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Author Topic: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem  (Read 518 times)

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Offline Doublebass73

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45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« on: May 31, 2010, 04:39:24 PM »
I'm a fairly new reloader trying to figure out why I'm getting leading in my 45 Colt Carbine barrel. It happens with the 0.452" 250 grain lead flat point bullets I've been using. They're store bought from a local caster. I get leading using minimum loads of Unique or Trail Boss powders. I use a Lee factory crimp die with fairly firm crimp. Accuracy is decent with these loads.

Anyone here have any similar issues? Should I try 0.454" bullets instead? I tried slugging the bore for the first time and if I did it correctly it appears the groove diameter is 0.453". I'm trying to come up with a cheap plinking load that won't lead the barrel so bad.

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Offline Lefty Dude

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2010, 04:52:16 PM »
You are pushing them too hard. back of to around 1100 fps or less and your leading will go away. Flat based bullets can be shot faster than bevel based. The bevel base leads to gas cutting of the bullets base and causes leading in the bore.

If you need to push them harder go to Gas Check based pills.

Also if your bore is new you should shoot about 50-100 jacketed bullets. This will burnish the bore removing very small factory burrs & such. This should be followed with a tight patch with J.B. bore paste. This will polish the bore and help with the leading problem also.

And yes, try .454's.
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Offline blackpowderbill

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2010, 04:56:41 PM »
I am shooting .454, 250grain bullets cast from range lead over eight grain of unique from my Thunderbolt with no signs of leading. That is through a barrel that has chatter marks all down its length. I'd have sent it back but it shoots well.
What lube are you using? Lee liquid alox has worked well for me. I tried some lubed with a mixture of two parts lard to one part bees wax and it was ok too but not as good as LLA.
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Offline koger

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2010, 05:02:09 PM »
Something I do, dont see a lot of other folks do it, is spray my lead bullets with moly coating after they are lubed. Leading is a thing of the past, even with my high vel. loads in a 6.5x55 swede. Might want to give it a try.
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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2010, 05:18:45 PM »
I don't have a chronograph but according to the Lyman 45 Colt rifle data these loads should be running between 900-1000 fps. I have shot roughly 60 jacketed bullets through the bore since I got it new, I use jacketed for hunting and get decent accuracy. I'm just trying to come up with a light, economic plinking load. The bullets are bevel base but I'm only using minimum charges of 6.3 grains of Unique and 5.3 grains of Trail Boss. They are very light, pleasant shooting loads. My local store has some 255 grain Hornady 0.454" bullets that I could try to see if that helps.

I haven't tried lubing with LLA but it would be a cheap enough option to try. The bullets I'm using just have the factory lube. I'm new to reloading so I haven't heard of using moly coat for bullet lube but I've used it in other applications.
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Offline Rustyinfla

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2010, 08:10:32 PM »


 Yes, you need to go to the .454's if the the barrel slugs .453. Undersize is not good.
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Offline saddlebum

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2010, 10:11:19 PM »
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2010, 01:06:42 AM »
Lots of stuff not immediately evident can cause leading...

First one people think of is velocity and it does cause its fair share. but so does (as mentioned) wrongly sized bullets, too soft a mix, an overly rough bore, pressures and loading methods.

Heavy crimps are NOT needed for light cast bullet loads. many know I am NO fan of LEE and this esp goes for the bullet crusher crimping die.

Your powder and velocity should be in line with NOT having leading issues. So you need to look at the barrel and the hardness of the slugs. You mention having only shot a handful of jacketed bullets... This leads me to think you may have a overly rough bore. You can smooth it out with some JB bore paste. Try a different bullet, one with more antimony making it harder.

CW
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2010, 03:04:40 PM »
Try the bigger slugs, by all means. You need to fit the bullet to the critical throat dimension, even if it is several thou. larger than the groove dia. Any gas that gets around the base in the throat, as it is going into the bore will gas cut and run down the grooves with molten metal (thus leading).
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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: 45 Colt Carbine Leading Problem
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2010, 04:38:31 AM »
Thanks for the replies everyone, I'll let you know how everything works out.
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