New to shooting lead, what is this?

[Beagle333]

Are you able to push the bullets all the way through your cylinder chambers, or do the get stuck before they come out the other end, just with light pressure using a pencil or some such?

[sghart3578]

Go to a .454" diameter bullet for 45 Colt.

[Stopsign32v]

That is pretty excessive lead buildup for 40 rds, have you checked the cylinder gap?

No I haven't but my other revolver did the same thing. Now I was shooting 2.5cc of Black MZ out of that one! Needless to say it had stout recoil.

[Stopsign32v]

Are you able to push the bullets all the way through your cylinder chambers, or do the get stuck before they come out the other end, just with light pressure using a pencil or some such?

I just tried and no you cannot.

[Stopsign32v]

Go to a .454" diameter bullet for 45 Colt.

Who might sell those?

[tazman]

If you can't push your current boolits through the cylinder, going to a larger boolit will be a complete waste since the cylinder will size the boolits down to the cylinder throat size when fired.
You should find out what size the groove diameter is on your barrel. It is possible you may need the cylinder throats reamed out.
Is there any leading anywhere else in the barrel?
If not, it may just be the boolits are the problem for some reason.

[Stopsign32v]

If you can't push your current boolits through the cylinder, going to a larger boolit will be a complete waste since the cylinder will size the boolits down to the cylinder throat size when fired.
You should find out what size the groove diameter is on your barrel. It is possible you may need the cylinder throats reamed out.
Is there any leading anywhere else in the barrel?
If not, it may just be the boolits are the problem for some reason.

Nope, barrel after the forcing cone is as clean as a whistle. Plus this happened on 2 revolvers and not just this one.

[tazman]

In that case, I would suggest trying a different brand of boolit. Something is wrong with those since they are spraying that much lead.
There are lots of people out there making boolits.

[Stopsign32v]

Anyone have any suggestions for some good 45 Colt lead bullets? LOL

[gpidaho]

I agree with tazman, something is wrong with that batch of bullets to lead that much at the forcing cone unless the revolver is slightly out of time. That seems unlikely in this instance since you say it does that to two different revolvers. Hope you get it figured out because most revolvers will shoot lead bullets more accurately than jacketed ones. Gp

[gpidaho]

Stopsign32v: PM me your address and I'll send you a handful of powder coated 45 bullets. If it leads at all with them something is very wrong with the revolver. Gp

[tazman]

Good idea.

[Beagle333]

Can you take a picture showing the cylinder gaps of the two revolvers so we can compare? It doesn't really look out of time, since the lead seems to be even on both sides of the frame.

[gpidaho]

^^^^^^agreed. Gp

[richhodg66]

Looks like undersized boolits causing blowby at the throat.

I bet this is the problem. Try dropping one through the cylinder, a bullet should stick in the chamber throat. You're getting blow by somehow and commercial cast bullets are often sized too small, cast too hard and use hard lubes that are more for surviving shipping rather than lubing bullets.

[Stopsign32v]

I agree with tazman, something is wrong with that batch of bullets to lead that much at the forcing cone unless the revolver is slightly out of time. That seems unlikely in this instance since you say it does that to two different revolvers. Hope you get it figured out because most revolvers will shoot lead bullets more accurately than jacketed ones. Gp

That's the thing, both revolvers were grouping very well with these bullets!

Stopsign32v: PM me your address and I'll send you a handful of powder coated 45 bullets. If it leads at all with them something is very wrong with the revolver. Gp

I have some Xtreme copper plated bullets I could use. Sounds dumb but I really like the pure lead 45 Colt bullets for the old look they give.

[44Blam]

That's the thing, both revolvers were grouping very well with these bullets!



I have some Xtreme copper plated bullets I could use. Sounds dumb but I really like the pure lead 45 Colt bullets for the old look they give.

But... PC'd boolits look way cooler!
Attachment 225458

[Grmps]

If you want the lead look, PC with clear

[303Guy]

Just a quick question - how does an undersized boolit lead the forcing cone and barrel face? That would mean gas cutting in the cylinder. A larger diameter boolit would seal the cylinder so it would not matter if it sized the boolit down.

The other puzzling thing is that this deposit is hard? Why would lead deposit from gas cutting be hard?

I've had severe gas cutting in a revolver where the rifling impression basically stood proud of the boolit. They shot fine and there was no leading in the bore (softer lead shot better - apparently bumping up in the forcing cone).

[Stephen Cohen]

Just a quick question - how does an undersized boolit lead the forcing cone and barrel face? That would mean gas cutting in the cylinder. A larger diameter boolit would seal the cylinder so it would not matter if it sized the boolit down.

The other puzzling thing is that this deposit is hard? Why would lead deposit from gas cutting be hard?

I've had severe gas cutting in a revolver where the rifling impression basically stood proud of the boolit. They shot fine and there was no leading in the bore (softer lead shot better - apparently bumping up in the forcing cone).

I think I see where your going with this 303Guy. I read of a test was done some years back, where the barrel was removed from a revolver and then fired and the captured bullet showed signs of having expanded before being captured, I doubt this problem was caused by an undersized bullet. I have seen one case like this on a 686 revolver in 357 and the problem was from firing un lubed bullets, I suspect the problem with revolver in this case was bad lube which was not up to the task or perhaps the bullet being seated and crimped in one operation and leaving a lead ring at mouth of round which caused the problem mentioned. Regards Stephen