Questions about leading

[FMJ]

How do you know when shooting lead bullets is taking a toll on your barrel?
Are the symptoms purely visable signs?
How long does it typically take to begin seeing leading or should I ask how many rounds would it take to start seeing it?
I've read solvents are available to remove the lead but will simple regular cleaning with gun oil after every range visit be enough to keep it under control or is gun oil completely inaffective against this?
I don't think I have an issue yet, as I've put only about 600 rounds of lead round nose through it. I'm just curious.
Thanks!

EDIT: sorry, I know this belongs in Ammo, my bad.

[brian]

lead rounds do not hardly take a toll on the barrel, that's one of great things about them.
a)the lead is so much softer than the barrel.
b)you can't push them as hard as jacketed rounds.

under good conditions, you really shouldn't see much barrel leading.
the big cause for it is over pushing the bullet.

a stiff brush(not nylon or plastic) should get the job done under normal conditions.

[RobW]

Auto or revolver? If a semi, give it a good cleaning and weigh the barrel. Reassemble, shoot ten or twenty rounds, and weigh the barrel again after a cursory cleaning (wet patch, dry patch). If you are leading, you will see a noticable increase in the weight.

--RobW

[geist262]

When I shoot lead, I fire about ten to 15rds. Next, I switch to copper jacketed for a few rds to push some of that lead fouling out. I make sure my last few rounds are copper jacketed to make cleaning easier. I do this with revolvers, never tried a semi.

[Ronnies111]

SSSorry very

[Ronnies111]

[QUOTE=FMJ;850771]How do you know when shooting lead bullets is taking a toll on your barrel?
Are the symptoms purely visable signs?
How long does it typically take to begin seeing leading or should I ask how many rounds would it take to start seeing it?
I've read solvents are available to remove the lead but will simple regular cleaning with gun oil after every range visit be enough to keep it under control or is gun oil completely inaffective against this?
I don't think I have an issue yet, as I've put only about 600 rounds of lead round nose through it. I'm just curious.
Thanks!

EDIT: sorry, I know this belongs in Ammo, my bad
QUOTE]

Get you barrel light (Non electric ) is shaped like an L . It's clear hell I guess it's sometime plastic. Stick it in the chamber end & look through the barrel. A $2.00 part & you an can see everything inside
the barrel. $ The best $2 you'll ever spend.

[Flash]

How do you know when shooting lead bullets is taking a toll on your barrel?
Are the symptoms purely visable signs?
How long does it typically take to begin seeing leading or should I ask how many rounds would it take to start seeing it?
I've read solvents are available to remove the lead but will simple regular cleaning with gun oil after every range visit be enough to keep it under control or is gun oil completely inaffective against this?
I don't think I have an issue yet, as I've put only about 600 rounds of lead round nose through it. I'm just curious.
Thanks!

EDIT: sorry, I know this belongs in Ammo, my bad.

You raise good and valid questions. Actually, leading is an issue that could well be addressed in the pistol, rifle, or ammunition forum, because it is closely related to all three. Bullets and rifling are just about all that is required.

The conditions promoting leading are several in number.
Primary is composition of the bullet - pure, soft lead will be more prone to lead the barrel. Historically, the "Lyman #2" alloy (92%Pb, 6%An, 2%Sn) is the choice for higher velocities, though pure antimony or linotype bullets have been used successfully at significantly higher velocities. "Gas Checks" aplied to the base of the bullet mimic, to a large extent, the results of jacketed bullets, and in the past, there were special bullets with zinc washers of appropriate diameter cast into the base of the bullet to attempt to clean the barrel of leading and powder fouling. Bullet style has some effect, as bullets with large, deep grease grooves and deep. long diriving bands have usually better potential for less leading, when cast of proper material and greased appropriately. Lately, there has been a trend toward using bullets with a higher number of shallower grooves in an effort to achieve greater stability and accuracy, but leading can occur with these as well, particularly when driven at higher velocities. And some soft bullets with "knurling" and "tumble-lube" shoot well at lower velocities with very little leading apparent.

Second is higher velocity - over 1100fps with pure soft lead, or over 1400fps with harder lead - leding is more prone to appear. (see above).

Third is choice and amount of lubricant. The newer, modern "green", "red", "orange", and "blue" lubricants serve well to prevent it, but the old standby of 4831Alox mixed 50/50 with beeswax is just as effective.The more fastidious reloaders among us are a bit unimpressed by the cleanliness (or lack of it) and stickiness of this combination, hence the development of the modern, proprietary, colored lubes. However, the grease grooves should be full for best results, though there are some who maintain that it doesn't matter much.

Fourth is powder: Selection of powder is important, as well as charge, because that regulates pressure and temperature, as well as (some reloaders believe) gas-melting of the bullet base. One of the theories is that leading is, in part, melted lead adhering to the rifling. (Other major theory is that lead "wipes" off the bullet as it goes down the barrel. Skeptics like myself believe that it is likely a combination of both and maybe something more.)


Anyway, varying those abovementioned factors will either abate leading or exacerbate it.

Choose your alloy depending on what velocities you intend to maintain. Then choose your bullet style to give you accuracy while maintaining proper lube quantity and coverage. Select your lubrication to compliment your bullet and alloy selection. Add an appropriate powder at a reasonable charge with the foregoing choices in mind, and you would minimize leading.

Leading first becomes apparent in the forcing cones of revolvers and in the chambers. In Autos and rifles, it shows anywhere in the bore. It starts appearing as a small trace of crud in the corners of the rifling grooves, but in large lots, it shows anywhere in the bore. The visible signs are that, and pressure of succeeding rounds goes up somewhat. Accuracy begins to suffer, as well.

As for when it appears, or how many rounds before it appears, "It all depends..." on the factors above. It also seems to depend on how hot your barrel, how fast you shoot, to some degree. However, if your loads are hard alloy, well lubed, etc, well you just may shoot for days before any leading at all shows - or none shows.

Cleaning is good, however. I've found that a thorough scrubbing with traditional, good ol' Hoppes #9 and a stiff bronze-bristle brush is all that I need. I DO own a Lewis Lead remover, but I have only used it on my 44Mag when I was seeing just how fast I could fire my own cast bullets. It does work as advertised, and is an easy job to do.

The lead roundnosed bullets you have shot may have done absolutely no leading at all, if they were loaded following "no leading" practices.

Flash

Even though Brian says that we can out think it because it is only metal, I submit that a smidgen of witchcraft may also be involved in leading.

[FMJ]

As always Flash, outstanding reply.
I am most appreciative to you and everyone for your replies.
I posed the question initially because I thought I was noticing a gray-ish look to my barrel when I was troubleshooting my reloading issue. but not on the rifling. It was actually more reversed in that the rifling lines were black on a gray-ish background.. .but ever so slightly. Still, it caught my eye the first time after cleaning it many times so I'm thinking it's a new development.
Will try cleaning using Hoppes.
Thx again

[BerksCountyDave]

When I shoot lead, I fire about ten to 15rds. Next, I switch to copper jacketed for a few rds to push some of that lead fouling out. I make sure my last few rounds are copper jacketed to make cleaning easier. I do this with revolvers, never tried a semi.

This is a bad idea.


To the OP - I get some leading, but nothing bad. I'm shooting 9mm, so it's a fairly high velocity round, so I expected a bit of leading. After shooting 200 rounds, all it takes it a bronze brush with some Shooter's Choice lead remover and then a couple of patches and it's all out. Small price to pay for the huge savings between using lead bullets and jacketed.

[FMJ]

Thanks Dave,
yes, to everyone, I also should have mentioned the pistol is an XD9.
Forgot that too..