Is a little leading expected

[SlowSmokeN]

I bought a Lee 6 cavity mold for 9mm and the Lee sizer. Slugged my barrel, sized bullets, and using Recluse lube.

Gun: Taurus 1911 9mm
Boolit: range lead, air cooled, around 15-18 BHN (Pencil test)
load: 124g RN using 4g Unique. (least amount of powder as possible)

I shot my first 200 rounds last night and after 200 shots I have a little leading all the way down the barrel. It took maybe 5 min with hoops and a brass brush to clean it out. So no big deal.

Is this typical in the barrel or can I do better and eliminate leading all together?

Thanks

[44man]

Small amounts are OK. What to avoid is a build up where it gets thicker and thicker to where rifling is stuffed full.
Leading should be shot out with every shot because it has not stuck to the barrel.
Sounds like you are doing real good.

[calkar]

Wheeler Engineering bore lapping kit from MidwayUSA works for me. I use the 600 grit mostly, it just seems to smooth out the burrs from the machining process.

[Cherokee]

Sounds normal for my several 9mm guns. I call it trace leading and it cleans right up, even after 500-600 rounds between cleaning.

[popper]

I get the same thing in 40 with unique and recluse lube. Cleans out easily. Hoppes works for copper but is a waste for lead. Try Ed's red for CB.

[cummins05]

I am really lucky have no leading as of yet I am glad for it too

[cummins05]

I am a newbie but I would say a little leading if your planning to shoot your 200 or less rounds wouldn't hurt a thing just need to clean after each shooting session

[runfiverun]

it tells me you need to try something else.
a small amount can be caused by several things.
you are so close why not try fixing it.
i'm pretty sure the taurus would like a 359 boolit.

[SlowSmokeN]

it tells me you need to try something else.
a small amount can be caused by several things.
you are so close why not try fixing it.
i'm pretty sure the taurus would like a 359 boolit.

Runfiverun, I am all ears. Any suggestions would be great.

When I run the boolit through the sizer die it is only scratching the sides of the boolit. I wounder if they are falling out a little undersized. Could it be shrinkage in the mold.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'm not sure where runfiverun is getting boolit size of 359 unless he has a taurus 1911 style and his slugged just under that.

With that said, I doubt very highly that a Lee 356 mold will drop near .359

you should slug "your" bore, so you know what "your" gun is.
then shoot a boolit that's a bit larger, 0.001" larger is ideal.
Jon

[SlowSmokeN]

Barrel slugs at .3455
boolit is sized to .3520 (lee sizer)

I read something on the site that no enough powder could case a problem. I am at 4g Unique which is the bottom recommended.

In addition when I run the boolit threw the sizer it isn't doing much. It barley scraps the side like the boolit is to small. Could I not be getting good fill in the mold. I am using range lead. Would a little something with tin in it help?

[runfiverun]

those numbers you show are messed up.

my taurus pt-99 slugged at 358.
i started using 125 rnfp boolit for my 38 in it [sized to 358] and eventually it just became my 9mm boolit.
15-18 bhn actually sounds a bit hard.
you are super close, try bumping the load up a tad bit more.

[SlowSmokeN]

Will do. I am going to load some more on Saturday for Monday's shoot. Load data shows 4.5g of Unique is the max. I will try to hit that or just under. Not to much room.

[Boolseye]

If the boolits are shooting straight, you're doing pretty good out of the gate, but your numbers do sound off. Too low. Are you sure your vernier caliper is accurate?

[SlowSmokeN]

If the boolits are shooting straight, you're doing pretty good out of the gate, but your numbers do sound off. Too low. Are you sure your vernier caliper is accurate?

I am not confident in my numbers. zeroed caliper this morning and got.

slug .354
boolit .356

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

if you pull one of your boolits from a loaded case , what does it measure

swagging them down a few thousandths is real easy to do possably part of why so many find a 358 boolit works well in 9mm many may end up sizing it down in the case to 356 or 357

i had to run .402 in a 40 cal now only one little spot in the barrel is getting any lead , i also got better results with a soft lube , i haven't tried the recluse lube yet

if your sizer is just barley touching the boolits sides why bother sizing skip the step and try loading a few up see if they will chamber

if it will chamber and is not ridiculously over sized then it likely wouldn't chamber if it was, it will size to exactly what it needs to be when you pull the trigger just fine.

[Boolseye]

slug .354
boolit .356

That's more like it. definitely in the ballpark.

[MtGun44]

Caliper is nearly as bad as guessing. You really should have a .0001" reading micrometer.

Enco tools and MSC often have Fowler brand micrometers on sale for well under $50.

Bill

[blikseme300]

Caliper is nearly as bad as guessing. You really should have a .0001" reading micrometer.

Enco tools and MSC often have Fowler brand micrometers on sale for well under $50.

Bill

+1

Get and use a micrometer.

My experience with 9mm has been that fit is king, regardless of Pb alloy hardness. 9mm is a high pressure cartridge and boolit size and lube are critical to performance, accuracy and leading elimination.

My alloy mix consists of 2/3 WW + 1/3 pure + 1% tin. I cast at 720* into a Lee 356-120-TC that has been leemented and drops at .359. I size using a Star sizing to .358 and lube using a 50-50 mix of BAC and Carnuba red.

My pet load moves at 1050fps and accuracy is better than I can shoot. Ragged holes of average 3" at 25 yards are common. No leading is experienced.

My 2c

Bliksem

[SlowSmokeN]

+1

Get and use a micrometer.

My experience with 9mm has been that fit is king, regardless of Pb alloy hardness. 9mm is a high pressure cartridge and boolit size and lube are critical to performance, accuracy and leading elimination.

My alloy mix consists of 2/3 WW + 1/3 pure + 1% tin. I cast at 720* into a Lee 356-120-TC that has been leemented and drops at .359. I size using a Star sizing to .358 and lube using a 50-50 mix of BAC and Carnuba red.

My pet load moves at 1050fps and accuracy is better than I can shoot. Ragged holes of average 3" at 25 yards are common. No leading is experienced.

My 2c

Bliksem

I am using a micrometer but the last number was a zero so I just left it off. I found it strange that they both came out to zero. One more reason why I am unsure of my measurements. I sent my slug and some boolits I made to someone who can put a better eye on them.

This is going to by my primary target load so I would love to get it dialed in 100%. I hope to load up some more rounds here pretty quick using more powder. I am at the very bottom recommended range. Perhaps by bumping up the charge a little could make a difference.