Lead issue

[Kinman]

I am new to this forum and joined primarily to get help from those with more experience than myself.
I picked up a very cherry Mid 70's era M-29 6.5" barrel that appears to have been fired very little, according to the previous owner he only fired a couple boxes through it and his arthritis would not allow him to continue, he was in his 70's.
I have always been a fan of the 44 Special cartridge and of course using lead. I took this pistol out with my son awhile ago and it fired the magnum rounds just as it should. I then set up to fire some factory 44 Special rounds with SWC lead bullets. It fired them very well, my son was impressed with the more mild recoil. After about the third or fourth cylinder filling, about midway through the string, I noticed it being difficult to cock the hammer back shooting it single action. I lowered the hammer and went to release the cylinder to check for a problem when I noticed a build up of lead at the face of the cylinder around each chamber, some build up around the forcing cone of the barrel.
When the pistol is clean, there is very little movement at the cylinder when locked up, hammer back.
Is it possible the problem is due to the forcing cone or entrance to the barrel is too sharp from being freshly machined as it could be on a new pistol, causing the lead bullet to shave off while in transition from cylinder to barrel and having this area "de-burred" would solve the problem.
I might add that the barrel had no signs of leading whatsoever. Thanks...

 

[OKFC05]

One of the details to shooting lead loads is to keep ALL the copper and lead cleaned out of and off the gun after each use. Copper and lead stick to each other really well.
Been shooting lead bullets for decades. Doubt if anything is wrong with the gun a thorough cleaning won't fix.

 

[Rancher]

Ditto

Carefully clean the gun down to bare metal. Then start shooting with the lead bullet loads and carefully inspect the forcing cone. If it still leads, then re-clean and try different lead loads. If you are going to try to solve the problem by handloading swaged or cast bullets, please see the articles on lead bullet shooting at the Los Angeles Silhouette Club website. Good luck!

 

[daa9mm]

Get a Lewis Lead Remover. They work great if you are going to shoot cast bullets.

 

[longranger]

Get your revolver as clean and dry as you possibly can,(Lewis lead remover will do fine for the bore)It is difficult to remove the lead from the lead/powder residue from the face of the cylinder without hurting the bluing.Most anything that removes lead will remove bluing.
Once the gun is clean and dry no oil! Wax your gun with a good carubna wax,(Meguires) wax everything,bore,cylinders inside the frame and recoil shield area.Polish with clean dry,soft towel.Subsequent shootings will be much easier to clean and an added benefit of zero rust ever.
If you are going to use lead bullets, you minimize leading on the cylinder face by very carefully selecting proper bullet hardness to the speed in which it pushed,Factory lead bullets are a mystery as to the Brinnel hardness of the bullet with a few exceptions,to slow or to fast = leading.

 

[n4zov]

After about the third or fourth cylinder filling, about midway through the string, I noticed it being difficult to cock the hammer back shooting it single action. I lowered the hammer and went to release the cylinder to check for a problem when I noticed a build up of lead at the face of the cylinder around each chamber, some build up around the forcing cone of the barrel.

Did the lead build up actually contact something to cause the sluggish cylinder rotation or do you just suspect it might be the culprit? It is possible it is being caused by powder flakes under the ejector. Use a small brush (a toothbrush is great) to thoroughly clean any powder residue lurking under the ejector. As others have suggested, a thorough cleaning is the place to start.

 

[H Richard]

What was the 44 Special load? Ironically, sometimes a load going too slow can lead more than one going the standard velocity. The correct sizing if the lead bullet is also very important. Normally about .001" over bore size, .430 for a 44 Special works best rather than a .429 as for jacketed bullet. If you are using swagged bullets, the velocity needs to be kept to around 800 fps or below. Cast bullets can be pushed faster.

 

[Kinman]

Thank you for the information. The bullet I was using that seemed to cause the problem were Black Hills 210gr. FPL, due to their dark color I would assume they are swaged. I have the pistol cleaned very thorough and it was a real bear getting the lead off the cylinder face, I used a dremel tool with a small diameter felt wheel and some of the Barnes solution. It worked very well and probably did remove some of the blueing, it still looks great. I have some loads I built up years ago while shooting an old 3 screw Super Blackhawk, they never caused any problems with that pistol. They are 240gr. SWC cast lead, no gas check and used around 17grns of 2400. It used to be one of my favorite loads and was very accurate at the same time delivering plenty of knock-down.
Once I get it all dialed in it is very unlikely it will have any magnum loads fired down the barrel, but for the odd time or two.

 

[kennyb]

that dremel is going to strip the bluing....would be a shame to mar the finish when it's not necessary

 

[Skeeziks]

Thank you for the information. The bullet I was using that seemed to cause the problem were Black Hills 210gr. FPL,

In your original post you said they were SWC bullets. I'm confused.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Needs a good cleaning! Solvent and elbow grease.