Excessive Leading on Target Loads

[SW CQB 45]

I went to test 50 of the new reloads on Friday but not in the best of conditions and it showed in my marksmanship.

I had to zero a couple of patrol rifles with a co-worker and it took some time as we had to share the range with another agency.

by the time I was able to sneak out the Springer, it was 1130 hrs and I was starving and needed to get to my office, so my mental process was not all there.

My first 18 rounds were fired at the 7 and 15 yd line and was aiming dead center X when I forgot I have my sights set for a 6 o'clock hold at the X and 10 ring.



The remaining rounds were fired from the 25 yd line and was not happy with my performance. I am always the student of marksmanship and there were many rounds here that got away from me. When I started my press, before the hammer fell, I moved…and it shows. However I do think the accuracy potential is there with these rounds and plan to use them in my match this weekend. I promise to do better this weekend.

Sunday, I will tear apart the gun and check for leading.

remaining rounds fired from the 25 yd line.

 

[SW CQB 45]

Follow up on barrel cleaning

Barrel clean up today was a non issue with .357" slugs. after a couple of passes with solvent, bore brush and thin oil for protection…no traces of lead.

YAY!

I need to order some .357" 125 grain SWC slugs.

thanks to all

 

[Bugkiller99]

This thread has been a good read. Well done detective work by the OP with a little help from the forum.

 

[M29since14]

Glad to know the larger slugs are working. Clean your barrel every time you shoot more than a few rounds, just to be sure you don't get any hard to remove accumulation right in front of the chamber. I have been shooting .357 and .358 lead bullets in my 9x19 Kart barrel now for almost two years and have had great luck with them. I don't know why I didn't do it years ago.

 

[gwpercle]

Barrel clean up today was a non issue with .357" slugs. after a couple of passes with solvent, bore brush and thin oil for protection…no traces of lead.

YAY!

I need to order some .357" 125 grain SWC slugs.

thanks to all

GREAT !
.357 is what works in my 9 mm's also . I have tried several different weights and designs and .357 is the magic number. It didn't matter if it was a SWC, truncated cone or round nose. .357 and not real hard (wheel weights and pure lead 50/50 works best)
Fit is very important with cast and leading in fact a hard undersize bullet will give you trouble every time.
Gary

 

[BruceM]

It's good that you solved your problem by using a bullet .001" larger in diameter. With the .356" groove diameter of the barrel, you obviously were getting gas blow-by which caused the bore fouling. Almost invariably, lead fouling is caused by improper bullet fit or insufficient lube. Very seldom is it caused by bullets which are "too hard". Cast bullets can be unnecessarily hard but if they fit correctly, are never too hard and cause leading. If you are in the trick bag because of a particular gun's mechanical mismatches; that's a different issue.

Bruce