New to cast bullets. Getting leading.

[uglysteve]

There was a small amount of the bearing surface protruding from the case mouth. The o.a.l. is as long as I could make it to both load in my magazines and seat fully in the barrel. Even as it is, the lead is touching the rifling.

 

[RealGun]

Does your crimp also affect the diameter of that small portion of bearing surface extending beyond the case mouth? I propose that it should be unaffected, else I would be learning something here. I have done a lot of measuring and adjusting lately, still unsatisfied with improvements in leading control, so I have an interest.

 

[uglysteve]

My conclusions so far:

185gr LSWC BHN18 bullets I get no leading at all with 4.4gr of Red Dot powder and a C.O.L. of 1.25.

230gr LRN BHN18 bullets I get moderate to light leading in both my 1911's with both 4gr and 4.5gr of Red Dot Powder.

I will probably stick to the LSWCs but I would like to find a recipe for the LRNs for the future. Maybe a higher charge? Recoil with the 4.5gr is moderate. Feels a little lighter than factory winchester loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My conclusions so far:

185gr LSWC BHN18 bullets I get no leading at all with 4.4gr of Red Dot powder and a C.O.L. of 1.25.

230gr LRN BHN18 bullets I get moderate to light leading in both my 1911's with both 4gr and 4.5gr of Red Dot Powder.

I will probably stick to the LSWCs but I would like to find a recipe for the LRNs for the future. Maybe a higher charge? Recoil with the 4.5gr is moderate. Feels a little lighter than factory winchester loads.

Alliant lists the charge of Red Dot under a 230gr LRN bullet @5.1gr Max. Using the 10% rule that would put the starting charge @4.6gr. Both your 4.0gr load and 4.5gr load are below the starting charge weight recommended by Alliant. Couple that with the hard bullets you're using there is no wonder why you are getting leading. Bring the charge up and that will help a lot, if not buy softer bullets.

 

[USSR]

Bring the charge up and that will help a lot, if not buy softer bullets.

+1.

Don

 

[uglysteve]

So I shot a round of 100 230gr softball at 4.8gr of red dot and still got a small amount of leading. I may try 5.0 grains next time. On another note, I received my order of 2,000 Missouri bullets 185gr .45 button bullets today. I already loaded up 100 of them at 4.5 gr to test next week.

 

[Sam1911]

Wait, you're going even lighter on the charge with a lighter bullet? Usually that works the other way.

 

[918v]

The MO Button Bullets are 12 BHN.

 

[uglysteve]

I've had great results with my 185gr lswc 18bhn friendswood bullets so I figured the same charge is a good starting point.