New to loading lead

[YoungGunLover]

So I've been reloading for my glock for some time now. Is a Glock 22. I've mainly used FMJ or plated bullets but recently bought 500 MBC lead bullets. I loaded up about 15 rounds in a couple different loads. Fired all 15 of each and didn't have any leading at all. Is this enough rounds too say that they won't lead in my glock? I know guys, no lead in Glocks is what many live by, but many don't either. So do I need to shoot more rounds to check for leading? Also, I used light loads but they still felt a lot snappier than my WWB and Tula I was shooting too. Any reason why that would be? Other than they are loaded lighter?

 

[XtremeVel]

Judging by felt recoil or comparing how "snappy" a load is isn't a great way to determine if you are running at safe pressure or not...

You made a good choice giving Missouri Bullets a try.. Have never had any complaints with them.

Being you are running them through the Polygonal rifling, I wouldn't feel comfortable calling it good just because you didn't see any leading in the first 15 rounds... I shoot a cast Dardas bullet through my G19 often and get very little leading but I have always made it a point to check every 50 rounds and clean if needed... It just takes a second to check, even if you go as far as removing the barrel...

You stated you used " light " loads... Just be aware leading OFTEN times happens because you have a bullet too hard and you are driving it too slow... You simply want to match up the hardness ( brinell ) of the bullet with the velocity( pressure) you intend to run... Also, if your bullet isn't of proper size, it can also lead to leading...

 

[YoungGunLover]

Judging by felt recoil or comparing how "snappy" a load is isn't a great way to determine if you are running at safe pressure or not...

You made a good choice giving Missouri Bullets a try.. Have never had any complaints with them.

Being you are running them through the Polygonal rifling, I wouldn't feel comfortable calling it good just because you didn't see any leading in the first 15 rounds... I shoot a cast Dardas bullet through my G19 often and get very little leading but I have always made it a point to check every 50 rounds and clean if needed... It just takes a second to check, even if you go as far as removing the barrel...

You stated you used " light " loads... Just be aware leading OFTEN times happens because you have a bullet too hard and you are driving it too slow... You simply want to match up the hardness ( brinell ) of the bullet with the velocity( pressure) you intend to run... Also, if your bullet isn't of proper size, it can also lead to leading...

Ok thanks, I didnt know about running them too slow. And I figured the recoil wasn't really a good judge of pressure, I was just surprised because I had a lighter charge in them and set at the same depth as my berry's plated. Just didnt know if lead acted a little differently when shooting. And I was planning on checking the barrel every 50 or so. My main concern was if the 30 or so rounds was a good indication that i can load up more. I dont wanna load up 300 or so and then get to the range and have major leading after 50 rounds. Thats a long night with the bullet puller. Basically, Will i be safe loading up a bunch more without the fear of having to pull them later if my first 30 didnt lead?

 

[XtremeVel]

Rather than saying running them faster or slower, it might be better worded to say lower or higher pressure... Point I was trying to make is it's possible to see leading from using a harder bullet and not running enough pressure to " obturate " the base of the bullet... In your case since you were a little surprised at the stiffer recoil, I would NOT assume you need/should go faster... First thing you need to do is to verify your loads are safe... Finding the sweet spot where you find no leading needs to come second...

If you find very little leading after 50 rounds, I wouldn't be afraid to go ahead and load 300.... That's assuming you are getting very little leading at most and ALSO find the load to be safe and you are happy with the function and accuracy...

Even if you find a little leading, a piece of copper chore boy wrapped around your jag makes quick work of removing it... Just be sure to buy solid copper and not the more common copper coated steel... Even if you have to run the rod through every 50 rounds, in the middle of the ammo scarcity, slowing down for a short few minutes at the range might save you a fortune !

Just in case if you didn't know, but there are benefits to a traditional rifled aftermarket barrel in addition to " supposedly " potential leading issues.... You could get a Lone Wolf barrel and it would be better suited for not only shooting cast, but it would also have better case support and many think, often times, they find better accuracy...

