Minimizing Barrel Leading With A Few Jacketed Rounds

So you've read both ways - Shoot a boatload of lead bullets and then use some jacketed rounds to "shoot out" any leading - and No, that doesn't work - even makes the leading harder to remove. What's the lowdown of this topic?

[@mikethebike67]

I have been saying this for years. Works great! What ever lead is left over comes right out with a little brass chore boy wraped around an old bore brush.

[@kennethtephabock5634]

You guys are the best I also follow Elvis ammo also keep up the good work

[@WhatIsYourMalfunction]

Works for me. One obvious disclaimer to new shooters: Make absolutely sure your firearm is rated for magnum loads before using them! I find even standard velocity jacketed cartridges will work in scrubbing the cylinder throats and barrel.

[@e.kent.d9561]

One gentleman, (GunBlue 490), in his subject 'gun cleaning & solvents' recommends shooting a couple of boxes of jacketed bullets first in a new gun. Then go to your lead bullets. The gilding fills in the roughness of the barrels metal and should not be removed. (He explains it much better than I do). To me this seems a nice addition to your process here.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

+E.Kent.D -- Never ever considered that before, but turns out that I get a new gun, I always want to see how accurate it is with jacketed ammo first, so I wind up shooting some groups...let's me know what I want my reloads to match or beat...so by habit, I more or less do what GunBlue 490 expounds. Barrel conditioning is a whole discussion all to itself...seems there are many recommendations out there on the subject... Best to ya, FC

[@yeayeasautoadventures]

@@FortuneCookie45LC I have also heard to oil the barrel before firing and every few rounds using jacketed rounds to break in the barrel,its more of a honing and conditioning process imho

[@chraw1983]

I keep a few jacketed rounds loaded just for the reason of ripping out the lead. good vid.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

chris lowe - Thanks, Chris for taking the time to post this...Best to you and yours for the Holidays

[@gshock3092]

FC. Ive been doing this for a couple years now and i realize it does work ! Thanks for confirming this!

[@FatManLeather]

I've been doing this with plated bullets for a couple years now with great results.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

fatmantolly - Thanks for posting your experience on this...helps other readers, and it is amazing how many bother to read the comments on videos...Best Regards

[@trith72]

I've been using this method for years now, when I finish up a day at the range I run jacketed rounds through just about anything I've been shooting lead through and I've never had to scrub lead manually out of a barrel. About the worst I've seen is in my super Blackhawk 44, right past the forcing cone. And that just appeared as a couple of slightly duller slick spots for a centimeter or two in the rifling. A couple of XTP rounds and it was gone. I should mention though, I wont shoot any lead less than 18 Brinell in any of my guns, so no swaged, which im sure also adds into the equation. Love the channel FortuneCookie45LC, lots of wisdom to pick up around here.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

trith72 - Thanks for posting - it will be good to hear from you in future comments...Best to ya for a great Christmans and Holiday Season...FC Steve

[@gph9674]

Good explanation. Thank you.

[@deanonhall471]

good information thanks fortune cookie

[@gman77gas]

Yes, I saw this in other of your vids and tried it... it sure does help.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

gman77gas - Thanks for taking the time to post...your comments are always much appreciated

[@STMwoodturning]

I've done this same thing often. It works and cuts down or removes the lead for you.

[@independentthinker8930]

I've always been told the jacketed just "irons" out the lead in the barrel. Cool!

[@hewhohadoncebeenyou.6220]

Thank you.

[@jeffw1246]

I shot some Remington 357 lead ammo many years ago and couldn't hit anything after 18 shots. Barrel looked like a muddy road, took 3 hours carefully cleaning to get out. So I load 9mm in 38spl cases-neck sized in 9mm die after full sized in 38 die and load +p 38 level loads to blow out any lead. Non reloades can run jacketed 38's but don't let fouling build up, I run lead ammo till I see some deposits then a cylinder of jacketed to keep any buildup from lead.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

average joe - You might have some of that ammo that was loaded to 45,000 psi or thereabouts. SAAMI specked 357 pressure at 35,000 psi and that settled the issue. The hot loading with lead bullets were stupendous barrel leaders. Best to ya, FC

[@RyeOnHam]

I heard the same thing about jacketed bullets and lead for years. Never gave it much weight because when I shot jacketed bullets after lead, it always cleaned it up no problem. Gotta wonder if those who said different had ever shot a gun before?

