Pistol reloading lesson(accuracy)

[1006]

Sig uses a 1 in 10 twist barrel. Lead bullets have to be slowed down. When you lengthened the COAL you might have slowed it down. I forgot, until now, that my Sig will not shoot lead accurately if loaded to full power.

 

[jpm2953]

Sig uses a 1 in 10 twist barrel. Lead bullets have to be slowed down. When you lengthened the COAL you might have slowed it down. I forgot, until now, that my Sig will not shoot lead accurately if loaded to full power.

This is a 125(measures 126) going 1045ish

 

[Spacelord]

It’s got to be a long chamber. I’ve never had any accuracy issues with any pistol I have had. High end 1911’s to m&p’s. I use a Dillon resizing Die and always use a Lee FCD.
I tried 4 other bullets at around 1.120” and they all grouped less than an inch at 10 yards. Not sure why this bullet is different.
In fact, I shot a summers enterprise 125gr that I swear is cast on the same mold as the Brazos and it shot fine at 1.120”. So weird.
Like you said, whatever it is fixed it and that’s what matters.

For coated lead I've had better luck using a Redding taper crimp, I still use the Lee FCD for jacketed and plated. The variances that I would get using the FCD almost disappeared when I started using the taper crimp. Are you loading for the chamber/plunk testing these or just following a manual. Interesting still.

 

[jpm2953]

For coated lead I've had better luck using a Redding taper crimp, I still use the Lee FCD for jacketed and plated. The variances that I would get using the FCD almost disappeared when I started using the taper crimp. Are you loading for the chamber/plunk testing these or just following a manual. Interesting still.

I plunk test everything. Seen to many short chambers to go blindly by a manual

 

[1006]

I would slow the bullet down, or switch to heavier or jacketed bullets if you need full power. My Sig will not shoot lead above 1000fps without getting inaccurate. It basically tears the lead bullet up. I use a 135 grain Bayou Bullet at 950fps to make USPSA minor power factor.

I have seen this problem in Glocks, HKs, and Sigs. They all use a faster twist rate than the somewhat american standard of 1 in 16 in pistols.

 

[jpm2953]

I would slow the bullet down, or switch to heavier or jacketed bullets if you need full power. My Sig will not shoot lead above 1000fps without getting inaccurate. It basically tears the lead bullet up. I use a 135 grain Bayou Bullet at 950fps to make USPSA minor power factor.

I have seen this problem in Glocks, HKs, and Sigs. They all use a faster twist rate than the somewhat american standard of 1 in 16 in pistols.

I can’t slow it down too much. I’m at 132pf now.

 

[Frankmako]

you have to make the reload match the pistol/rifle. sometimes you got to make the oal longer or shorter. sometimes a heavey crimp, sometimes not. each pistol/rifle is different. work up the load that shoots/groups the best.

 

[rosewood]

I have a 126 TC powder coated boolit I cast and use in my P229 357 sig. Seems like I am pushing it about 1325 and it shoots well. No idea what the twist rate is on the barrel though.

Powder coating is awesome. Solved the leading issues I was having in various cartridges and guns.

I also use only a Lee taper crimp die with cast boolits. Use the LEE FCD for jacketed and plated.

Even jacketed bullets can cause leading and lead in your blood when they are open base bullets. The burning powder still vaporizes some of the exposed lead. The majority of the smoke you see with cast boolits is the lube burning off.

I have found that OAL does definitely affect accuracy in rifle cartridges, but never experienced it with pistol cartridges, not to say it doesn't matter there.

Rosewood

 

[1006]

First: Rosewood, I am impressed with your bullet performance in the 229. Your barrel, if factory is a 1 in 15 twist-I think. The slower twist allows for the faster lead bullets to survive the high speed trip.

Here is a well written article about lead from shooting.

The key point from this, regarding lead verses jacketed bullets, is that the biggest source of lead in the air is from the primers, and the sides of the bullet scraping against the barrel, and the lead splatter on bullet impact.

I am not trying to say: lead will kill you, do not use it. I am just pointing out that there is no escaping the fact that the more exposed the lead of the bullet is, the more you are going to inhale.

I just refrain from shooting lead inside closed spaces, like indoor ranges.

Page five, main point.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5379568/#!po=42.3913

 

[rosewood]

I did some research on the subject of lead back when I started casting. Back in the day of plumbers using lead for drain pipes and telephone using lead sheath cables, the only folks that had issues with lead poisoning were smokers. The majority of lead exposure was from the mouth, not inhalation. The smokers would handle the lead while working and smoke at the same time. They would ingest the lead by touching the cigarettes with dirty hands. Those that washed their hands regularly didn't have the issue. Mind you, these were folks that were melting and handling lead, many times in very tight spaces. Now, maybe melting lead doesn't generate as much air born lead particles as shooting, I do not know.

The body has the ability to remove certain amounts of lead from your body. As long as the exposure is within the tolerances of the bodies ability to remove it, there is no issue. Kids and smaller folks can't handle as much exposure as adults and therefore you have to be more careful with their exposure.

Not to say you don't get lead by inhalation, but the most likely source is from being on your hands and then putting your hands in your mouth. Maybe taking a break to eat a sandwich at the range without washing your hands. No telling how much lead we get on our hands while shooting.

Rosewood