Last inch of barrel leading

[prickett]

I've been fighting barrel leading since I started casting 9mm's a couple of months ago.

My latest fix was to size the bullet to .357. This eliminated a large amount of leading, but still left some in the last 1" of the barrel (the part closest to the muzzle). Reading posting, that would indicate lube is running out. I'm using the 125 gr 9mm Lee tumble lube RN moulds, lubed with the Johnson Paste Wax + Alox tumble lube. I'd like to try pan lube to see if it truly is a lube issue.

Can you pan lube a TL design bullet? The groves don't seem like they'd be deep enough to hold much lube.

Does it sound like a lube issue?

TIA

[RP]

check your crown on the barrel for any dings or nicks or doublle dip you boolits to increase lube Not sure if this is of any help but cant hurt to look.

[NuJudge]

Try one new thing at a time. What 9mm is this, and have you figured out the groove diameter?

I'd try slightly larger bullets first.

Then I'd try just more Tumble Lube.

[303Guy]

I'd try slightly larger bullets first.

That's fair comment but it would be easier to try double dipping the lube first. Just a thought.

[badgeredd]

prickett,

IMO you are on the money with your assessment of the cause of the leading. I noticed you didn't say that you had slugged the bore. A small boolit could cause the leading but since you are getting it at the end of the barrel, I'd guess it is more likely you are running out of lube.

To answer your question, yes you can pan lube to get a bit more lube on the boolit. Actually you don't need a lot more lube and you'd be surprised how much extra lube those little grooves will hold. You could pan lube a previously dipped boolit too. You can also double dip in the lube your are currently using to see if that corrects the problem. Whatever you do, change only one thing at a time so you KNOW what cured your issue.

Edd

[MtGun44]

You are likely running out of lube. I am not a fan of TL designs, we seem to get huge
number of folks with leading and other signs of poor lube performance. I have good
results with the 124 Lee TC conventional lube groove sized to .357. Excellent accy and
little to no leading depending on the particular gun.

Bill

[geargnasher]

I've been fighting barrel leading since I started casting 9mm's a couple of months ago.

My latest fix was to size the bullet to .357. This eliminated a large amount of leading, but still left some in the last 1" of the barrel (the part closest to the muzzle). Reading posting, that would indicate lube is running out. I'm using the 125 gr 9mm Lee tumble lube RN moulds, lubed with the Johnson Paste Wax + Alox tumble lube. I'd like to try pan lube to see if it truly is a lube issue.

Can you pan lube a TL design bullet? The groves don't seem like they'd be deep enough to hold much lube.

Does it sound like a lube issue?

TIA

I responded to your similar question in the Lube section, but you gave far less information there. You didn't say you were using a TL boolit, so ignore my recommendation there. My new recommendation is take that TL mould to the nearest lake and check it for defects by throwing it in. If it floats, swim out and get it, it's a good mould, otherwise cut your losses and go get yourself the same Lee mould in conventional lube groove design. Then tumble-lube with your 40/40/10 formula, two light coats sizing like you were before. I've done this with two pistol calibers and it fixed them both. IME the tumble-lube designs are junk because the middle microbands are undersized.

Gear

[WHITETAIL]

Go for the 356-120 Lee.

[Vly]

Be sure you are belling the case mouth enough to avoid scraping lube from the boolit as you seat it. The .357 diameter will need more bell than .355.

[fredj338]

You are likely running out of lube. I am not a fan of TL designs, we seem to get huge
number of folks with leading and other signs of poor lube performance. I have good
results with the 124 Lee TC conventional lube groove sized to .357. Excellent accy and
little to no leading depending on the particular gun.

Bill

Agree, you are likely running out of lube. The small grooves of the TL need more lube IMO, not less. Thinning the Alox (not a fan of Alox) is only enhancing the problem. Try two coats. If you are going to pan lube, the TL will work, maybe better than Alox.

[HeavyMetal]

First you are running out of lube!

Second Geargnasher has the correct procedure to determine if your TL mold is any good, the only thing I will add is the need to get that mold at least 40 yards off shore for a good test!

I will also add that while tumble lubeing can work the amount of time you put into doing it has never been " efficent". I cast 700 to 800 357's last night ( haven't counted them yet) and had them lubed and sized in 20 minutes, ready to load, using my Star sizer this morning.

This is not a suggestion that you go out and buy a Star simply a suggestion that your time tumble lubing, plus waiting for " cure time" plus figuring out leading plus cleaning up mess might be better spent actually shooting.

Just food for thought.