Tomme boy
Well-Known Member
I gave some bullets to my old lady to load in her magazine to put in her lower receiver. But it had grown to big since it was sized.
Anyway, I went to load some 183gr NOE bullets for my 350 tonite. I loaded a couple and grabbed the gun to check that they would function.
NOPE!
They were very hard to close the bolt. I knew I would not be able to get it to close so I had to use a cleaning rod in from the muzzle to give a slight tap to get the bolt moving. I checked the length that was fine. but the brass had a little bit more bulge where the bullet is seated.
So I grabbed a few bullets to measure them. 0.357" I sized these to 0.3555" So they grew 0.0015" in a month. I sized and gas checked these right out of the water after powdercoat. They were right at 0.3555" This Ruger has a lot tighter everything compared to the AR barrel. I could get a 0.3565 in that and no problem. Not this one.
Anyway, This is some of the lead I mixed up from the lead I got at the scrap yard. I still have not made it down to get it scanned yet. It was mainly bullets that were already cast that I melted down. They were shiny and extremely hard. My guess is linotype. I have close to 40 lbs of whatever it is. Once I get it scanned then I can add the lead from the sheet lead I have to make it more usable. Heck, Hard lead is what I have a lot of. Over 40 of the linotype pigs I got from my old ladies father when he past. The DNR came into our public range a couple years ago and took off the top 2' of dirt from the flats and dug into the berms about 3 '. Ever since they mined it out softer lead has been more difficult to find. This range has been running since the early 60's and has never been cleaned before. I was told they made over $125K off the lead and copper. And they did not even get half of the trap field before they had to quit.
Sorry for the long >>>>>>>>> I do that. Anyway, what makes the bullets grown? I have not run into this in a long time and forgot what it was that did this.
Anyway, I went to load some 183gr NOE bullets for my 350 tonite. I loaded a couple and grabbed the gun to check that they would function.
NOPE!
They were very hard to close the bolt. I knew I would not be able to get it to close so I had to use a cleaning rod in from the muzzle to give a slight tap to get the bolt moving. I checked the length that was fine. but the brass had a little bit more bulge where the bullet is seated.
So I grabbed a few bullets to measure them. 0.357" I sized these to 0.3555" So they grew 0.0015" in a month. I sized and gas checked these right out of the water after powdercoat. They were right at 0.3555" This Ruger has a lot tighter everything compared to the AR barrel. I could get a 0.3565 in that and no problem. Not this one.
Anyway, This is some of the lead I mixed up from the lead I got at the scrap yard. I still have not made it down to get it scanned yet. It was mainly bullets that were already cast that I melted down. They were shiny and extremely hard. My guess is linotype. I have close to 40 lbs of whatever it is. Once I get it scanned then I can add the lead from the sheet lead I have to make it more usable. Heck, Hard lead is what I have a lot of. Over 40 of the linotype pigs I got from my old ladies father when he past. The DNR came into our public range a couple years ago and took off the top 2' of dirt from the flats and dug into the berms about 3 '. Ever since they mined it out softer lead has been more difficult to find. This range has been running since the early 60's and has never been cleaned before. I was told they made over $125K off the lead and copper. And they did not even get half of the trap field before they had to quit.
Sorry for the long >>>>>>>>> I do that. Anyway, what makes the bullets grown? I have not run into this in a long time and forgot what it was that did this.