Leading Of The Barrel

[trapper44shooter]

I am a little concerned about leading up the barrel of my cap & ball revolver what can I do to keep this from becoming a big problem I will be shooting round balls in my gun & I am using plain soft lead how can I keep the leading down I don't want to ruin my barrel from leading I am wanting a good powerful load not too hot I am a little worried is there something I can add to my molten lead to make it a little harder ?

[Kylongrifle32]

You can season the barrel with so good bore butter. Use a good spit ball or grease over the ball and all should be good.

Cap and ball revolvers require soft lead as the ball is over sized and shaved down as it's seated into the cylinder.

[Petrol & Powder]

You can season the barrel with so good bore butter. Use a good spit ball or grease over the ball and all should be good.

Cap and ball revolvers require soft lead as the ball is over sized and shaved down as it's seated into the cylinder.

And the fouling from the powder will annoy you long before leading is an issue !

[stubshaft]

And the fouling from the powder will annoy you long before leading is an issue !

+100

Leading is the least of your worries. I've never encountered it in any of my C&B revolvers even my Walker.

[gwpercle]

I am a little concerned about leading up the barrel of my cap & ball revolver what can I do to keep this from becoming a big problem I will be shooting round balls in my gun & I am using plain soft lead how can I keep the leading down I don't want to ruin my barrel from leading I am wanting a good powerful load not too hot I am a little worried is there something I can add to my molten lead to make it a little harder ?

Use pure soft lead and some form of lubricant . I simply used Crisco smeared over the balls .
Cap and ball pistols don't have a big problem with leading . Lubed Wonder Wads any commercial lube for black powder will work just fine .
Back in the day I shot a copy of 1851 Navy Colt so much the center pin cracked... by using plain old Crisco over the balls , it never had any lead build up in the barrel .
Gary

[trapper44shooter]

Thank You guys for the info it means a lot to me

[Don1357]

I'm going to tell you a secret. And it must be one heck of a secret because the way people talk about this one would think nobody knows about it. Get this; you can clean lead off a barrel. I kid you not; get a 100% copper scrub pads and rod your barrel with pieces of that stuff.

Sorry for the snark but people talk about lead like it is some sort of terminal disease on a gun. 19th century shooters knew that after 10 or so shots accuracy would start going down hill so cleaning your gun was a regular thing. Chances are at the pressures you are shooting paired with good lubes you are not going to see leading but if you do, take about minute and a half to clean it out. Problem solved.

[garrisonjoe]

Real Black Powder will keep ANY lead from being deposited in the bore. The substitute "black" powders - you will have to see. APP is one of the best subs. Stay away from Pyrodex unless you are a fiend at cleaning the fouling out. 777 runs 20% more powerful by volume and can damage the weak frames of many C&B revolvers.

Leading will NOT be a problem, to echo the others above.

after 10 or so shots accuracy would start going down hill so cleaning your gun was a regular thing.

The poor accuracy was from the fouling (BP residue) in the barrel, not leading.


Good luck, garrisonjoe