#1
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Lead bullets.
Fellas,
will lead bullets do any harm to a barrel with or without a gas check? Looking at a couple of NOE molds, http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=102 And- http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=27_184 Will the way companies are dumping certain bullets I figured it would be fun trying to make them? Any thoughts? |
#2
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Really no harm can be done, other than you may have to clean lead wash out better and more often. Bill K
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#3
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I can’t say casting for something under 30 caliber is a good place to learn.
FYI harder alloys are not the cure to leading issues as some may have folks one believe. When I first started casting it was for .44’s. That in turn went up and down in size. I got as small as a 6.5 and swore and be damned I would never cast for anything smaller. Then the RF mess began several years later and I revisited the Hornet. I had no problems, but that was with 20+ years of experience. As far as casting, I am still learning it seems. Much like reloading don’t think it makes it cheaper. It just lets you shoot more. If Mercury was abundant I would not hesitate. I dread the thought of having to clean lead out of a 17, let alone anything as far as that goes. Last edited by JSH; 03-27-2019 at 10:10 PM. |
#4
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Harm by...
Rifleman Mag did a piece couple years back defining barrel wear as "flaking" of the steel in response to the nitrides in the hot powder gases. Obviously, with a .308 working at 55K CUP, a lot more reaction per shot and the next bullet scrapes the flakes off. On the other end, say, a .45 Long Colt with lead bullets, working at 15 LUP, how many flakes are formed and with the next shot how many are scraped away by a soft lead bullet. A lot fewer. Thus, the lead bullet barrels seem to last almost forever if kept clean and not allowed to corrode by the bad chemicals of yesteryear. Black powder makes nitric acid, sulfuric acid, etc. Luck. Happy Trails.
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#5
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Jingle don't let them molds get too close together or before you know it you'll have a shelf full of molds.
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#6
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Quote:
JSH- when I began reloading I started by fire forming and annealing 22 hornet cases to make 17 hornet brass, so I don't mind the challenge. Its not about saving money, its about spending money! Just seems like an interesting extension to reloading? |
#7
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Jingle, if you haven't done it already, look into powder coating. I think that is the answer to leading issues.
I have made, gas checked and powder coated some .22 caliber bullets, just didn't get around to loading and shooting any of them at this point. As an aside, using Lee Liquid Alox (45/45/10) works real well with cast bullets in my 7.62x54. Those bullets shoot as well or better than surplus ammo. Nothing ventured, nothing gained... |
#8
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I slowly worked down to casting .224 bullets years ago and found it challenging, but practical once you got things dialed in. I found that pure linotype was your friend when casting little bullets along with an elevated alloy temperature. It's difficult to keep the mold at the right temperature with the small volume of metal flowing into the cavities.
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#9
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I'm certain there is much to consider hence why I asked as you fellas won't sugar coat it.
Dungheap, I will have to research the powder coating thing. I can always start at 32 cal bullets for the 327 FM and work from there. I did make jigs and spinnerbaits years ago. |
#10
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Quote:
I currently cast 22,6mm,25,6.5,7 and 30 calibers Last edited by Herb in Pa; 06-06-2019 at 05:42 PM. |
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