Leading?

[rfp357]

So what does leading actually look like?

I shoot cast boolits in my .357, 9mm, and .45acp. After cleaning the barrels look clean but I'm not even sure what to look for as far as deposits.

Does anyone have some pictures they could post?

[Bullshop]

Well to me leading looks like boolit holes all over the target instead of nice tight groups, really!
If you are getting good consistant groups dont worry about it because you dont have any.
Leading is a term that can cover a wide range of barrel conditions. Bottom line is if your grouping good you have no leading problem.
If your not grouping good and leading is the problem it will be readily visable in the bore and a visual inspection will leave no doubt.
Dont confuse fouling with leading. Eventually at some point fouling will build up enough to cause groups to deteriorate. At that point a normal cleaning with a good bore solvent will bring it back to normal grouping. With good lube and a well ballanced load that point can be as much as a couple 100 rounds or more. With a poorly ballanced load that is a load that is too low in pressure to properly burn the powder being used it will come much sooner. Powder choice and the pressure it is loaded to will greatly effect the rate of fouling build up.

[just.don]

Isn't it William Waco that has the site with pics of leading, and a lot of other helpful info?
Thought I had it bookmarked but can't find it.

Found it....

http://www.reloadingtips.com/

[williamwaco]

Pix:

http://www.reloadingtips.com/pages/index-leading_problems.htm

[splashout101]

Get a lewis lead remover for each, pull it through and you will see what lead build up looks like, I use several and would not be without them,

[waksupi]

Once you learn lead, you will have no leading to remove.

[44man]

Bullshop and Waksupi say it right.
It is a balance with hardness and powder speed. My tests have shown the faster the powder, the harder the lead must be to resist that initial "THUMP" and the slower the powder, the softer you can shoot. The higher the initial pressure the harder lead must be.
Good lube will aid fouling build up and carbon is as bad for accuracy. Some lubes actually ADD carbon.
Use a jag to clean guns and if there is a few small flakes of lead on the first patch, ignore it because it did not stick to the bore and the next shot will remove it.
The worst leading was still with dead soft wad cutters in the .38 with Bullseye. Rifling would go away and the outside of the gun was packed with lead from the gap too. What a pain to remove lead from a blued gun without hurting the blue.