Shot my first PC bullets today.

[Beetmagnet]

In all seriousness...this whole making the lead and PC work for my guns is just a puzzle to be solved, and a great part of the fun to me. It's almost like doing 3 dimensional logic puzzles.

[Chris C]

I'll have to agree with that, Beetmagnet. It definitely is a puzzle. Seems as though I seldom get these puzzles figured out. People are all the time telling me they've "found the perfect load for my such and such pistol/rifle and now it shoots 1/4" holes at a thousand yards". (exaggeration, of course) But that's never happened to me. It seems that all I do is throw a lot of money at the hobby and never actually "get" anywhere. Frustrating. I've only been shooting for 6 years now, but one would think I'd worked "something" out that was a solution.

[Smoke4320]

That's exactly what I did, Smoke4320................and they leaded like ****!!!!! I've never seen so much lead in a barrel. (at least not in any of my barrels!)

Started with an immaculately clean barrel. I shot at 4.6 gr BE-86 for an average of 1162 fps..........4.7 gr for 1077 fps..........and 4.8 gr for 1094 fps. I was shooting a 122 gr Lyman 356402 powder coated bullet. Wacky velocities.............not quite sure what's up with that.

the above is with .358 sized bullets out of a 9MM whose barrel is slugging .355 ? Just checking to be sure I understand correctly
Thanks

[MyFlatline]

Man, I'm confused. Have never leaded with an oversized bullet if the coating was done correctly. .02 has been the magic number.

.355 sounds tight for a .358 round,,,just sayin. All pistols go at .358, all rifles go .360.

Sure hope you get it sorted.

[Chris C]

the above is with .358 sized bullets out of a 9MM whose barrel is slugging .355 ? Just checking to be sure I understand correctly
Thanks

That would be a yes.

[Chris C]

I was told by a fellow on the Brian Enos forum that I'm pushing these coated bullets too fast. He says my 147 gr Bayou bullets should be in the 850/900 fps range. The Bayou bullets are .356". I only had 50 of the .358" bullets to test and they are all gone now. I'll try the Bayou Hi-Tek coated bullets at a lower velocity. I'll get it sorted, sooner or later.

[ichthyo]

I powder coat with HF red and have never had any leading issues. 2- 3 thousanths over bore diameter. Very happy with them.

[Chris C]

Well, I've 450 of these Hi-Tek coated, 147 gr bullets from Bayou....................and if I don't find a non-leading, satisfactory load for them by the time I run out of them I'll switch to inexpensive jacketed target bullets. At least with jacketed, I can pull the barrel after shooting, plug the muzzle with a cork and fill it with copper remover and let it set over night. They come clean as a whistle after that treatment.

[popper]

sounds like the normal sharp shoulder chamber problem. Oversized strips on the edge and undersized skids. IMHO PC is a little more forgiving than HiTek for this problem but the solution is to 'break' the sharp edge.

[TXCOONDOG]

I push .357mag sized at .358 with a BHN of 11 to 1300fps and 9mm to 1150 fps with no leading.

[TXCOONDOG]

Went to Bayou Bullets and the site says as you already stated that 9mm are sized to .356" and this for BHN

"Our bullets are cast from certified 92/6/2 alloy with a Brinell hardness of 16-17"

That is not what I consider soft.

[Chris C]

sounds like the normal sharp shoulder chamber problem. Oversized strips on the edge and undersized skids. IMHO PC is a little more forgiving than HiTek for this problem but the solution is to 'break' the sharp edge.

And just how would you do that, popper?

[Smoke4320]

Chris do you see exactly were the leading started in the barrel .. was it part way to the muzzle or starting at beginning of the rifling
Thanks

[Chris C]

Pretty much the entire length of the barrel was leaded, but heavier toward the chamber. I've got one of those "cheapy" Chinese bore scopes. Before cleaning next time, I'll check the barrel with it after shooting. Wish I had some Cerrosafe to get a good look at what popper was talking about.

I've a "ton" on my plate right now, so I'm going to set this project aside for the moment............too much other stuff to get done around the place. I'll might load a few rounds up today and probably wait until the 4th to shoot them. (I don't shoot on my range on weekends out of courtesy to my neighbors.) Everyone else will be popping fireworks on the 4th and I can shoot off some test rounds.

[Smoke4320]

sounds good .. don't get discouraged .. we will find the solution..
have a great 4th

[Chris C]

And the same back atchya! Independence Day is important to red-blooded "real" Americans.

[Rick459]

Chris C
to break that edge that popper is talking you can either rent a throating reamer and attempt it your self or have a gunsmith do it. or you can Fire Lap your barrel with bullets coated with a lapping compound. you can either coat the lead bullets yourself or buy them already coated HTH Midway sels a kit for coating bullets.
Rick
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/64...re-lapping-kit

[Chris C]

I already have one of those fire-lapping kits. Just need to cast (or buy) some pure lead 9mm bullets. Didn't know for sure what he was talking about.

[Rick459]

what popper is talking about is the leading edge at the throat of the barrel. some times after they cut the chamber the reamer leaves the edges on the leading a little sharp. fire lapping will cure that. but if your problem is a short throat causing your problem then you will have to run a throating reamer down the barrel. trying the fire lapping first and see if that cures the problem. you already have the kit so it would be of the two the cheapest way to go. HTH
Rick

[Chris C]

Veral Smith says while firelapping "any" barrel will definitely improve it, he doesn't recommend it for weapons that will primarily be used with jacketed bullets because it changes the dimensions of the barrel and will play heck with the accuracy of the jacketed rounds. Since mine is a carry gun and will only be carried with jacketed bullets, I'm wondering if it would just be best to wear any sharp edges down with jacketed practice rounds. Any thoughts or comments on the subject would be appreciated.