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Re: Leading problem in S&W 629 44 Mag.

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26 November 2004, 06:46
MS Hitman
Re: Leading problem in S&W 629 44 Mag.
This is the point I tried to make earlier. Hard bullets may not deform to seal the barrel and thus permit gas cutting. I have pesonally run Cast Performance gas check bullets out of my FA to a velocity of 2019 fps without leading in the barrel. As I said before, I'd try several different brands of cast bullets and see what your revolver likes.
23 November 2004, 11:52
Swede44mag
Quote:

I doubt I'm getting any gas cutting. I am shooting bullets sized .431. Maybe these are too oversized and I should try .429 or .430?



I shot one doe with an XTP behind a stiff charge of H-110. I just was not impressed by the bullets performance. It was the most accurate load I have shot out of this pistol. I like the economics, simplicity, and nostalgia of shooting "Elmer's" bullet, but if I have to go back to jacketed I will.





Check your throat size and slug your bore. If your cylinder throat size is too small it may cause leading or if your barrel is too big it may cause leading. Some posts I have read states that hard lube on cast bullets also can cause leading. Some possibilities to check out.
24 November 2004, 14:56
LDHunter
I've never seen a 44 that wouldn't "lead up" when driving a lead bullet that fast.

If you find one that won't please let us know.

Using gas checks might help.

$bob$
25 November 2004, 07:27
fredj338
Cast hard, properly sized & lubed, you can drive lead bullets up to 1200fps w/o leading or gas check.
25 November 2004, 11:35
bfrshooter
LD, not so, I never have a speck of lead from my Rugers with 320 to 330 gr boolits and heavy loads of 296. My new BFR .475/.480 does get some lead in it. Hard to explain as velocity is similar except the BFR uses 400 gr boolits. I use hard cast the same size as the throats. I also use nothing but Felix lube.
I shoot a lot of light loads for fun and never have more then a small particle of lead on a patch.
Sometimes, a new barrel needs to be shot a few hundred times with jacketed bullets first, cleaned good and then cast boolits shot. Smooth em up first.
27 November 2004, 03:17
djb
Montdoug - when you say 10.5 grains of Unique is a little much, do you mean a little much for cast or are you implying I am pushing the safety margin? I consulted my 3 loading manuels (Hogden, Lyman, and Lee). This seemed to be a upper mid-level load for Unique. Not max.

I recently loaded up some 44 special loads with this same bullet with (5 or 5.5 grains Unique - cannot remember off-hand) and I got leading with these as well. The leading appears in the first inch or two of the barrel. I guess I have a non-lead friendly barrel. I'll just shoot up what I have loaded and try the 270G GDSP.