Newbie with leading issues

[imdamnedifido]

Hello,
I have enjoyed reading the information on this site very much but am still struggling with a leading issue. Since this is my first post I hope you all will bear with me.
The gun I am shooting in this case is a new FNH FNX 9mm with about 500 rounds of FMJ mostly reloaded ammo shot thru it. The barrel slugged at .355 if I did it correctly(even numbers of rifling measured at the widest point). I purchased and tried both .357 and .358 Lee Sizer Lubricator dies. Im using the 45-45-10 Lee Allox recipe as a lube and Im not sure it turned out exactly right.
.
Boolits...Made from straight wheel weight lead from 15 yrs ago that was casted into ingots for weights on an ATV Pulling Machine. When I casted these weights originally I had no intention or understanding of making boolits from this lead so I could have skimmed off the antimony or the tin without realizing it?? I know I did not flux when I casted 15 yrs ago but I did when making the boolits Im using today. These casted lead weights are now recasted into boolits using a Lee 6 cavity 125 grain RN mold. The boolits actually weigh 130 grains and seemed to cast quite well...shiny and filled out nicely.

Load data...since there is no data i can find for this boolit I have used data from similar types and weights to come up with...
5.5 grains of Power Pistol(5 grains would not eject the empties)
COL 1.15
WSPPrimer

Any help you can provide would be appreciated

IMDAMNEDIFIDO

[Jupiter7]

What equipment are you using? Have you pulled boolits after loading to check loaded diameter?

[JeffG]

If you run a bronze brush through the barrel a few times, does it come right out? Might me antimony wash instead. Where at in the barrel is the leading? My personal experience has been that 45-45-10 did not work as well as straight LLA. As noted above, load a round without primer and powder the pull and measure it. If you slug the barrel right at the throat area what size is it there?

[imdamnedifido]

Equipment
-hornaday classic lock and load single stage press kit
-hornaday dies 9mm,223,270
-Lee lead pot
-Lee 6 cavity .356 mold (casting at nearly .360)
-Lee bullet sizing dies .357 and .358

I measured a sized boolit at 357 loaded it, chambered it, removed boolit, and measured at 355.
i hope this is what you wanted
tks

[imdamnedifido]

No it doesnt come right out. I have to wet the bronze brush with bore scrubber and takes many passes to get it out. I did load and pull a 357 boolit that then measured 355
tks

[imdamnedifido]

Im not sure if the leading is occurring all the way thru the barrel but i do know it is accumulating from muzzle to about 1/2 way up the barrel. Sorry Im not sure if it was present right after the chamber. I can shoot more to test it if necessary.
Thanks for your help

[Love Life]

If the leading is beginning towards the middle to muzzle end of the barrel, that sounds like a lube failure. Try uncut mulesnot (LLA) next time around.

Also you need to find out why youlled bullets are beind sized down .002. Too small of a bullet with a marginal lube for the application is a sure recipe for hard times.

You might aslo try water quenching.

[upnorthwis]

You need a larger expander if the boolit is crushed down to .355 when loaded. Had the same problem in my S&W M&P loading on Dillon 550B. Made a larger one on my lathe. You might also give powder coating a try.

[Jupiter7]

Try flaring deeper. Not so much that your scraping seating die but close. Make sure boolit is level when seating. Might wanna look at a different flaring tool(Lyman m-die).

[runfiverun]

You'll need to figure out the 355 thing it's in the reloading process somewhere.
i'd start at the crimp station and work back to the sizing end.
it may even be simple like just some of the case brands.

[williamwaco]

runfive + 1

No lube is going to solve that problem with the .355 diameter bullet.

I don't think your lube is the problem.

I use LLA straight and really like it that way but I don't think it will work with a .355 diameter bullet.

If you have any way to measure them, check the wall thickness of your cases, and try loading only the thinnest ones.

I think something is amiss in the loading process.

[Ido356]

Your boolits are being sized down when seating, I had this problem with my Lee set up and from advise I got here, I bought a S&W 38 expander to replace the stock 9mm, problem solved.
I don't know hornaday dies but, Jupiter7 suggestion to try a Lyman m-die is what I have read others are using to solve this problem.
Good luck, and don't do like I did and load a couple hundred rounds before realizing you have a problem before fixing it, I have been spending a lot of time cycling rounds thru my boolit puller instead of my pistol, lol.

p.s It would be nice if die makers would make Pb specific dies, but most are geared to reloading j-words.

[petroid]

Your boolits are being sized down when seating, I had this problem with my Lee set up and from advise I got here, I bought a S&W 38 expander to replace the stock 9mm, problem solved.
I don't know hornaday dies but, Jupiter7 suggestion to try a Lyman m-die is what I have read others are using to solve this problem.
Good luck, and don't do like I did and load a couple hundred rounds before realizing you have a problem before fixing it, I have been spending a lot of time cycling rounds thru my boolit puller instead of my pistol, lol.

p.s It would be nice if die makers would make Pb specific dies, but most are geared to reloading j-words.

^^^^This!!!
The 38SW expander plug should drop right in your 9mm expander die and work great. Just make sure you only crimp enough that it will chamber and not size your boolits down

[Love Life]

I would recommend you crimp to spec.

[62chevy]

All good suggestions so far but I would look into this expander from NOE that fits your Lee powder through dies.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.p...pr7efsea6prmp6

[petroid]

All good suggestions so far but I would look into this expander from NOE that fits your Lee powder through dies.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.p...pr7efsea6prmp6

The OPstates that he is using Hornady dies. Not sure if that would work

[62chevy]

The OPstates that he is using Hornady dies. Not sure if that would work

drats I missed that.

[imdamnedifido]

Thank you for all the responses. Much appreciated. With all of your advice i have a few things to verify and double check. and Ill post back. Thanks again
Brad

[JeffG]

Like runfiverun noted, I'd start looking at the crimp stage. You can seat the bullet then pull it before the crimp stage and see what you have top isolate it. I'm using a Lyman M die for expanding, standard Lee seating die then a Lee Taper Crimp after seating instead of the Lee Factory Crimp Die that came with the kit. I'm not sure how Hornady's crimp die compares.