General Revolver Reloading Questions

[DrSpaceJam]

I've principally been reloading for my revolver since I started loading ammunition and on my latest shoot I started to notice a slight buildup of lead on the face of my cylinder after a session of about 100 rounds. I've never had this issue with factory ammunition, jacketed or lead RN, so I'm curious to hear about what I can do to prevent it or if this is just part of using lead bullets. The barrel is fine, looking perfectly clean.

I'm shooting .38 Special using 148gr HBWCs with 2.8gr of Bullseye with my current loads, which I quite like shooting (though they are terribly smoky). Is there something about this particular load that I should know or ways to improve it? Ways to reduce the leading?

On top of that I have another sort of general inquiry regarding the hardness of bullets, jackets, and speeds/loads. Are there general rules regarding this? I see it alluded to frequently but can't find any concrete guidelines on this (my searches may have been kinda weak). With softer bullets, do I want to keep their velocity down? What about plated and jacketed bullets? I ask because I'm going to be loading copper-plated bullets soon (I ordered a bunch of them) and want to make sure I don't mess something up. Is there anything different I need to look for when using copper plated and jacketed ammunition vs the lead rounds I'm using now?

Thanks!

 

[fingers284]

I would look for a mecanical issue with the leading problem. I would sugest either your cylinder is slightly out of time or there is a machining (ridge or burr) issue with the barrel's forcing cone. The load you are using shouldn't be hot enough to cause any problems with the soft lead hbwc are usualy made of.
The hbwc bullets are soft and have a very square front leading edge. If they don't line up perfectly with the bore or there is any malformed forcing cone, the sharp shoulder will peel a sliver of the bullet. Muzzle blast escaping thru the cylinder gap will smear the soft lead on the cylinder face.
You maybe still had some peeling with your RN bullets but because they are a lot harder and the rn helps line the slug up with the barrell , it may not have been noticable. The hard lead may not be sticking to the cylinder face.

Another possibility if your revolver has a large cylinder gap, the escaping muzzle blast may just be washing lead off of the back end lip of the bullet.

 

[tjhaile]

It isn't unusual to get lead buildup on the front of the cylinder with lead bullets. I wouldn't bee too concerned, provided it isn't leading to the point where the cylinder is binding.

 

[just having some fun]

I've principally been reloading for my revolver since I started loading ammunition and on my latest shoot I started to notice a slight buildup of lead on the face of my cylinder after a session of about 100 rounds. I've never had this issue with factory ammunition, jacketed or lead RN, so I'm curious to hear about what I can do to prevent it or if this is just part of using lead bullets. The barrel is fine, looking perfectly clean.

I'm shooting .38 Special using 148gr HBWCs with 2.8gr of Bullseye with my current loads, which I quite like shooting (though they are terribly smoky). Is there something about this particular load that I should know or ways to improve it? Ways to reduce the leading?

On top of that I have another sort of general inquiry regarding the hardness of bullets, jackets, and speeds/loads. Are there general rules regarding this? I see it alluded to frequently but can't find any concrete guidelines on this (my searches may have been kinda weak). With softer bullets, do I want to keep their velocity down? What about plated and jacketed bullets? I ask because I'm going to be loading copper-plated bullets soon (I ordered a bunch of them) and want to make sure I don't mess something up. Is there anything different I need to look for when using copper plated and jacketed ammunition vs the lead rounds I'm using now?

HBW have a small window min-max charge and you can't very off the published load data (I checked one book for 38 Special and 147g hbwc and you are the OK Range
Bullseye burns dirty in low pressure rounds -- > work up a load for accuracy and clean as required

Lead build up, big question
did you change anything brass, powder lot, primers, new box of bullets ? new something more crimp-- less crimp
Just changing one thing will make a difference
Did you just not notice the build up before ?
Are you shooting in the cold ??? just the cold will make a difference.

the hbwc will be the lightest load/recoil load you can shoot

 

[New Camper]

Both my 686 and 629 using non-jacketed bullets (whether they are SWC or WC) will have a layer of lead on the receiver, barrel and cylinder around the cylinder gap after a range trip: It is thicker obviously the more rounds I put through them. I bought the 686 new (being a 357, I get a bit of build up in the 1/10" longer cylinder using 38spec loads) and the 629 I bought used so I rule out any malfunction or wear causing the cylinder to be untrue with the bore. What you have is normal unless it's interferring with rotation of the cylinder. Whatever the powder is in the commercial 38spec reloads, even my handloads... both revolvers will show the carbon (and lead if you look close) and they are quite the mess after a few boxes.

I've oiled the metal around these areas, but reasonably didn't expect anything to happen except for it to blow off after the first few shots. I don't think there is any substance that wouldn't burn off, so that leaves cleaning the only viable option. If someone has a recipe for preventing buildup, I'm all ears. I had thought of spray on silicone(which dries), thin layer of heavy grease, "coppa-slip" etc. as a pre-shooting application to ease the cleaning process but have never tried it. My expectation is the blast from the cylinder gap would only blow or burn these attempts off.

To illustrate this: I folded a target paper and held it against the gun so that it extended past the cylinder gap, and even mild target loads in the 629, the escaping gas destroyed the target. I saw "Hickok 45" (youtube channel) try that, so I had to see first hand... he was only reaffirming the importance of keeping fingers away from the front of the cylinder.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

To illustrate this: I folded a target paper and held it against the gun so that it extended past the cylinder gap, and even mild target loads in the 629, the escaping gas destroyed the target. I saw "Hickok 45" (youtube channel) try that, so I had to see first hand... he was only reaffirming the importance of keeping fingers away from the front of the cylinder.

it's not that bad, i accidentally stuck the tip of my thumb past my 586 cylinder and was shooting a 158gr 357mag round at the time. it blackened the tip of my thumb, and hurt slightly. thank god i can't do the same with my 500, otherwise then i would have no thumb lol...

 

[New Camper]

it's not that bad, i accidentally stuck the tip of my thumb past my 586 cylinder and was shooting a 158gr 357mag round at the time. it blackened the tip of my thumb, and hurt slightly. thank god i can't do the same with my 500, otherwise then i would have no thumb lol...

I expect it would hurt. I don't wish to try it even with my 686. I didn't try the folded paper experiment with the 686, but the 629 even with a light handload shredded all the layers.

With that anecdote, I was trying to explain to the OP, the pressures, and why lead and carbon plastered around the cylinder gap area is normal. Keeping fingers at the grip is also normal.

 

[DrSpaceJam]

Thanks for the information everyone. I did change my load a bit (reduced the crimp as it was pretty excessive in my first batches) but in my last session I also fired about 150 rounds, which is far more than I usually plow through in one range trip out of a single gun. I don't think it's a mechanical issue (I had the gun checked by a smith after I bought it and it was sound, and I check it about every two months as well as I can with some tests the gunsmith showed me). I'm just not all that experienced in handloading and I want to make sure I understand what's going on instead of taking the "it's probably fine" approach. The replies here have been very helpful.

I've oiled the metal around these areas, but reasonably didn't expect anything to happen except for it to blow off after the first few shots. I don't think there is any substance that wouldn't burn off, so that leaves cleaning the only viable option. If someone has a recipe for preventing buildup, I'm all ears.

That's fascinating. Maybe I'll give it a go.