[@JunkfoodZombieGuns]

Good stuff to know.

[@tjmooremusic]

Hi FC Merry Christmas! I'm wondering if using 357 semi jacketed soft point bullets ( 158 grain ) would do the job just as well? ( I have found slight leading at the bottom of first quarter inch of the barrel on my Ruger blackhawk. I cleaned the leading from the front end of my cylinders using the drill technique you demonstrated in a previous vidio. It worked great. I also picked up some Chore boy copper scrubs and am going to try using it wrapped around a slightly undersized brush going in from the bore with solvent. No drill of course. Just a regular rod. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks very much.

[@TRprepper]

I've heard more people say to fire some jacket bullets after shooting lead than people say not to. Good info.

[@gapster46]

I’ve only shot lead once ever, and that was last week in a Glock 20, 10mm. I can not remember, but I think I shot some FMJ’s thru it afterwards. Barrel cleaned up nicely, but I only shot 15 rounds of the lead. The Underwood 220 grain hard cast bullets are spendy. Mmm. As I typed that, I wonder if hard cast lead bullets are less prone to leading?

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

gapster46- in your 10mm G20, the hard cast is a good policy...Have a great day

[@beverwyck1]

FYI it's not recommended to shoot lead bullets through a Glock polygonal barrel. If you want to shoot lead in a Glock it's advised to get a aftermarket barrel like a wolf.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

beverwyck1 I even did a video on Glocks, polygonal barrels, lead bullets and Kaboom events. Must have been a brain fade on that reply - thanks for catching that…I need a proofreader when I'm doing 38 replies - first time in almost 3 years that I botched a reply so badly… I only shoot lead bullets thru my Wolf barrels when shooting my Glocks...Thanks again… brings us back to planet Earth...

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

gapster46- Thanks to beverwyck1 makes a very good point. We are not supposed to shoot lead bullets thru our Glock factory barrels - aftermarket barrels OK. I just botched that reply by focusing on your hard cast comment and not paying attention to you shooting lead bullets through your G20 - A lot of people do shoot lead thru their Glocks, but it is playing with fire. Most say it is because of the polygonal rifling, but the rifling has nothing to do with Kaboom events…I have a video posted that addresses the Glocks, polygonal rifling, lead bullets and Kabooms….Best Regards

[@gapster46]

FortuneCookie45LC I appreciate the discussion on hard cast bullets in a Glock. I know shooting lead in a Glock is not recommended by Glock, but I wondered if hard cast bullets were different, specially since people find them on ranges with hardly any damage at all. I bought a box of 220 grain from Underwood with the intention of woods carry. I’ve only shot about 20 of them, and plan to hold onto the rest. I have cleaned the barrel since shooting them, and it is sparkly clean. I haven’t totally decided whether to carry the Underwood 180 TMJ’s or the 220 hard cast yet. I don’t plan on shooting much lead, and I don’t plan on getting an aftermarket barrel, at least at this point in time. I’ll bet my G20 will see less than 50 to 100 rounds of hard cast bullets thru it ever, so it may not be a problem. My ultimate use would be for black bear, and only if in a life and death situation for me, hence the hard cast bullets. Otherwise, I would probably not shoot hard cast bullets. I will see if I can find your video on hard cast bullets in a Glock.

[@livincincy4498]

I use plated Full Wadcutters with CFE pistol Hot Loads. They are cheap to make.

[@butlerstrailfan886]

I am battling this a bit in my Colt .45 ACP. After I shoot 100 rounds there is a small amount in the first 1/2 inch of the barrel. I really like the bullets and the accuracy of the loads. It’s not much more than a slight annoyance. If jacketed rounds take care of this do we call it good? Is this little but just a normal occurrence and be considered normal? Again it’s only at the beginning and not all the way through

[@gunnareriksen8756]

Best there is!!!.

[@hancockbrewer1465]

Fine info ,my Friend!

[@SomeGuyInSandy]

Good stuff FC45! Makes me want to load lead now!

