Remove white from lead tips on bullets

Grizzlypeg

Grizzlypeg

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I have a couple of hundred 308 150 grain hunting bullets I bought at a gun show, and the exposed lead tips on some have a bit of corrosion of the lead. Should I put them in the tumber with corncob? Shoot em as is? Wipe the tips with a scotchbrite pad?
 
Lead oxide isn't hard to remove. It is pretty toxic though since it's easily absorbed through skin and respiratory system. I use CLR on paper towel myself but it's really not hard to take off.
 
I just tested seating depth with these bullets and they are round noses. If I set my 308 COL to 2.710 they touch the lands. At 2.800 I can't close the bolt without pushing the bullet further into the case. Start testing at touching the lands? I'm using Benchmark, which can be loaded from 39.9 to 43 grains according to Hodgdon. I'm not after a really powerful load, just a maximum accuracy plinking load. I'm basically using brass, lead and powder that I don't have any demanding use for. I'll probably do up 3 of each in 0.5 grain incriments.
 
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Lead oxide is far more toxic than shiny lead. I'd suggest leaving them as-is, rather than spread a bunch of lead oxide dust from your tumbler. Or you can use a sonic cleaner with some CLR in the water and dissolve it, then rinse bullets, basket and sonic cleaner thoroughly. That's what I do. I have some "lead cleaning wipes" on my reloading bench that would likely serve the purpose quite well, but never used them for that job.
 
Grizzlypeg said:
I just tested seating depth with these bullets and they are round noses. If I set my 308 COL to 2.710 they touch the lands. At 2.800 I can't close the bolt without pushing the bullet further into the case. Start testing at touching the lands? I'm using Benchmark, which can be loaded from 39.9 to 43 grains according to Hodgdon. I'm not after a really powerful load, just a maximum accuracy plinking load. I'm basically using brass, lead and powder that I don't have any demanding use for. I'll probably do up 3 of each in 0.5 grain incriments.
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Is covered in several reloading manuals how to check the bullet "jump" to the lands - the Woodleigh manual suggests that you want 0.020 to 0.040" for their bullets - so 0.030" is likely a good place to aim for, to start. Often done with two pieces of dowel or a dowel and a blunt / flat ended cleaning rod - measure once from muzzle to closed bolt face, then again with bullet pushed tight to lands - the difference is the COAL with that bullet tight against lands - deduct 0.030" and use that for start - might want to increase or decrease as needed, depending how fussy you want to be. Is always assuming that resulting COAL fits and feeds from the magazine - has to fit to magazine, first; then can play about COAL within your chamber. Is VERY possible to get a cartridge to fit appropriately in chamber, that will not fit in the magazine - you can fire those single loading only.
 
If I seat these bullets to magazine length (2.870) or standard 308 Win length (2.800), there is so little of the base in the cartridge neck it might fall out. As well, the round nose will hit the lands and you have trouble closing the bolt, as it pushes the bullet further into the case. I have determined that COL of 2.710 has the bullet just on the verge of the lands. Not being a spitzer, the bullet diameter is large enough to engage the lands very close to the round tip, compared to a spitzer that has all that point out front.
 
I have not run into what you are playing with. About worst that you can have, is to work up a load with the bullet free of the lands - with some "jump" - and then get one round that goes tight to the lands - your pressure will go way higher. Or make them all tight to the lands and work up to that - there used to be some target rounds made that way, but I think they were usually softer lead bullets without a jacket. But worst is to "work up" with some jump, and then use the same loading with a bullet tight onto the lands.
 
Potashminer said:
I have not run into what you are playing with. About worst that you can have, is to work up a load with the bullet free of the lands - with some "jump" - and then get one round that goes tight to the lands - your pressure will go way higher. Or make them all tight to the lands and work up to that - there used to be some target rounds made that way, but I think they were usually softer lead bullets without a jacket. But worst is to "work up" with some jump, and then use the same loading with a bullet tight onto the lands.
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That is an excellent point. Being right on the verge of touching the lands does present a danger that I hadn't considered. I will seat them .020 deeper to have some margin for safety and variation.
 
Grizzlypeg said:
If I seat these bullets to magazine length (2.870) or standard 308 Win length (2.800), there is so little of the base in the cartridge neck it might fall out. As well, the round nose will hit the lands and you have trouble closing the bolt, as it pushes the bullet further into the case. I have determined that COL of 2.710 has the bullet just on the verge of the lands. Not being a spitzer, the bullet diameter is large enough to engage the lands very close to the round tip, compared to a spitzer that has all that point out front.
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THIS is why the COAL dimension is totally worthless. You need to measure to the ogive and then seat bullets at least .010" back from the lands.
 
I Dont Care About You said:
They are 22 rimfire, what's the worst that could happen?
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I shot some Dominion .22 a few years ago. The box and cases were pristine aside from a deeper copper color to the cases than I'm used to. Many split/cracked or pinholed and would spray an appreciable and annoying amount of gas and debris as they did so. So I guess the "worst" could be a case failure which can certainly damage your gun and yourself.
 
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