Looking for a source for some 4 bore projectiles. Have a gun designed for pushing velocity with smokeless but I keep leading up my barrel with cast lead projectile. Anyone have a source for some big jacketed bastards
Thanks
Bob

Powder coating the projectiles will eliminate most if not all of the leading, at least that is my experience with bore rifles and paradox guns.

Just curious when you powder coat projectiles do you cast them normally then powder coat them or do you need an undersized bullet mound. Have not researched powder coating

While I'm not aware of any jacketed options, a fellow on one of the Facebook forums had a run of several hundred 2,000 grain brass solids done for his 4 bore last year (Badlands Precision designed the bullets, though a third party produced them).

As mentioned above, powder coating would also be a solution to the leading issue. I've had good luck running my PC cast bullets in several calibers at velocities in the 2,000-2,400 fps range with good accuracy and no leading. I haven't pushed them any hotter than that.

Most guys PC first, then size the bullets to the desired diameter. Typically a special mold isn't needed, though you can run into some trouble with bore ride designs.

In bore rifles and paradox guns up to 4 bore(1.015”)I’ve used the bullets as cast and powder coated them. I don’t use very hard cast bullets though, the bore rifles seem very forgiving.
There are likely other opinions as a lot of folks use powder coating these days. If you do a search there has been quite a bit of discussion about it.
I sold my bore bore cartridge rifle, but still have 2 muzzleloader in that bore. Also works well in my paradox guns in 12 bore.

There is, or was a maker of heavy jacketed 4 bore projectiles, trading from memory here but Naval Ordnance comes to mind, these were used in Ken Owens 4 bore rifle and were both solid and soft nosed, Safarikid used them on a number of buffalos and they made rather impressive holes for sure.

As an alternative you could always try a harder lead/tin all or or antimony. This should be fine in a new manufactured barrel with modern chrome moly steel.

This sounds like a 1750gr+/- CEB Solid in the works....

Bob, what diameter bullets are you looking for?

As others have said, powder coating is absolutely the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to stop the leading. Lots of info here but my set up consists of a tupperware container to shake them in and a $20 walmart toaster oven. Other than a $20 pound of powder that's it.

Many years ago I tried a bunch of 'bright ideas' such as turning bullets from brass or copper (slow and big time $$$$ even then) with pure lead poured into a hollow point and also making jackets out of annealed copper pipe caps drawn thru dies (made exactly two of those before saying no way). Fun from a pure experimentation standpoint but playing with the lead alloy, hardness, etc is significantly faster and to me can do anything I needed. I've recovered bullets that look brand new other than rifling marks and others that look like a silver dollar.

Also, even before powder coating I got little leading if I used lyman#2 dropped into cold water. I also had a 10-bore that was giving me fits years ago until I tried paper patching with undersized bullets, then could use even pure lead bullets with no issue.

Keep us posted on your results, please!

Bob

Guess I am going to deep dive in to powder coating. Not sure where I am going to get a bullet sizer (I know I will have to make one). Will also play around with my casting formula. Going to be shooting a video with it using high speed cameras this month so was hoping I could find a few. I did find that 25mm bushmaster projectiles fit very well. Will have to slightly modify the driving bands. Weight is right as well. Just seems wrong to load modern 25mm projectiles in this beautiful piece.

Bob, I've got 2" sizing dies in 1.005", 1.006", 1.007", and 1.010" I'd be glad to loan if by chance they'd help.
Bob

I really appreciate the offer and will probably take you up on it. Just need to figure out what size I actually need. Will probably mess with it a little this weekend
Bob

If powdercoating works, I can cerakote even better! There are lubrication oriented cerakotes.

Powder coating as mentioned is worth a look. Also post over at castboolits.com, they have a lot of the pioneers of the process. Regards jacketed options I once corresponded with one of the Corbin brothers about getting set up to make jacketed projectiles up to 4 bore. The outlay was not too bad but I didnt end up going ahead.