45 LC Question ?

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  • Last Post 21 January 2011
Gene posted this 18 January 2011

I went to the range yesterday and shot my Ruger Vaquero 45 LC just to see if  factory ammo would lead my barrel ???  I was under the impression that my barrel was probably constricted by about 1 to 2 thousandths were it screws into the frame ”¦”¦

 

I fired 15 rds of  Magtech  250 LFP #45D  and  15 rds of Winchester  250 LFN #USA45CB.  The bullets in both brands appear to be soft, maybe BHN 8 ”€œ 9  or lower !!!  Both brands are advertised at 750 FPS at the muzzle.

 

To my absolute amazement, neither leaded the barrel ???  Just a few particles of unburned powder”¦..The forcing cone was even clean as a whistle !!!

 

Now I have shot Horn. 200 and 255 LSWC's  and  Speer  200 and 250 LSWC's  as CowBoy loads and  it leads the barrel just past the forcing cone for about  ½ inch ?!?!  All these bullets are .452 except the Horn 255 which is .454.   All these bullets are swaged so they got to be soft same as the factory, right ??/  The rest of the barrel is perfectly clear of lead.  The muzzle has the lead star, so the lube is apparently doing it's job ???

 

Now my question  is:  why do my loads lead and the factory ammo does NOT ???

 

Thanks,

Gene

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2011

All these bullets are swaged so they got to be soft same as the factory, right ??/

Maybe, or maybe not. I haven't used any factory swaged bullets in years. The old Speer HB 38 WC's used to have only 1% antimony and the rest lead. Pull a bullet and check the hardness. Also check the factory bullets and see if they have dished base. WW'ers used to have a dished base to help them expand into the grooves and seal in the throat.

Ric

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Gene posted this 18 January 2011

Ric,

I don't have a BHN tester, but based on the finger nail scratch test, I believe the factory bullets are softer than the swaged ???

 

Gene

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Ed Harris posted this 18 January 2011

Gumball soft lead seals the bore better in light loads. Try mixing some 1:25 tin/lead and it will make you a believer.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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RicinYakima posted this 18 January 2011

I would take Ed's suggestion.

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Gene posted this 19 January 2011

Ed and Ric,

First , thanks for your replies, as this is a conundrum !!!

I pulled one of the Winchester loads ( I've shot all of the MagTech ) and it is a flat plainbase bullet weighing 249.5 grns at .454 in.  The lube is a very thin blackish brown film -- with a crimp groove and no grease grooves.  I'm 99.99% sure it's a swaqged bullet......... It appears to be softer or as soft as the Hornady swaged bullets ???

The powder appears to be 231.  I didn't weigh it as I spilled some in pulling the bullet

Thanks,

Gene

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Gene posted this 19 January 2011

Now, I need a formula to convert my WW alloy to 1:25 mix ???

Thanks,

Gene

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RicinYakima posted this 19 January 2011

Gene, I mix my alloys in a 20 pound RCBS pot. To get about that hardness, I use 12 pounds of pig/plumbers lead (or .22 RF range scrap) 6 pounds of WW's and 1/4 pound of lead-free solder from one of the box stores. It is about the right hardness and as cheap as anything to make. HTH, Ric

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frnkeore posted this 20 January 2011

Just add 2% tin to your mix.

Frank

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RicinYakima posted this 20 January 2011

frnkeore,

Modern WW's + 2% tin is one of my standard alloys and has a Bhn of about 12. 25/1 has a Bhn of about 9. My receipe will get him down to about 9.5 Bhn.

Ric

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Gene posted this 21 January 2011

Ric,

You indicate the WW's are about 12.  Don't WW's already have some tin in the mix ???

Who sells the cheapist lead as their are NO free sources of lead around here ??? There are NO sources of pure lead around here ........

Thanks for your help,

Gene

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RicinYakima posted this 21 January 2011

Gene,

I have about 2000 pounds of WW's I gathered up from about 1996 to 2004. A sample melt I made I had analyzed at work and it came back at 3.2% antimony, 0.75% tin and 0.1% trace metals (copper, etc.). Adding 2% tin greatly helps bullet fill out since the trace metals tend to want to make the bullets rounded on the edges.

If you have to buy alloy, consider 30/1 lead to tin. In it self it is a good pistol or black powder alloy, or you could mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with wheel weights to stretch your dollar cost for rifle bullets, or 1/3 and 2/3 for pistol.

Shipping is a big expense, so do an Internet search for lead alloys. Most of the reloading mail order companies it, besides several advertisers in The Fouling Shot.

Ric

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Ed Harris posted this 21 January 2011

Good sources for certified alloys are the Antimony Man and Roto Metals. If you order $100 worth or more they will ship to you prepaid in a USPS flat rate box.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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