questions about lead reloading

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kuzzyca

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ok ,

ive never reloaded lead before so im curious what i need for a set up.

im not planing on casting just buying bullets for now.


ive been looking at the LEE lube and sizing kit do i really need it and if so how do i measure my barrel so i get the right size?

also curious about gas checks, what they are, what they do, do you need to have them on lead bullets?

thanks
 
Cast bullets are all I use/make and have a business centered on cast bullets, so i have some experience. For cast bullets at over 1000fps. you will want to harden them with tin or heat treating(not pure lead). Wheel weights may work for this application. For the smaller bores, most molds will be gas check, and they allow higher vel. with good accuracy. In the big bores you can go higher in vel. without gas check type bullets. For instance, the Gould Hollow pt. in the 45/70 is driven to 2000fps and it is a plain base. For higher vel. or smaller bores you will need a gas check, and if the bullet is cut for a gas check, use a gas check unless you are using low vel. loads. i don't use Lee equip. so I can't comment too much, but if you use tumble lube you always will have a mess and i don't think you can crimp on gas checks, but I could be wrong. I use Lyman and RCBS Lube sizers which size, lube and set gas checks at the same time. I have around 40 sizers to take in most bores. Using the lubesizer means you only get the lube in the grooves. Pm me if you need more info. on these procedures or cast bullets in gen.
 
I buy lead bullets (Pistol) from Excel, DRG and the occasional Speer, Hornady and Lapua. I just reload them like any other bullet. What extra steps do you think you need to do?
 
first thanks guys for the response,

ben, im looking to load .45acp to IPSC major which means around 900fps
thereason ive stayed away from lead in the past was because of the cleaning involved with leading do gas checks stop this?

pyro, im not sure what else i have to do ill be honest i dont know anything about lead bullets ive always bought FMJ or plated bullets other then the few boxes ive bought to shoot in "lead only ranges"

just looking for general info on them what works what dosent and how to keep my barrel from leading

thanks again
 
For the .45 ACP I wouldn't worry about leading, the Lyman or H&G 200 grain SWC is about as good as it gets, it is a plain base bullet and shouldn't cause leading, very accurate, inexpensive. I've sold thousands of 'em and everyone swears by them(not at them), some Euro pistols have funky rifling and have shown to lead up barrels, I saw a SIG 9mm that leaded up real badly.
 
I load alot of lead because most of the ranges I get to shoot at are non-FMJ. If there IS a secret to loading lead, then I don't know it. I just load as normal. No extra lubing or resizing or barrel measuring. I just buy and load what I can get. I'm mostly a bullseye shooter, so I'm not looking for more velocity. As far as leading goes, it almost varies from individual gun to individual gun. I can shoot hundreds of rounds of Wolf reloaded 9x19mm through my Ruger P85 with no appreciable leading, but my buddy has a Llama that would have tumbling bullets after about 10 shots with the same ammo. For him, I dropped the charge down until it was just barely cycling the slide reliably, and his leading stopped. My Norinco 1911 doesn't lead up with my target loads. Same deal for my .32 Walther and .380 CZ. But I still clean them all pretty thoroughly with "Lead-out" when I get around to cleaning them. If you're loading for a higher velocity, then I think you'll start getting more leading.
 
The only change needed to your reloading procedure is maybe a little more attention to your belling of the case, cast bullet reloading may require more of a bell on case mouth or it may shave lead when you hit the grease grooves.
 
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