Range Report Barrel Wear and Cast Lead

[RoosterShooter]

I've found a hobby in casting lead bullets for my pistols, and decided today to load up a few for my .308 Winchester. They shot surprisingly well at 100 yds. and are basically just for fun.

Does anyone know if cast lead bullets are easier on your barrel metal than jacketed? I use a small gas check at the base of the lead bullets, but that is just to ensure that I can gain the velocities needed to stabilize the lead bullet without overheating the lead base.

Anyone?

 

[Supersubes]

Re: Barrel Wear and Cast Lead

Wear from the bearing surface of a copper bullet is not worth worrying about. Lead, being much softer, even less so. Add to that you are probably not pushing those lead bullets at 50000 psi,your barrel life should be measured in decades.

Lead is fun, I shoot it and a big helping of black powder in my BPCR. I know of a group of guys that shoot to a mile with very fine accuracy using lead an black powder.

 

[bohem]

Re: Barrel Wear and Cast Lead

Well said.

Cast lead rifle bullets at speeds up to about 1800-2000fps have such a low barrel wear that they are essentially "non-factors"

Shooting subsonic heavy bullets in the 308 makes for great plinking fun and if you can get them out to 300+yd you'll learn a lot about the wind.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Barrel Wear and Cast Lead

You'll wear it out cleaning it before you shoot it out. Google "Cast Bullet Association". They put out a fine magazine and the archive CD will give you a year of good reading/information.