 

[djones]

Make sure you flare your cases to the point that you can't feel any difference between the driving bands and the lube grooves. This will keep you from damaging the cast bullet and from swaging down the bullet. Lee factory crimp dies can also swage down cast bullets.

 

[pdg45acp]

You might get by with polygon rifling if you cast your bullets very hard. The MBC Brinnel 18 stuff might be OK. I wouldn't shoot more than 100 before giving the barrel a good brushing.

Eventually you'll want to get a KKM or Lone Wolf barrel.

 

[NinnJinn]

Are the lead bullets the same weight as the plated? although minimal, weight may have a small part in felt recoil along with loading them lighter than you would load your plated/FMJ

 

[oldmodel]

Are you suggesting not to use the Lee factory crimp on lead bullets?

 

[djones]

Are you suggesting not to use the Lee factory crimp on lead bullets?

No matter how you load the bullets, I make a dummy rounds first. Go through all of the steps through crimp on the dummy's hen pull the bullet. Measure the before and after diameter of the bullet to make sure you aren't swaging the bullet down in size. That will let you know how the lee FCD is affecting your bullet.

 

[pdg45acp]

Are you suggesting not to use the Lee factory crimp on lead bullets?

Yes, in straight wall pistol caliber cases.

Unless you have cast the bullet hard enough to overcome the .001" diameter reduction that the lead bullet will experience when the lead bullet and the brass pass through the base ring of the LFCD.

Measure the diameter of one of your lead bullets, it should be .401" in the case of 40 cal, load it and run it through a 40 cal LFCD die, then pull the bullet and check the diameter.

This isn't that much of a show stopper with very hard lead bullets but it's a disaster with soft lead.

Think about what it takes to grab the rifling and not strip bullet material off in the process of getting the bullet to turn and go down the barrel.

Then think about why copper jacketed bullets are usually (not always) .001" smaller in diameter than lead bullets.

 

[cook4army]

so I'm loading my tester rounds for my 9mm in 124 grain, and have found that the lead RN has a lower powder charge than a normal FMJ round. Any idea why this is? would it be more beneficial for me to just use my FMJ for tester rounds as opposed to my lead rounds? I know that when I loaded lead in my .40, I didn't see any difference in powder charges.


Is it ok to use lead rounds with a FMJ powder charge?

 

[raptorracer]

Everyone has there own preference. I have put over 3000 rounds of lead 180 grain rounds through glock model with no issues. Yes you have to clean your gun. But this is a necessity for all guns. Unique powder and lead in .40 s and w is a great combo. Very accurate and I prefer it. Shoots great. Very accurate and the cases seem to last many many many times. Some reason I don't like titegroup in 40 cal but just a preference. Good luck

 

[straight-shooter]

Loading lead bullets is a balancing act. You need enough of a powder charge to expand the base of the bullet when going thru the rifling. If it don't expand then the hot gases go past the bullet melting the lead on it way down the barrel.

Secondly if you load it too light then you'll notice leading at the chamber end of the barrel. Too heavy and it will lead more towards the muzzle end. Find that middle ground and your good to go.

 

[Leo]

cook4army, You have a good question, that took me a little longer to figure out.

A lead bullet (of the right hardness for the powder charge) seals against the rifling better than a FMJ bullet. There is less blowby, so less powder holds a higher pressure. Past that, lead bullets are less tolerant of really high velocity bullet speeds, so you don't run wide open anyway. My friends helped me figure out that a one lead bullet is not like another. If it it hard cast like 16-18 brinell, they need a firm load, as too low will not work right. For my loads that I WANT to use low velocity, like 50 ft bullseye pistol loads, I use softer bullets like 10 or 12 brinell rating. Good Luck

 

[cook4army]

wow....lots of information there....but I appreciate the feedback. After doing some research, I have decided that I will just make my own tester rounds for these lead rounds, and be a bit on the safe side.

Thanks for the help all!!

 

[Fishing-Nut]

The guy I buy my lead bullets from (B K Bullet Casting) recommends against led in Glocks