measured about 1500 fps from my Marlin 336. I am assuming the lead only, with less resistance might have shot a little faster.
Accuracy of the lead only boolit was on par with the other two slugs...1 1/2" at 50 yards with a Williams peep sight. Just 10 rounds were fired, but there seemed to be no excess leading of the barrel, at least as far as I could tell.
The question is, just how fast do you think a lead only boolit, with gas check, and proper lube, can be driven before it starts to go astray and/or clogs the barrel with lead residue?
Deer season here in NC finds me hunting the woods in the morning where a 40-50 yard shot is a long one. The idea of a lead boolit with dramatic expansion fired with a relatively quiet report is alluring.
I have seen the result of a Hornady Great Plains 45 caliber slug fired at a sedate velocity striking the rib cage of a 100 lb doe. When skinned, the entry and exit holes in the ribs were large enough for my 11 year old son to stick his fist through. Deer down, vitals mush, venison for breakfast.
What think ye?