Lead flakes on ist patch through barrel. Is that bad?

[Brushbuster]

I went to the range today & shot my 1st shots ever in my new Disc Extreme 50 cal. I used a 348 gr lead HP Powerbelt w/ 100 grains of T7. The bullets were very snug to load. Between each shot I ran damp patch (50/50 mix Windex & isoprophl alcohol) followed by two dry patches. I noticed when I ran the first damp patch through there were noticeable flakes of lead on the 1st patch after each shot & some lead on the dry patches also. One of the range guys suggested I toss the PB & try another bullet.  Was I doing something wrong or should I just try a different bullet assuming these bullets are not a good fit for my gun?

I bought 2 boxes of 50 cal No Excuses Bullets. I just got & haven't shot yet. One is sized @.500 diameter & one @.503. (Both in 460 grain). I am going Antelope Hunting in ID & need to use a lead bullet. Should I go w/ these instead of the PB?  Thanks 

[Sabotloader]

I went to the range today & shot my 1st shots ever in my new Disc Extreme 50 cal. I used a 348 gr lead HP Powerbelt w/ 100 grains of T7. The bullets were very snug to load. Between each shot I ran damp patch (50/50 mix Windex & isoprophl alcohol) followed by two dry patches. I noticed when I ran the first damp patch through there were noticeable flakes of lead on the 1st patch after each shot & some lead on the dry patches also. One of the range guys suggested I toss the PB & try another bullet.  Was I doing something wrong or should I just try a different bullet assuming these bullets are not a good fit for my gun?

I bought 2 boxes of 50 cal No Excuses Bullets. I just got & haven't shot yet. One is sized @.500 diameter & one @.503. (Both in 460 grain). I am going Antelope Hunting in ID & need to use a lead bullet. Should I go w/ these instead of the PB?  Thanks 

Every day of the week the No Excuse would be better than the PB... well now that I say that I am not sure for antelope... That would be a fairly long in flight time.

I think I, if forced to do so, might go with an even lighter, PB maybe a 295...

The 500's are probably going to be to small for the DISC.  I shoot .503's out of mine.  And of course the NO Excuses are lubed...

Lead flaking, if you are shooting a new DISC you might get that flaking for awhile until you get the bore smoothed out.  Also the faster you shoot lead the more probabilty that you will strip some lead on the way up the bore - especially a non-lubed soft lead bullet like a PB.

If you get a chance pull you breech plug and push one of thos 503's down through and se what they slide down like.. It would be interesting to know.

What kind of ranges are you thinking you might be looking at... Oh! crap now I am flip flopping again - since you can not use scopes - that 460 might right back in the picture because you are probably not going to shoot much over 150 yards.

The other thing I have a couple of boxes of Bull Shop 400 grain lead conicals that might really be the ticket for lope hunting in Idaho.  If the 503 No Excuse loads OK let me know I will send you a few 400's to try.

The 460 is an awesome elk bullet and of course deer do not stand a chance....

If you got some lead flaking you might want to get some Barnes CR-10, Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber or some such stuff that will get lead and run a few saturated patches through the bore and let that stuff sit in the barrel for 15-30 minutes to loosen that lead that may be caught in the lands and the grooves.

I shoot the 460's and 400's with 90 grains T7-3f with cap ignition. I also use a shot card under the bullet to keep the T7 from melting the lead on the bottom of the bullet  Most saine people prefer 70-80 grains for that weight lead bullet.

Good luck in the search

[RG]

Lead flakes are pretty normal when you use an all lead bullet.  Don't worry about that.

[bobcat]

I'd say you're running those powerbelts a little too fast (possibly). That is what causes the lead flaking.

Slow them down or go to a jacketed bullet. 

[MountainDevil54]

Pretty much normal for the all lead series. Get you some darn good lead solvent and bore brush.  You deff. went with the better lead series powerbelt, they held up real good when I tested them, but I used the Flat Point 348gr Powerbelt. You'd probably like that bullet better than the HP on  Game.

[washelkhunter]

Your barrel rifling is cutting the grooves in the lead. Perfectly normal. the rifling will cut grooves in everything.

[Brushbuster]

Thanks to you all for taking the time respond to this thread. I finished cleaning my muzzy tonight. I ran into some issues removing the breech plug. After a trip to Sears for some tools & the use of my neighbors vise it offered little resistance.

I tried loading the .503 dia No Excuses Bullet & these have been the easiest to load yet so I think I'll go w/ those instead of the powerbelts. I think the lube on these bullets makes the difference. I tried 100 grains of T7 & it sounds like w/ lead bullets you use less power than w/ jacketed bullets. I think I'll try 80, 90 & 100 grains on next Monday's visit to the range. Do these charges sound OK? I've got a scope temporarily mounted to hopefully make it easier to decide on the best load.

Sabotloader thank for the bullet offer but let's hold off for now. I'll be going on my ID Antelope Hunt the last week of Aug & the amount of time to experiment is running low. I did buy & upgrade my sights to the Williams front & rear sights you mentioned in earlier posts. I got the front sight & hood installed & will add the rear peep after I find the best load & can take the scope off.

Thanks to you all again. Good Hunting this Year.