Leading Problems with my 357 Marlin

[Jeff82]

I've been shooting WW + 2% tin in my 357 Marlin Carbine. I shoot Lee 158 grain FN bullets using 5.8 grains of Universal. These are lubed with Lee Liquid Alox and sized to 0.358. I haven't chronographed this load, but estimate the muzzle velocity to be around 1,350 fps. I shoot about 200 rounds at a time, and find moderate amounts of leading when I clean out the bore.

I'll need to mix up my next batch of alloy, and am wondering if others may have a recommendation for my next bullet alloy. I'm thinking about mixing 1:1 linotype and PB, or something close to Lyman #2.

As always, thanks for your input.

[monge]

I always put a couple of lino in my 20# pot to sweeten the patch not very scientific but it works for me ww have changed through the years not as hard as they used to be!

[Jon K]

Try it as cast...may be too small @.358.

Jon

[cf_coder]

My marlin 1894c needs a .359 boolit and probably wouldn't complain about a .360 one either. I have the ballard cut rifling as well. Try it a bit larger and you should be good to go. I might also recommend trying our the Recluse lube formula for your tumble lube (45/45/10). Fit is king though and the .359 sized boolits should do the trick.

[Haggway]

Slug your barrel. like cf said fit is king.

[wildwilly]

I'm in agreement with the others.... .358" in a Marlin microgroove is too small. I have never had leading issues shooting the Lyman 358156gc, sized .360", in my Marlin.

[Jeff82]

Thanks. I'll give a wider diameter a try.

[rintinglen]

You will most likely be glad you did.

[FergusonTO35]

I would advise you to give water dropping a try, it's a good way to get some "free" additional hardness. Universal may be too fast a powder, if you have a slower powder such as Unique or Blue Dot I would give that a try.

[MasS&W]

Your boolits are likely too small or too hard. Most likely far too hard for the pressures you are using. If the boolit is slightly undersized, a soft alloy will allow it to flow into the grooves and compensate, not so with a hard allow.

[Iron Mike Golf]

Jeff82, is there any chance you can recover a boolit? I'd want to look at the base and the width of the engraving by the lands. I've read that even Marlin's Ballard rifling runs a bit on the shallow side. How smooth is your barrel?

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/1894/77024-1894-44-mag-shallow-ballard-rifling.html

[Jeff82]

Mike,

Retrieving a spent bullet would be difficult at the range I shoot at. Too bad, since spent rounds tell a story. One thing I was thinking, and asking about on another thread, was the possibility that my Lee dies may be accidentally re-sizing my bullets to less than the 0.358 width that I intended. I can check this by reloading a few blank cartridges, seperating them with a bullet puller, and then measuring the bullet diameter. Still not a spent round, but this would give me a little more information.

I did measure the hardness of the bullets and was surprized to find that they tested at about 16-18 bhn. Water quenching does work...


I'm also wondering if my tumble lubed liquid Alox is a sufficient lubricant.

[fecmech]

With 5.8 Universal and a 158 you are probably runing in the 1150-1250 range more like a +P .38 spl. I don't think you need harder at all, just a matter of size. I shoot 5.8 Unique and a 158 (which is pretty darn close to Universal) and get 1175fps out of 2 different Rossi's a 20" and 24".

[gundownunder]

If you are tumble lubing and then sizing you need to tumble lube again to replace the lube that rubs off the bands during sizing.

[Dorado]

I'm using the same boolit you are with about the same mix. I'm loading mine over 14gn of 2400 and I'm getting around 1700fps. I don't have the leading you're describing. Mine are sized at .359. What I would suggest is first slug your barrel.
This is an easy way of slugging your barrel. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErFaJlUVs1Y&lr=1)
Size about .001 over.
A softer lead may be the trick as well.
And as Bob said. Tumble lube after sizing as well.
Hope this helps.

[FergusonTO35]

If you are tumble lubing and then sizing you need to tumble lube again to replace the lube that rubs off the bands during sizing.

Yes, after sizing I would advise you to paint the driving bands with alox using a cotton swab or small paint brush. Tumble lube may not coat the length of the barrel sufficiently.

[Wally]

I have a micro-grooved barrel. I use .359" sized bullets in mine--no leading. I have used .358" sized bullets and I don't recall thet they leaded the barrel up either. I do know that gas checked bullets seem to be a bit more accurate in mine. Have a Freechex GC maker and I put it to good use.

[MtGun44]

Microgroove are widely reported to need larger than "std" diam, if that EVER means anything.

+1 on TL likely being inadequate, so be skeptical until you prove it is not poor lube.

Bill

[Az Rick]

I shoot a 1894, 44mag, microgroove. I cast straight WW's with a Ranch Dog mould.
They are gas checked and sized .432, no leading.

Beagle your mould or don't size at all if you're at least .358, .359 or even .360 might be better.

[Moondawg]

I have a .357mag Marlin 94 Cowboy with Ballard rifling. I pust my boolits a little faster than you are. My allow is approximately the same as yours, not very hard. I size to .359 and lubricate with White Lable BAC. No problem with leading whatsoever.