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Posted: 4/29/2010 1:54:56 PM EDT
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Loving my new Kimber Utra Carry II (3-inch barrel) EXCEPT I can't find a good lead bullet load; getting too much bore leading.
So far have tried: Hard cast bullets ... Oregon LaserCast 200-grain LSWC @ 6.0 gr W231 Oregon LaserCast 230-grain RN @ 5.5-gr W231 and 6.5-6.7 gr Unique Swaged bullets ... Zero 200-gr LSWC @ 7.0-7.3 gr Unique I'm used to seeing minor leading in my Govt 191, but it's eadily removed with one swipe of a Chore Boy patch. Not so on the Kimber. While Id reload jacketed bullets, too, for the Kmber, the lead bullets are preferable from a cost standpoint. Any suggestions for better lead loads?? |
| You might try the cast "molly" coated bullets from Precision Bullets or from Bear Creek in Calif. Precision has a web site, Bear Creek, I think, does not. My go to load with both the molly and regular cast bullets has been: 200 grain cast or cast molly with 4.2 grains of (regular, no prefix) Clays powder; 230 gr. cast or cast molly with 4.0 grains of Clays. Use any large pistol primer. After finding these loads, I have stopped experimenting (for now) and have loaded up lots of shooting ammo. |
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I use the soft cast bullets from Missouri Bullets and load them to 750 to 800 fps in 45 ACP.
They shoot great in my full size Kimber. Very little leading. 
Read up on the Missouri bullet site about bullet hardness. You don't really want a hard cast bullet for low velocity target loads. The hard bullets are for the magnum rounds with full power loads. You may find that you need to run 500 or so jacketed rounds through the barrel to smooth it up before the leading goes away. |
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If a bullet is too hard it won't obturate enough to seal the bore well and gas/flame cutting along the sides can cause leading. The slight bevel base with many hard case designs accentuates this issue.
Normally 1911 45s do have a bit shallow rifling so a little hardness is desired, but you don't want to overdo it at all here. The formula shouldn't be anywhere near as hard as you would use with magnum or higher speed rounds. Another issue can be the barrel itself. If it is a little rough, it will increase leading. I have a S&W Model 66 like that. |
| I load Missouri Bullet Company 230 grain LRN in front of 3.8 grains of Clays. What I've learned with my .45 loads is that the cleaner and smoother the barrel, the less leading I get. Every few cleanings, I use JB bore polish on my barrels. I've also noticed that if I seat the so that there is a few 1/1000" jump from the bullet to the rifling, leading is non-existent. I was seating the 230 LRN to 1.240 with leading problems. I started seating to 1.265, and have no leading at all after 100 rounds. |
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TxSgt, thanks for that tip. I'm familiar with that technique for rifle rounds to improve accuracy, but I wouldn't have considered it as a factor in pistol bore leading. Good to know!!
In the meantime, I've taken the path of immediate gratification and "invested" in 500 ea Hornady 185-gr XTP bullets. Don't like that $0.20/bullet cost (w/sales tax), but I want to so some near-term shooting. Will work the leading solutions after more rounds are down range, hopefully smoothing the new Kimber's bore (looks damn good to me already, though). |
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Quoted:
If a bullet is too hard it won't obturate enough to seal the bore well and gas/flame cutting along the sides can cause leading. The slight bevel base with many hard case designs accentuates this issue. . Building on this, if the leading is near the chamber, it's casued by too hard a bullet and flame cutting, if it's near the muzzle, it's lead smearing from too soft a bullet. With a 3" 1911 it might be hard to tell though. I like the Missouri 230 grain (or just about any 230 grain) with 6.0 grains of H. Universal. Win LP primer. With 200 LSWC I usually have to load them about 20-30 thou short to get good feeding in my Ultra. |
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Well, as a matter of fact, my leading begins at the exit of the chamber which I would expect for a hardcast bullet. I'd hoped a stiffer powder charge (in a short barrel) would get the needed bullet obduration without over pressure. Later I thought the soft swaged Zero bullets would be the ticket with appropriate charges. So far I've been disappointed.
Still, I can probably manage with Berry's plated bullets as my low-cost alternative. In the meantime, I'm going to develop a good load using the XTP bullets. |
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