Rifling cutting through PC coating, leading issues with PC

[RightAngle]

Ok guys I have it down now. I know I changed to many variables at once, but I'm no longer getting leading in my pistol.

Things I changed:
1. Switched to Unique powder
2. Baked bullets 40 minutes at 425 to ensure bonding was occurring.
3. Used 38s&w expander plugnin my 9mm PTE Die.

Shooting great from my Glock 34. No smoke or leading.

[popper]

Used 38s&w expander plugnin my 9mm PTE Die. now go back to a few with TG to see what the problem really was.

[RightAngle]

Used 38s&w expander plugnin my 9mm PTE Die. now go back to a few with TG to see what the problem really was.

I have plenty of Unique so I'll stick with this. Worked up from 4 to 5 grains and had good accuracy at 4.8 grains.

[Conditor22]

You find what your gun likes
#1) write it down, start a log. You think you'll remember the load data ----- you won't don't ask me how I know.

[bangerjim]

Speaking of TightGroup...........I discovered in my years of playing with PC that it will soften cured PC! I quit using it several years ago and gave a couple pounds to a buddy. I found it out after pulling several loads that were stored nose down with the powder resting on the PC. May not be applicable to your problem, but I avoid TG all together. Better powders out there now.

banger

[BigAlofPa.]

I been using my TG up on jacketed bullets. I'll be glad when it's gone.

[5 iron]

Ok guys I have it down now. I know I changed to many variables at once, but I'm no longer getting leading in my pistol.

Things I changed:
1. Switched to Unique powder
2. Baked bullets 40 minutes at 425 to ensure bonding was occurring.
3. Used 38s&w expander plugnin my 9mm PTE Die.

Shooting great from my Glock 34. No smoke or leading.

If you push another one through the bore with a dowel, it’s no longer stripping the coating off?

[Lloyd Smale]

im with him. My guess is there undercooked. I had a bunch of bullets I did year before last in the winter out in my barn. I have an old kitchen range but its out in the unheated part of the barn. When I had problems I first thought it was certain colors but found it with all the colors I had. By the way ALL those bullets passed the smash test with flying colors. I decide to check my oven and when it was set at 420 it swung from 380 to 435 and spent most of its time below 400 and I was only baking for 15 minutres. I decided to crank it up to 460 and had some bullets actually slump and melt. I then decided to give up till summer. I check it in 60 degree weather and it ran from from 395 to 430 set at 420 and decided to leave my bullets cooking for 30 minutes and I haven't seen the problem with any colors. Lesson I learned is the smash test isn't really telling you much. You need to recover bullets that have been shot to really know how well the coating is holding up. Good thing for me though was the bullets that seemed to have the coating wore off still didn't lead.

Let's go back to the powder. Yes, smoke sells good powder.

First question how did you apply it and how thick a coat did you put on? [pictures would help]

Did they pass the smash test (hammer the boolit into a penny or a square and NO PC should flake or chip)



What temperature did you bake at?

Did you test your oven to see if it was actually reaching 400°? (almost all countertop ovens settings are off, some over 50° low) I test my ovens (that aren't hooked to PID's) every time the surrounding temperature changes ( I had to turn one up 20+°)

How long are you baking the PC for? Manufacturers specify XX minutes AFTER the boolit reaches 400° OR the PC starts flowing/melting. I've found that 25 min in a pre-heated convection oven that has a heat retaining material in it (I cover the bottom of my oven around the elements with ceramic BBQ briquettes others use fire brick, lava rock or? anything to hold the heat and help the oven get back to operating temperature faster)

Are you using a convection or toaster oven? Toaster ovens work but you need to bake small batches.

OK You answered these questions "Baked at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. in a toaster oven. Confirmed stable temp with a thermometer before cooking."

It's easy to overload a toaster oven and some take a loooooong time to return to temperature. I would strongly recommend getting a convection oven! I got 2 nice convection ovens at thrift stores (1 - $15 and 1-$20)

Pictures are very helpful.

I would start by making sure the barrel was clean. Bake a small batch (25-50) in your preheated toaster oven for at least 25 min and see what happens.

[fcvan]

Did you get your 9mm issues sorted? I have loaded for 9 different 9mm pistols and several carbines for 35 years, Grease lube and PC. They only time I ever had leading was when I tried a sizing die less than .358. The lead looked like cake frosting. 10 rounds of PC or plain base gas check boolits cleaned it right out. I practically gave away the .357 sizing die.

My thoughts on hardness, well I shot several 100k loaded using reclaimed factory wadcutter lead, very soft stuff. I had to use gas checks for magnum loads in other calibers but .380, 9mm, .38, .40, .44 and .45 ACP all shot well. I haven't had access to that range lead in 30 years, so everything since has been COWW or equivalent hardness.

9mm is a fickle beast when it comes to sizing. I have never leaded any brand of 9mm weapon (S&W, Taurus, CZ, Glock factory bbl, Glock conversion bbl, Marlin Camp Carbine, AR15 Carbine) loaded with grease or PC sized to .358. Powders have been mostly Unique, Red DOt, Bullseye, Power Pistol, HP-38/Win-231, and maybe one other. Go to is Unique which I buy in 8lb containers. Good luck

[Jruby38]

Hi fcvan. I went to the Dragon Man when I was out your way. What a Museum. Me too with Unique for 9MM. Shoots lights out in my CZ TS Orange.