Speer swaged 250 grain .45 Colt

[27 Man]

Gun club member passed away and a lot of his reloading components/equipment was sold at a swap meet. I bought a box of miscellaneous odds and ends that included a couple of hundred of Speer 250 grain SWCs. Being swaged they are quite soft. I plan to load 50 to plink with in my model 25-5 using Unique. Do you guys think 8-8.5 grains will keep me from leading up my barrel?

 

[max]

I have gone as low as 7 grains with no problems. They will lead.

 

[rockquarry]

If they fit well, they likely won't lead the bore. They're probably .452" bullets. My 25-5 has oversize throats and needs a larger diameter bullet. If your gun does not have oversized throats, you should be okay as long as you don't push the bullets too hard. Your Unique suggestion should work well.

 

[Calliope]

I always got leading with that bullet with even the mildest loads. I resorted to re-lubing them with an alox mix.

 

[loc n load]

I shoot the same bullet over 8.5 of Unique. They are soft, and to minimize leading I coat my swaged bullets with a film of liquid floor wax. Works just fine.

 

[Bakebfr480]

I've used 7.5 grains of Unique with swaged bullets with no leading! Also, that was the maximum load I would shoot in my 25-5's!

 

[fredj338]

If they fit well, they likely won't lead the bore. They're probably .452" bullets. My 25-5 has oversize throats and needs a larger diameter bullet. If your gun does not have oversized throats, you should be okay as long as you don't push the bullets too hard. Your Unique suggestion should work well.

Not the bore but likely the throat. I never got my M25 to shoot cast as well as jacketed. I probably would stay under 8gr, keep vel around 900fps.

 

[rockquarry]

Not the bore but likely the throat. I never got my M25 to shoot cast as well as jacketed. I probably would stay under 8gr, keep vel around 900fps.

Chamber throat size, not bore size was what was mentioned.

While it is true that jacketed bullets are more tolerant of dimensions that aren't perfect, cast bullets that fit will usually shoot at least as accurately as jacketed bullets, often more accurately as long as the powder charge/ pressure is optimum for the alloy composition.

 

[dannyabear]

I always got leading with that bullet with even the mildest loads. I resorted to re-lubing them with an alox mix.

This is what I would do too, they are very soft