Is it just powder residue?

[sigep1764]

So I just started casting but have shot quite a few lead reloads through my Ruger P95. I never checked for leading in the barrel with the reloads which were sized 356 from the factory. Never lost accuracy through a few hundred rounds with them. Same powder as I'm using for my own cast boolits which are Lee 356 120 TC that drop at 357 or 358. I clean my guns fastidiously after each range session. My question is, without pics to show of course, is if it is just powder residue or leading that is in my barrel? It literally comes out with just a couple swipes from my brass bore brush. I'm just being cautious being new to this and all. Like I said accuracy never goes away. I shot a three inch gaping hole in the target today with the 356 reloads and some ladder loads with my cast ones. Fired a few jacketed rounds in between to clean any would be leading between the different boolits. The barrel looked the same from each of the cast boolits to the next cast. Dark and dirty.

[35 shooter]

Sounds like just normal fouling. Sometimes i get a grey like antimony wash in my rifle bbl.
Doesn't build up or interfere with accuracy. Usually if it's leading you can see it shining on the patch in small pieces or big chunks if it's really bad. If it's maintaining accuracy it's not leading.

[runfiverun]

if it keeps shooting like it does I don't even clean the barrel.
I finally sprayed the gunk out of my 9m the other day when a too soft lube [and some 30 y.o. red-dot] started gunking the insides up.
never touched the barrel though and just firmed up the lube for the next go round.
things started cleaning up right off the bat but the barrel stayed a bit dark [who cares]
now I have 3-4k of those to try to see how the firmer lube holds out.
so far through 300 or so rounds no problems. [shrug]

[sigep1764]

Nope, no shiny stuff on the patches. Just a super dark fouling. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't the victim of the evil known as leading.

[cbrick]

The dark stuff on the patches is in all probability powder fouling that turns the lube fouling dark.

From your description what you need to do is:

1> Cast
2> Load
3> Shoot
4> Repeat

Sounds to me like your in great shape, just keep doin it. Welcome to CastBoolits.

Rick

[Walter Laich]

Now and then there are pictures of leading posted on this forum. I'd suggest scanning the posts now and then--might run across a leading pic for reference

[sigep1764]

Thanks for the help guys and the welcome. One of the few reasons I started casting was the availability of knowledge and opinions on this site.