Recently I have aquired a sig 290RS 9mm pistol. I reload for a couple 9mm full size but never for a compact. So I contacted one of our many intelligent and ask for advise. He has been very helpful and I thank him again.
Now we are using the TL356-124TC cast boolit 50/50 ww/pb water dropped with LLA with paste wax thinned with mineral spirits- 2 coats, the dia. is 358 and the barrel mics at .3565. Now I am not looking for advice but just wanted to let others know what results we are having, but advice will be accepted and appreciated.
We have tried several powders 5 rounds each of 5 different load size and of 5 different powder loads in each of Bullseye, AA5, Power Pistol, Bludot and AA2, that being a total of 25 rounds of each powder. After the first round of 5 we had leading in the first 1/2 inch of the barrel but I noticed 2 grooves had leading 1/2 in. longer than all others and only 1/2 in. in all others. In all 5 loads of each powder it was the same I/2 in. and 1 in in the 2 grooves beside each other.That is 125 rounds thru this pistol with the same leading results every time. After a real scrubbing we found just ahead of the forcing cone for about a 1/2 the barrel is rough looking. Done by light shining thru the barrel but not by using a bore scope, just the eye. The 2 grooves that had leading about 1 in. long the land between had a chattered spot,like a ripple just to the edge of the land. I am going to use some compound and some FMJ bullits and try to polish the barrel in those areas. I will follow up here as the testing progresses, don't be in a hurry cause I am slow at this with the farm and all but I will add more as we go along.
when we shot the test rounds it was interesting cause this little pistol shot a 4in. group at about 10 yd, free hand, and they were about 1 1/4 inches low and to the right the same distance. My hands didn't fit this pistol real well but the extended mag helped alot. My son shot this pistol and it shot the same except a tighter group, Dang kids just have to show off.LOL
I found it real interesting that all 125 rounds,(5rounds of 5 different loads of 5 different powders) leaded the same pattern in the barrel and shot , for the most part, the same grouping. This adiction is great cause I went out and bought a Springfield XD mod 2 in 9mm. The testing of it will begin in a week or so.
I will not send this gun back to the factory cause I want to cure it myself, I'm just like that. Life is great and the help we get on here is just mind blowing. Thanks again,
CD