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ANYONE HAVE KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE WITH USING PURE LEAD BULLETS IN WIN. '73, 44/40 ?
I AM TRYING TO GET SOME BULLET 'UPSET' TO SEAL THE BORE. I AM SHOOTING PROPER SIZE OF BULLET FOR THIS BBL. BUT THEY ARE CAST OF LYMAN NO. 2 ALLOY. ACURACY IS GOOD FOR 8 TO 10 ROUNDS THEN STARTS TO DETERIORATE BECAUSE OF LEADING, I SUSPECT THAT I MAY BE GETTING SOME GAS LEAKAGE THAT LETS THE BORE PICK UP A BIT OF LEAD WITH EACH SHOT. WONDERING IF A PURE LEAD (OR MAYBE 25/1 LEAD TIN ALLOY) MIGHT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. KRITTUR
A little more information is needed. Is this rifle an original Winchester with a worn bore or a reproduction with a nice shiny bore? You state you are using proper size bullets for your barrel, yet you suspect gas leakage. Gas leakage would indicate improper bullet size. Have you slugged the bore to determine its actual diameter? Are your bullets .001"-.002" over bore diameter? Are you using black powder or smokeless? Have you chronographed to determine bullet speed? Maybe your just pushing them too fast? I try to keep plain base bullets under 1,450 fps to avoid leading the bore.
I suspect that pure lead bullets will only make the leading worse. My 1880 vintage Winchester 1873 in .44-40 has a .431" bore that is rather dark but the rifling is strong. I bought a custom Accurate Molds bullet mold that drops a .432" bullet, which I lubri-size at .432". Bullets hardness is about midway between wheel weights and Lyman #2 (shows as 7 on my Saeco hardness tester). I usually shoot 100-150 rounds of smokeless powder per shooting session, and while some leading is noticed on my cleaning patches, it is very little and easily cleaned out.
Tell us more about your rifle and your load.
SHASTA
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
As Shasta indicated, a little more information is needed. In addition to what he said, what powder and charge weight are you using?
Going to slower powders like 2400 or 4227 in the 44-40 will make harder cast bullets less prone to lead.
I have had experience with pure lead bullets in the .44-40 but with black powder and they worked extremely well, great accuracy and no leading. I have not personally loaded pure lead bullets over smokeless powder but I have tested some factory Cowboy ammunition (Magtech) that had 6 bhn swaged bullets (similar to 50/1 lead/tin mix.) Factory powder charge was 5.5 grs. of an unknown smokeless powder. Accuracy was very good and no leading.
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
Lotsa questions remain, but as a start, take a .435 or .440 dia lead ball and push it thru your bore using a wood dowel. Measure across the high parts, and use a bullet .001-.002" larger. Keep your loads to under 1400fps or use a gas-check.
PS: Use only plain base bullets, bevel bases are easier to load, but they can lead when plain-base of same alloy & speed won't.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Griff wrote:Lotsa questions remain, but as a start, take a .435 or .440 dia lead ball and push it thru your bore using a wood dowel. Measure across the high parts, and use a bullet .001-.002" larger. Keep your loads to under 1400fps or use a gas-check.
PS: Use only plain base bullets, bevel bases are easier to load, but they can lead when plain-base of same alloy & speed won't.
