Harder bullet=Less Leading=NO!

[sig2009]

Had some Missouri Bullets 115gn lead round nose I bought some time ago with BNH 18. Loaded these up with 4.3gns Win 231. Took to the range yesterday. I was suprised how badly the bore leaded up. These are sized to .356 and the bore on my CZ Shadow Target is .355. 4.3 is the starting load according to Winchester at approx 1079 fps. The lead 115gn that I cast from range lead I do not get the leading issue. So those commercial cast will go in the pot and melted down. Really sorry I spent my money buying the Missouri Bullets.

It never ceases to amaze me how much you learn everyday with cast bullets. So I guesss with the softer lead that I cast the bullet is filling out the barrel and sealing where as the BNH 18 Missouri Bullets are not filling out the barrel and the lead is smearing the lenght of the barrel.

[felix]

Use thinner brass and size the hard boolits larger. Every thousand's measurement makes a large difference in performance. ... felix

[HollowPoint]

I'm sure you've figured out by now that you may have also been able to stay with the same bullet and BHN and just chosen a slightly larger diameter. (.356" perhaps)

We all go through the same learning process with cast bullets.

HollowPoint

[RobS]

The 9MM is a tricky cartridge and many times .002" helps with leading. The harder BHN doesn't help in this situation either. I don't know about their lube but if it's hard like most commercial this could be another contributor.

[sig2009]

Use thinner brass and size the hard boolits larger. Every thousand's measurement makes a large difference in performance. ... felix

These are commercial cast Missouri Bullets already sized to .356.

[felix]

Brand names mean nothing, zip, etc. Measurements do, as well as content. ... felix

[Wally]

The 9MM is a tricky cartridge and many times .002" helps with leading. The harder BHN doesn't help in this situation either. I don't know about their lube but if it's hard like most commercial this could be another contributor.

Yes, I have found that to be the case as well. I have a Taurus 99 and a Taurus 101..identical pistols--one is a 9mm the other a .40 S &W...the 9mm will lead up and nothing I've tried will prevent the leading. In the .40 the barrel stays clean & foul free. Thankfully the leading in ths 9mm comes out quite easily... A brass brush with Choreboy strands will clean it all out with a few passes.

[Frank]

I still have the beartooth 240 grn PB's that were sized like a king but pushed too fast, to pull. Leading, big time. Now if they were water quenched I'll bet there wouldn't be caked on leading, but maybe even a group! :redneck:

[williamwaco]

My experience with commercial hard cast bullets in the 9mm is that they all lead like crazy. Thr problem is not the sizing diameter , it is the lube. Hard lubes just do not work well in that combination.

Take those bullets, tumble them in LLA and load them with the same components and you will see a big difference.


See:

http://www.reloadingtips.com/pages/lla_bullet_lube_2.htm

[waksupi]

Go to .357 or even .358 if they will chamber.

[sig2009]

Go to .357 or even .358 if they will chamber.

They are already sized to .356. I can't resize them to .357!

[sig2009]

My experience with commercial hard cast bullets in the 9mm is that they all lead like crazy. Thr problem is not the sizing diameter , it is the lube. Hard lubes just do not work well in that combination.

Take those bullets, tumble them in LLA and load them with the same components and you will see a big difference.


See:

http://www.reloadingtips.com/pages/lla_bullet_lube_2.htm

Great link. I will load some up and tumble in some LLA and try them.

[williamwaco]

Great link.

I will load some up and tumble in some LLA

and try them.

Tumble them BEFORE you load them.

If you have some already loaded, dip them like described in the link.

[mroliver77]

At 18bhn You might try pushing them harder too.
J

[mroliver77]

Tumble them BEFORE you load them.


Har har har!!
[smilie=w:

[geargnasher]

At 18bhn You might try pushing them harder too.
J

Yes. The load must be balanced.

Sig, if they are 18 bhn and .001" over groove dimension, AND they aren't being swaged undersized by cases that weren't expanded enough or deeply enough by the expander in your die set (did you pull a loaded round and measure the diameter???), then a stiff load of Blue Dot might do the trick. If you're using fast powders and light charges, a weaker boolit and a softer lube often works best.

Gear

[btroj]

Sometimes a hard bullet can lead more, not less. Gear has it with the load. Ending to be "balanced".
Undersized, hard bullets are a great way to learn what leading looks like and how to remove it! Everyone should try it at least once.