New leading issue

[walker77]

Normally i have a problem with leading in the grooves. Today, i shot using a new lube and i got leading on the top of the rifling. What could cause this? Its really frustrating when i think i finally think i have the problem figured out, then this pops up.

[RobS]

I'm trying to figure out what you mean by "on top of the rifling". Do you mean on the lands of the rifling? Where is the leading happening in the barrel i.e. at the start of the barrel, a few inches in, or at the muzzle end. Is this with a plain base bullet or a gas check? What firearm are you shooting........the 9MM or the 44mag?

[geargnasher]

I know you know the details about what you're doing, but I have no idea whatsoever. I'll be glad to help if you will give details about gun, load, boolit, dimensions of everything, alloy, lube, etc. It matters.

Gear

[Bass Ackward]

You need to remain flexible. Your barrel state is going to keep changing until it doesn't. That may sound like BS until you pass through it once.

During this time stuff continually changes. A lube that works today may not be the one you actually end up with tomorrow. A mold you think you want to be buried with gathers dust tomorrow. A load you develop today may suck next week.

It helps to shoot 6 jacketed at the end of a cession every once in awhile. If you see can visually see when you clean where the gun pulls copper and how that is changing slowly, then it will be easier to understand why it is pulling lead. The barrel cleans up from the back forward, from the high spots to the low.

Don't confuse this normal process with over pressing a hardness. You may ask the gun to give you something it isn't ready for. That's the reason for a good, mid range load control load. Say 10 grains of Unique with anything up to 260 grains in a 44M. Eventually, it will stop pulling everything. Just shoot the gun until IT handles the load.

You never know how long this is going to take. The lucky guys are good right off. A barrel will continue to improve to say 10k to 12k rounds. So how do you know when you are through this period? Here is a simple test that you can use at any time.

Take 6 bullets that have been lubed normally. Coat those with LLA and load them just like the others. Shoot those at the end of your cession. (before any jacketed) If those 6 shoot better, the gun needs more work. (or better lube) If they shoot the same or worse, your barrel is there.

[felix]

Keep in mind also that shooting a volley of very light loaded boolits will strip the barrel of lead. It won't hurt to use a load that contains a filler. The load should be light enough to not burn off the filler's sharp edges. If there is no experience with fillers, make sure the threads on board about it are fully understood. ... felix

[walker77]

Yeah, i guess i mean the lands of the rifling, because it wasnt the grooves. I have shot this load before, but i used carnuba red, this time i tried BAC. Its on my 44 mag gas check boolit. I use 9.5gr of unique. I dont get it, i shot this load last weekend and thought i solved my leading issue with gas checks, now this popped up. It wasnt a lot, it wasnt hard to clean. But still, i dont get why it wasnt there last weekend and it was there this weekend. And the only thing i can think i changed was the lube, and i also air cooled these boolits, the other ones i think i water dropped them.

[Bass Ackward]

I dont get it, i shot this load last weekend and thought i solved my leading issue with gas checks, now this popped up. It wasnt a lot, it wasnt hard to clean. But still, i dont get why it wasnt there last weekend and it was there this weekend. And the only thing i can think i changed was the lube, and i also air cooled these boolits, the other ones i think i water dropped them.


A check isn't necessarily a get out of jail free card. You do need to be consistent or learn to expect differences when you change stuff. Even after the gun smooths up, it can still be .... particular. It's just more so now.

If you press harder with sand paper, it cuts better. Same with hard bullets. They will get you to the promised land faster. WD until you determine that the gun will allow you to make a change. (see the test listed in post # 4)

[mooman76]

You changed 2 veriables and you got leading. Try some loads changing back one at a time. On the other hand, you said the lead was easily cleaned out, some people can live with that.

[walker77]

True, its easy to clean, but its just a weird issue, and just last weekend it was perfect. I really feel it was because i didnt water drop them.

[MtGun44]

Not likely the hardness issue. Likely the lube change.