Leading in one spot

[Beveldown]

I bought a sizer/luber and several moulds for my Ruger #1 .22K-Hornet over a year ago with much enthusiasm. A few months later I put it all away disgusted. I just found Cast Boolits and have a little hope again.

It seemed no matter what bullet or charge I used I would get a big gob of what I assumed was leading in the same exact spot about a foot ahead of the breech after only a few shots. I was using linotype with gas checks and high velocity lube - I can't remember what formula. Powder charges were straight from the cast bullet manual - some hotter, some not. The first two, maybe three shots would be in the same neighborhood on the paper at least, but then everything collapsed as the leading grew worse (that's my theory, anyway). The gob was very apparent with a tight patch on the cleaning rod.

I would soak, brush and polish until the gob was gone and then try again. I generally reverted to JB paste to finally get it all rubbed out. The rifle shoots 40 gr. jacketed bullets into a half inch and does not copper foul.

So do you think there is some kind of flaw in the barrel that sucks up lead (my theory), or am I way off with something that causes the bullets to melt down and puke at the same spot every time?

[stocker]

Where would that spot in the barrel be relative to any of the alignment pins and screws that hold the quarter rib on, assuming it has that feature? I'm wondering about a tight spot caused by press seating the alignment pins. May just be a rough spot that can be lapped out too.

If you slug the barrel can you feel any extra resistance at that point followed by lessened resitance as the slug is pushed?

[docone31]

In my .303 British threads, in paper patching, I describe a process I used to fire lap hammer marks out of my barrel.
If you have an indent from either a machine screw, or pin, that might be a process that might work for you.
Down side, if the protuberance is removed, you might end up with a void. Might not be an issue though.

[OLPDon]

I agree about a tight spot in the barrel slug it and you will feel were the tight spot is and see if the tight spot is were you are getting the leading. If such is the case lap the area and you should see the leading problem resolved.
Don

[45-70marlin]

I hand lapped my no1 in 45-70, it had a tight spot at about the same place as yours. I lapped it out and it shoots great. I think the high spot was right by where you attached the sling. You could call ruger as they have a great service dept.

[Beveldown]

I'll try slugging the barrel. I guess I thought I would be able to feel a tight spot with the tight patches I polished with, but I've lapped quite a few muzzle loading barrels and I know just a half thousandth or less is very apparent when you push a lead lap down the barrel.
As to pins or screws and stuff, the Number One uses a fore end hanger off the reciever so there is no screw there. The quarter rib screws are quite a bit to the rear of the bad spot. The bad spot is right just at the tip of the fore end. I really don't think fore end pressure can cause a tight spot, though.

[mpmarty]

Years ago my Marlin 1895 (45/70) would lead terribly right under the roll markings on the barrel where the manufacturer placed his advertising. Called Marlin and sent them the rifle. Three weeks later it came back with a nice four groove barrel and it shoots just fine now thankyou. Try calling Ruger and asking some polite questions.

[Beveldown]

Yes! You (collectively) were right! Except it's not just a tight "spot". I pushed a cast bullet through a couple of times. It took a couple of trips to wear it in to where I could push it through more easily and get a good feel. The first half of the barrel is considerably looser than the second half (muzzle end). The tight part starts right at the trouble spot. I think the bullet hits this wall and that's where it comes apart.
I think the "choke" at the end is a good thing, so I should lap from the breech to preserve that and try to get a more gradual choke all the way to the muzzle. I don't know how I could cast a lead lap from the breech, so how about an adjustable brass lap? It won't get the grooves, but it ought to help. What do you think?

[Beveldown]

P.S. I don't want to send the gun back to Ruger because I paid good money for the "K" conversion and I'm sure they would send back a standard Hornet. I really like the new cartridge and I don't want to have to do it all over again.

[docone31]

Hmm.
Have you considered fire lapping with jacketeds? This sounds a little less simple than what I had to deal with.
First of all, it is .22 where the smallest I have wrapped so far is .308.
The thought being, without sending it back, a jacketed would remain sized throughout the bore, vs a lead casting will be more subject to extrusion.
If it was me, I would send it back. You paid good bucks for it. You can rechamber the Hornet when you get it back. A lousey barrel is a lousey barrel.
Standard lapping might be in order also. That way you get to establish a plane and work out the anomoly.
It must feel like you paid for a Kreighoff and got a Glenfield.
My thinking is, if you are getting reasonable results with jacketeds, then either lapping, or fire lapping might just fix it.
Even though it is less expensive to make your own fire lapping bullets, just get some Clover lapping compound and a piece of glass, haveing the grades of grit might also be an asset.
I have fire lapped with paper patched loads with extremely good results. Rather fast ones at that. 18rds for the total fix. I wish I had the capability of taking photos of the bore, before and after. The rifleing was the classic twist and it looked like I had stairs going down each land, real close together. Accuracy was a joke, cast or otherwise. Afterwards, it was amazing. Even the undersized patched loads were more accurate than before.
Food for thought. I know it did not do anything negative to the rifle.