Getting a lot of lead in chamber of 38/40 1873 Uberti

[mrappe]

I have been shooting my original 73 Winchester at CAS matches for 20 years and in the past 7 years I noticed that I was getting a lot of lead buildup in the chamber all along the length of the brass. By the end of a match it would net tight when chambering a round. I would have to take the whole gun apart and scrape out the lead  flakes with a dental tool. Several months ago I bought a new Taylor's / Uberti 73 also in 38/40 so that I could stop shooting a gun that was made in 1885. I have shot the new rifle in 2 monthly matches and found that it too was doing the same thing. in fact It had more lead in it. I created a tool with a brass case a brass jag and casting resin to get the lead out, I works well but I am trying to figure out why this is happening in the first place. I have been using the same loading specs for 20 years,


Mike

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

   Hmmm... Is the bottom of the chamber unduly sharp?

                M.T.Marfield

[Baltimore Ed]

Is the lead building up at the tthroat where the bullet enters the barrel? The rings of lead might be where the throat is shaving your bullet down slightly. What does your reload look like? What is the actual bullet diameter? My .38-40 reload uses a .401 diameter bullet. Have you mic'ed your lead bullets to be sure they are what you think they are? The only thing that makes sense would be a slightly oversized bullet. And if its happening in two different rifles the only common denominator is your ammo.

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[Blackpowder Burn]

As Ed says, the only common denominator is the ammo.  Have you perchance changed the bullet you use?  Do you buy bullets or cast your own? Smokeless or BP?

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

As Ed says, the only common denominator is the ammo.  Have you perchance changed the bullet you use?  Do you buy bullets or cast your own? Smokeless or BP?

Softer lead in the bullets generally leads less. Why is it in the chamber, unless it was scraping off the bullet on chambering?

[Abilene]

Mrappe (as Tulrosa Mike) also posted this to the SASS Wire.  There was a lot of discussion at the time, although I don't think anyone ever figured it out.  https://www.sassnet.com/forums/index.php?/topic/264642-getting-a-lot-of-lead-in-chamber-of-3840-1873-uberti/&tab=comments#comment-3446637

[Baltimore Ed]

Maybe if it was a .45 you could assume that but I wouldn't think that would happen with the reduced bullet diameter of a 38-40. I think he's gotten some slightly oversized bullets. Maybe he will reply soon and help us solve the mystery.

Abilene chimed in while I was responding to Sir Charles. I read the sass comments but he doesn't say that he actually mic'ed the bullets he's using just that he's 'using' .401 bullets. Its got to be his ammo thats the problem to be an issue for two completely different rifles, an original winchester and a modern copy.

Reread his sass thread and in one of his replies he says that he gets a ring of lead when crimping, that tells me that he is still seating the bullet after he's crimped the case. This would put lead on the outside of the case and easily leave it in the chamber when the gun is fired. He needs to adjust his die.