Slugging pistol barrel

[ananke]

If I order .375 diameter lead round balls from Hornady will they work for slugging my 9mm and 380acp and 357 magnums?
Insert barrel in vise, wood to hold it.
Use rubber hammer, and wooden dowel.
Oiled up.
Bang, smash, kapow down barrel.
CORRECT???
Thanks AGAIN for help!!!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

ananke
Welcome to the forum.

Don't use a wood dowel.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?62830-HELP!-Slug-and-dowels-stuck-in-bore!!!

No vise for me, but your vice idea should work.
I just hold the gun in one hand and tap a brass rod with the other hand.
.
Besides getting a slug to measure (with a 0-1" micrometer), you want to slowly tap the slug while feeling for barrel inconsistencies.

[cwtebay]

What he said ^^.
Rather than buying a whole box of round balls, take calipers to the fishing section of the local sports shop and find one or two lead sinkers that are appropriately sized for that purpose.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[ananke]

As 2 of them are autoloaders the barrel will need to be held.
Won't use wood then!
Thanks

[ananke]

Thanks, but gas and time back/forth would be easier to order for $12 and walk to my porch lol.
More time in the shop!

[Bird]

Just use a regular cast bullet and squash it in a vise, or give it a tap with a hammer on a flat surface. You only need to expand the bullet a couple of thou, then drive it through the barrel and measure it.
Use a steel rod that closely fits the barrel diameter with a couple of turns of tape to protect the bore.

[ananke]

Thanks!!

[Bigslug]

Aluminum dowel as close to bore diameter as you can find & bevel the edges. I use the plastic side of a double-headed plastic/rubber hammer - simply because it's got sufficient mass to thump decently.

.375 round ball should be just fine for the 9mm bore spectrum. I just recently used a .457 round ball for a .44. I actually started the ball with the mallet and engaged the rod after the ball was below flush at the muzzle. You'll probably shave off a ring of lead in the process.

[Mk42gunner]

NO WOOD DOWELS.

I use a rawhide mallet to seat the balls in the bore, not sure how a rubber mallet will work. After the slug is in the barrel, it is usually easy enough to push through with a cleaning rod.

Robert

[jimb16]

A plastic or nylon head on a soft/dead blow hammer is best for starting the bullet into the barrel. either will give you enough ooomph without any chance of damaging the muzzle.

[45DUDE]

I've used Remington hbwc's before. My shooting buddy has some that measure .360. Some of my molds drop .361

[ananke]

Thanks all! Great advice, will order the .375 balls

[44Blam]

So, easiest way I found to slug pistol barrels is to take a fired case and fill it with lead. Pull that from the case with a bullet puller. Then start that down your barrel and I think I used a brass cleaning rod and a gunsmith Hammer last time. But run it through and you'll have your measurements. That will be a few thousandths over bore so it's very easy to push through.

[charlie b]

FWIW I also like to slug the throat. To hammer it I put a piece of hardwood through the frame and hit it with a hammer. Only takes a little bit as you are only interested in the first 1/8" to 1/4"

PS when slugging from the bore the important thing is to notice when it is 'easy' to push and when it is hard to push. And, yes, it is best if it gets easier to push (muzzle section smallest).

[blackthorn]

Not yet mentioned is that if you use a cast bullet to slug your barrel, it should be cast of pure lead. This is because a lead alloy can spring-back when it is forced through the bore, giving an inaccurate measurement.

[murf205]

ananke
Welcome to the forum.

Don't use a wood dowel.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?62830-HELP!-Slug-and-dowels-stuck-in-bore!!!

No vise for me, but your vice idea should work.
I just hold the gun in one hand and tap a brass rod with the other hand.
.
Besides getting a slug to measure (with a 0-1" micrometer), you want to slowly tap the slug while feeling for barrel inconsistencies.

JonB, I am glad you posted that link to the thread about broken wooden dowels. I have been getting by with the dowel in the pic for pistols for years with success, but since Murphy's Law lives in me, I will now get some brass. I have often wondered just how many people have had a stuck slug/wood glob in their barrel and apparently it is quite a few.321578
thanks again, David MURPHY

[bruce381]

""So, easiest way I found to slug pistol barrels is to take a fired case and fill it with lead. Pull that from the case with a bullet puller. Then start that down your barrel and I think I used a brass cleaning rod and a gunsmith Hammer last time. But run it through and you'll have your measurements. That will be a few thousandths over bore so it's very easy to push through.""

I do this and the slug You make will have a nice tapper on the end that was closed to the head making it start easy a little gun oil helps too

[DougGuy]

Just use a regular cast bullet and squash it in a vise, or give it a tap with a hammer on a flat surface. You only need to expand the bullet a couple of thou, then drive it through the barrel and measure it.
Use a steel rod that closely fits the barrel diameter with a couple of turns of tape to protect the bore.

Do NOT use a cast boolit. There is springback in the alloy, for slugging you only want to use pure lead.