Fouling vs leading

[Goesfaster]

Can you experienced casters help to clarify for me the difference between Leading and Fouling. I see them used and interchanged all the time, I am wondering if there is a difference?

I understand that streaking= fouling and leading=build up??? Am I close??

[btroj]

Leading is a deposit of lead in the barrel.

Fouling is powder residue and lube.

Fouling is easily removed with a solvent and patches. Leading often requires a physical means of removal.

I suppose that technically we could call leading a specific type of fouling.

[mikeym1a]

yeah, what he said..........
8-)

[DrCaveman]

Can you experienced casters help to clarify for me the difference between Leading and Fouling. I see them used and interchanged all the time, I am wondering if there is a difference?

I understand that streaking= fouling and leading=build up??? Am I close??

I wondered the same thing for quite a while. I could have sworn that i *must* have had leading bcause the boolit had been (in hindsight) well under groove diameter. Then all seems better after some swabs of solvent and patches, like btroj said

Then i noticed a few times doing this that some silver streaks came out with the patch. A few brass brush passes, a few more patches, and this "leading" was gone.

I finally got one of my revolvers leaded up good. There was no mistaking. All said and done i spent prbably 2-1/2 hours of actual scrubbing time on that forcing cone, bore, muzzle, top strap, and cylinders. Lots of solvent soaking and patch cleaning in between.

My attitude is like btroj says: leading is a type of fouling. Sometimes its real bad, other times its not much worse than powder or lube. Either way, ive now learned to clean my bore after every new experimental load just to see whether there is a little bit of leading even if the bore looks pretty good

[osteodoc08]

I might get a few streaks from time to time that are easily rid of, but thankfully I've never ran into true true leading. That takes some blood sweat and tears to remove. I do have some copper chore boy on the shelf for such an emergency.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I consider it all fouling and specify what type whenever I post about it, whether I am correct in my wording or not. I just don't like the term "leading", to easy to confuse with the word that's pronounced "leeding".

[osteodoc08]

I consider it all fouling and specify what type whenever I post about it, whether I am correct in my wording or not. I just don't like the term "leading", to easy to confuse with the word that's pronounced "leeding".

So is leading, leading or misleading?[smilie=1:

But yeah, its all fouling. Just like copper fouling. I dont think Ive ever heard someone say "coppering" as in I've got bad coppering in this barrel as opposed to I have bad leading in this barrel.

[Animal]

Anything that requires 10 or less scrubs, in my opinion, is just normal fouling. If I can shoot to my hearts content without accuracy deteriorating, or having to use Lewis Lead Remover after shooting, to me is just normal "leadage".

Leadage: Lead debris that is inevitably left in the barrel from the use of castboolits
Leading: Chuncks of lead left in the barrel which will require special chemicals, man-power, irritation, and plenty of time to remove.

(Those definitions are from the Dictionary of Animals Urban Shooting Jargen, First Edition):grin:

[bowenrd]

Anything in the bore is fouling. May it be powder residue, copper, lead, etc.

[243winxb]

Leading = Poor accuracy to me. When you go from keeping all shots on the target to some missing completely, you have leading. This barrel looked bad, but accuracy never dropped off. http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/IMG_4494.jpg http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/40shots.jpg

[Goesfaster]

The reason I asked is because I did see fouling and since patches and a little Copper Chore Boy made it shine and accuracy was not a problem I think my alloy and sizing is good.

Thanks so much....I slugged the barrel...cast to .001 larger....tumble lubed with 45/45/10 and shoot 100. With the knowledge you all have provided and all the info from excellent stickies I am formally hooked.

[Walter Laich]

Leading = Poor accuracy to me. When you go from keeping all shots on the target to some missing completely, you have leading. This barrel looked bad, but accuracy never dropped off. http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/IMG_4494.jpg http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/40shots.jpg

Is there stuff hanging off the inside of the barrel? About 9:00 position?

[montana_charlie]

I just don't like the term "leading", to easy to confuse with the word that's pronounced "leeding".
Context usually prevents any misunderstanding on that ...

[Pb2au]

Maybe you're shooting it sideways like a gangbanger?

skeet skeet!
Sideways for the kill shot! All gangsters in the know shoot sideways.

[jonp]

skeet skeet!
Sideways for the kill shot! All gangsters in the know shoot sideways.

And you have to throw the gun towards them to give the boolit an extra push.

[243winxb]

Is there stuff hanging off the inside of the barrel? About 9:00 position? Yes, a little different with each shot. Cleaned up with a patch & Hoppe's #9 . http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/IMG_4480.jpg