Slugging barrel

[TomAmlie]

I need to slug my .32 S&W long barrel. I was considering just ordering a box of .315" diameter muzzleloading lead balls from Natchez Shooters Supplies, but there must be a less wasteful way to get a small piece of soft lead to work with. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Tom

[PeeWeeDaddy]

Do you have lead bullets in your loaded ammo?
Pull one bullet.
Push it.

[Gwhite]

You want soft lead bullets. Hard cast bullets probably wont work well.

t's been about 30 years since I've done this. I was slugging a .30 caliber match rifle barrel. To get a good fit in the rifling, I used two brass rods to "upset" the bullet by tapping the bullet between the rods. You want to lubricate the bullet so it won't stick, and only tap it gently.

[David M]

Use a lead HBWC.
Put HBWC in a vice lengthwise and squash it a little, this will make the diameter bulge (extra 0.003-0.005" oversize).
Tap the projectile down the barrel from the muzzle using either a brass rod or a timber dowel,
so as not to damage the bore.
Measure the slug diameter with a micrometer.

[rmca]

Pull a lead bullet from a loaded round, most of them are quite soft.
Tap it from both ends to squash it a bit if it falls through the barrel.
Tap it gently through the barrel with a brass rod.

Hope this helps.

[Rover]

They make crimp-on lead fishing weights. They are elongated, with a large slot down the middle. Just tap it down an oiled bore.

[TomAmlie]

Thanks everyone.

[BobGee]

Just hope that you have an even number of lands/grooves. Measuring the dia. of an odd number becomes a bit of a palava involving V-blocks and mathematics…

Bob