Stubborn leading problem

[brewer12345]

So my security six was leading badly with 38 loads that both a Taurus snub and a lever never showed a hint of leading with. Took it to a Smith who sorted out a minor cylinder gap issue and found one throat too tight. He reamed it and then shot some test loads. Within four cylinders it was leading again. All he could suggest was harder alloy, which I doubt will be a solution. Any other ideas? I can just shoot plated and jacketed in this thing, which have never been a problem. If so, I guess I will be looking for a 38 with a 6 inch barrel and high accuracy potential, but I really just wanted to fix the problem with the security six.

[Bird]

Where is it leading?

[Ed_Shot]

I'm very partial to my 6" Security Six....got it new in 1978. What do you size your boolits? What lube? What's your alloy? What loads are your using? Where is it leading the barrel? You have a fine weapon, there has to be an easy fix.

[brewer12345]

Dewc cast of coww or range lead plus some tin sized to 358 and lined with bll is the most common load. 3.8 grains of hp38. But others lead as well. Leads the throats and barrel. Not an issue with the other guns.

[mdi]

Load and alloy? Do your bullets fit your gun (same size as cylinder throats and larger than groove diameter?)? One reason for leading not often discussed is bullet skidding. Pushing the bullets too fast for the alloy?

Sorry, missed your last post. For leading in the throat, I'd think the bullets were too small. Mebbe a softer alloy to allow obturation better?

[brewer12345]

Sizes are all to spec per the Smith, including the barrel at 357. I can't think of what else to try.

[Ed_Shot]

Have you slugged your barrel? What size are the throats?

[Ed_Shot]

I'll agree with your smith...try a harder alloy. My barrel is .356 (+) and I can press my .358 boolits thru the throats. I use 6-2-92 alloy with either WL 2500+ or powder coated and it's a tack driver with a plain base boolit over 2400 13.5 gr. with no leading.

[JBinMN]

Reading these links may help you figure it out as well, if ya want to go look & read them.

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_7_Leading.htm

http://www.lasc.us/TaylorLeadingDefined.htm

G'Luck!
;)

[Larry Gibson]

Quick potential solution is to TL the bullets with a lite coat of LLA as per Lee's instructions.

Also, if used in 38 SPL cases 3.8 gr HP 38 seems a little too much for a DEWC of softer alloy. Might throttle it back to 2.7 - 3.2. Or use a harder alloy.

[gnostic]

You might be resizing the bullets during seating. How large is a pulled, seated bullet?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Are you 100% sure the throats have lead fouling?
...as opposed to carbon fouling.

If your Throats aren't lead fouled, and are the correct size (.358" or larger) and your barrel is .357")...then I would push a oiled, soft lead slug through the barrel gently and slowly to see/feel for thread constriction or constriction from Barrel stamping/marking.

[brewer12345]

It ain't the sizing. The smith verified that the barrel is 357 and the only throat that was less than 358 he reamed. I don't think it is the lube. I use the same lube for pretty much everything in multiple firearms. Frankly, the same loads with that lube go through the 24 inch lever barrel and never run out of grease. If anything, the persistent lube star on the rifle tells me that I may be a bit too generous.

I guess I could try some harder alloy. I have a pile of linotype sitting around so dialing in some Lyman 2 or some 6-2-92 would be pretty easy to try.

As a follow up question, would you expect gas checks to make a difference? I cast Lyman 358156 out of 3-3-94 and wonder of it would be worth trying those in 357 cases. 13.5 grains of 2400 does greeeat in the lever.

[rintinglen]

I have a S&W M69 44 that leads like crazy. I have been fire lapping it and have seen some improvement. Fire lapping may help if you have rough bore. or bore restrictions.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I had a .45c blackhawk with a bore constriction where the barrel screwed onto the frame. It leaded no matter what I did, and firelapping scared me. I shot about 250 hot jacketed bullets through it, and it cleared out the constriction. I could tell the minute it happened. The gun sounded different. The groups immediately tightened up, and I haven’t had a speck of lead since.

[kungfustyle]

The smith verified the barrel? How did he do that? Did he slug the barrel and the chambers? You may want to re verify that. If your chambers are not at least .358 then they are swagging the bullets down. People do make mistakes and this can be solved. Just take it one step at a time and you will find the culprit. If the barrel is leading in the front half the bullets to small or lead is to soft. If toward the muzzle your lube is running out. Each gun is an animal unto itself and likes what it likes. Half the fun of this stuff is finding that out. Larry had a good idea with the alox. If the bullets are just undersized alox can help make up that difference.

[mdi]

Just a thought. Some gunsmiths make mistakes and some have strong opinions and maybe some don't shoot cast bullets. I would slug the barrel and cylinder throats (easy, no big deal) and know for sure the critical dimensions of my gun...

P.S.; I just got a new gun on last Thursday, and the first thing I did was clean it up. On Friday I slugged the barrel and cylinder throats (it's a 45 Colt and I had some soft 45 ACP bullets that ran about .457"-.458" so I used them.). I now know for sure the cylinder throats run .454" and one about .453"+ and the barrel's groove diameter. is .451". So with this knowledge, I can size my bullets to .454" and I'm sure eliminate most, if not all, leading...

[GregLaROCHE]

Consider trying some powder coating. It’s great stuff. Do you know someone doing it? If so, maybe they could coat a few for you to try before you invest in what it takes to do it.

[brewer12345]

Consider trying some powder coating. It’s great stuff. Do you know someone doing it? If so, maybe they could coat a few for you to try before you invest in what it takes to do it.

Funny, I was thinking about that. I have some Missouri coated loaded up that I have yet to try. Perhaps that is the answer. Will have to try them.

[Outpost75]

What lube are you using?

Hard lubes used in commercial hardcastbullets do not "flow" to coat the bore and will likely lead some even if bullets fit. Try a light coat of LLA, just enough to turn bullets a light brassy color and tone the load back to 3.0-3.2 of TiteGroup, HP38 or Bullseye.