why do lead bullets require grooves?

.50 caliber, 850 grains which comes out to about 1.8" long with a 6-ish ogive

I'm currently casting them with a custom mould and using only pure lead by specific choice.

I currently have no reason to go harder than pure lead.



al
 
Couple of things come to mind with this very interesting project. One is pure lead is probably not going to work even at your projected speed of around a 1,000 fps and have any accuracy at all. Problem with pure lead with any form of bullet is Nose Slump. I shot a 650 grain modified Credmoore bullet in 45 caliber for years in BPCR Silhouette, I tried and tried to get pure lead to work and could never find any accuracy at all. I went to a 40 to 1 tin lead and it worked just fine. just enough tin to make the bullet hold it's shape. Steve Brooks built all of my moulds and he would be happy to make you any size and weight you would want. Also there are a couple of Mom and Pop operations that will cast bullets for you, use your alloy and your mould for a fair price if you just don't want to cast your own.

Also lead will go down a barrel just fine without lube, Mini Balls ( a conical bullet) were used during the civil war they were unlubed and un patched, from what I understand they just may have kilt a few folks as well.

The grease groves in lead bullets came during the Black Powder days and were considered an improvement over Paper Patching, debates on if that is true or not still rage with BPCR Shooters today, The main ( Not Only) reason for the lube was fouling control and not lubrication. Lubricating the bullet was a side effect of the lube for the most part. 90% of the lube on the bullet remained in the bore after the shot and thus aided in the use of a Blow Tube. Blow Tubes were in common use during the day's that those old Buffalo rifles ruled the day.

RS
 
Hombre0321 said:
Couple of things come to mind with this very interesting project. One is pure lead is probably not going to work even at your projected speed of around a 1,000 fps and have any accuracy at all. Problem with pure lead with any form of bullet is Nose Slump. I shot a 650 grain modified Credmoore bullet in 45 caliber for years in BPCR Silhouette, I tried and tried to get pure lead to work and could never find any accuracy at all. I went to a 40 to 1 tin lead and it worked just fine. just enough tin to make the bullet hold it's shape. Steve Brooks built all of my moulds and he would be happy to make you any size and weight you would want. Also there are a couple of Mom and Pop operations that will cast bullets for you, use your alloy and your mould for a fair price if you just don't want to cast your own.

Also lead will go down a barrel just fine without lube, Mini Balls ( a conical bullet) were used during the civil war they were unlubed and un patched, from what I understand they just may have kilt a few folks as well.

The grease groves in lead bullets came during the Black Powder days and were considered an improvement over Paper Patching, debates on if that is true or not still rage with BPCR Shooters today, The main ( Not Only) reason for the lube was fouling control and not lubrication. Lubricating the bullet was a side effect of the lube for the most part. 90% of the lube on the bullet remained in the bore after the shot and thus aided in the use of a Blow Tube. Blow Tubes were in common use during the day's that those old Buffalo rifles ruled the day.

RS
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Yo Roland, the reason for pure lead is that this is a killing round, not a wounding round. I need it to upset on flesh at low velocity. With that in mind IF HARDER WILL MUSHROOM then I'll definitely go harder! :) It's a whole hang-ofalot easier to cast for one thing.
 
I do believe that the Minie bullets had a beeswax/tallow lube in the grooves. I know the 500 gr 1893 45-70 shells I got from Bannerman's had beeswax in the grooves. $150/box in 1960, as I recall--hangfires kept you on your toes!
 
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