Lead, lead, led & leade

[texasmac]

It’s obvious that lead is the main element in cast bullets and all are aware of the old adage “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink”. And surely you’ve led a group of folks at one time or another. But many of us inadvertently use lead when referring to the ramped transition from the chamber or free bore to the lands, for which leade is the more correct term. Many, many years ago when, as a novice shooter, I was reading and learning about chambers and bores, I remember this being a point of confusion.

SAAMI (Sporting Arms & Manufacturer’s Institute) defines leade as: “That section of the bore of a rifled gun barrel located immediately ahead of the chamber in which the rifling is conically removed to provide clearance for the seated bullet”. The key word here is “conically”, as in cone-shaped, otherwise completely removing the rifling results in free bore, defined by SAAMI as the: “A cylindrical length of bore in a firearm just forward of the chamber in which rifling is not present”. But SAAMI does recognize that lead and leade are used interchangeably by some.

When writing about chambers and bores it helps me to remember to use the correct spelling if I think of leade as an abbreviation or contraction of the leading edge of the lands.

Wayne

[ogre]

You, Sir, are a word smith.

[Chill Wills]

That is helpful. Every time I try to use the terms describing the area ahead of the chamber correctly, they get stuck in my throat.
How come you are not at the state championship match? :kidding:

[texasmac]

That is helpful. Every time I try to use the terms describing the area ahead of the chamber correctly, they get stuck in my throat.
How come you are not at the state championship match? :kidding:

CW,

Unfortunately I developed a herniated disk due to some inappropriate heavy lifting while doing yard work. I did make it to a local match a couple of weeks ago and regretted it afterwards. The Doc suggests I refrain from such activities for another month or so. I seriously considered attended the match today as an observer but reconsidered due to the drive to Mexia (the match location) after getting up this morning.

Wayne

[Chill Wills]

Wayne, very sorry to hear about your back! I have some experience with that too. Back problems are no fun at all.