[@shotgundrums]

I believe this method becomes concerning when extreme cases of barrel leading are at hand.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

shotgundrums - Great point - if barrels are heavily leaded (as when rifling is no longer visible), shooting magnums behind that is major contraindicated... Best Regards

[@ronkellam8184]

I did this with a Colt Python and the pressure split the forcing cone. Colt has thin forcing cones and may split if you do this. I had to replace the barrel. Not something you would even be able to do these days. I "m not sure you could even find a new barrel.

[@onenikkione]

will it also help reduce leading in my 22lr pistol? I've always shot copper plated but recently all I could find was lead 22lr.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

onenikkione Having measured many 22 bullets in different LR ammo, there is much variation in the diameter of 22LR bullets. Shooting copper plated 22 ammo reduces but does not eliminate the amount of light leading that occurs when bullets smaller than groove diameter are fired. That is because the copper plating is flash plated and no where near as thick as plated bullets in centerfire guns. That very thin plating is not able to scrub out any light leading already in the barrel. Lead 22LR bullets that are .001" bigger than groove diameter of auto pistols and rifles or .001" bigger than the cylinder throats of 22LR revolvers will not lead the barrel to any significant degree. But if smaller than the above, lead 22 bullets will lead readily and heavily if shot in quantity. If so, you will need copper ChoreBoy mesh wrapped around a 17 cal brush and lots of elbow grease to clear it...shooting copper flash 22LR behind that leading will not remove it - it will make it worse. Good shootin' to ya...

[@onenikkione]

thanks for the reply. I will get a 17 cal brush and a copper choreboy.

[@ocean374]

Does this theory work on semi auto pistol and also can you prevent lead fouling or the lead you get is very easy to clean because copper plated bullets are to expensive

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

ocean374 Always good to hear from ya...and yes, works for semi auto pistols as well...a few standard velocity or +P jacketed rounds fired through your cast bullet fouled barrel will wind up cleaning very nicely. After a few of those jacketed rounds, notice the rifling leade and the rifling at the muzzle after you clean the gun...all you will see in the grooves will be a trace of copper fouling. Best Regards to ya

[@scottrussell8139]

after a day on my range i will shoot 50 rds jacketed through mine and have never had led in the barrel,,,, it does work and cuts cleaning time down

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

Scott Russell - Wow, I normally put about 10 through the barrel to cut down on cleaning time....my cast loads are so cheap, I do 95% of my shooting with them... Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to ya...!! FC Steve

[@scottrussell8139]

@@FortuneCookie45LC gives me more rds to shoot + more brass to reload.. its called extending the fun time.. I only have about 10000 rds of factory 9mm lol.. the other day I fired 400 9mm reloads just to try out the new ar500 plates on my range.. might say I had a blast

[@scottrussell8139]

Always run a few jacketed through after shooting.... I have 0 lead in the barrel .... the cast I use hardley ever leaves any lead but still will shoot a few jacketed through

[@jamesmiller9823]

Just go to Shuman's website and read their method of cleaning barrels , Atlas Gunworks also has a video on this.

[@lkrueger9494]

Thanks :-)

[@Billbobaker]

I agree

[@danielhanson4326]

Where did the lead go what happened to it

[@markcooper6736]

It always worked for me .I can t argue with success and I really hate to have to use the lewis lead remover (and I used it a lot at one time )

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

mark cooper - My common practice through the years is to put about 10 rounds of jacketed ammo in my shirt pocket. Then after I shot a couple of hundred rounds of cast bullets, I'd trot out the magnums to finish off the range session. I've never had a barrel lead up on me bad enough to lose accuracy at the range (I've seen it happen though), and then, as you have already found, the jacketed rounds make for easy clean up…Best Regards

[@gunnareriksen8756]

You are mister!.

[@Quality_Guru]

Great Intel FC45!

[@danielhanson4326]

Where to let go what happened to it

[@kcstott]

Swaged don’t mean soft. Soft means soft. You can swage linotype

[@anthonyburke5656]

Just stop using lead projectiles

[@pcobra5427]

I was shooting a 45acp lead nose bullets and I tried that shooting a brass bullet and it didn’t make it out the end of the barrel. Didn’t hurt the gun but won’t try that again