This is a first for extreme leading Ruger MKIII

[Intercooler]

   Last time out I pretty much shot all lead through it. It started spitting and soon after I saw a couple of tumbled bullets hit the target. At that point I stopped and was done for the day.
    Well tonight was cleaning night since I figured I had lead fouling. Holy Moly did I! 



    I couldn't get the cleaning rod through it and then tried the snake. Both were a no go so I went to a Jag and there is the lead slug which I finally pushed out. Since .22 is so hard to get I'm limited to mainly lead bullet ammo but what can I do to help prevent this? Never an issue with the Copper plated ones but these seem to be a problem.

[DenStinett]

If you're going to shoot Lead Bullets, try running a Plated Bullets every fourth or fifth shot
This will help push your leading out of the Barrel

[Intercooler]

I will try that. Don't want to blow it up 


Do rifles act any different or are they subject to the same thing?

[DenStinett]

I will try that. Don't want to blow it up 


Do rifles act any different or are they subject to the same thing?

It really depends on Twist and angle of the Forcing Cone

I really try not to shoot Lead 22s
They are bad for Lead, Wax and seam even dirtier than Plated 22s

[sqlbullet]

Not a fan of mixing copper and lead personally.  If my guns shoot copper, I spend the time with a copper fouling remover to get the copper fouling out.

That scrap you pulled out looks like it has copper fouling in it, and I would not be surprised if copper fouling was the source of the leading.

In 22, I don't shoot anything but lead.  Easier to find and generally the plated bullets are so thin that in my mind they have no effect other than to copper foul the bore.

That doesn't seem to be the popular opinion here, however.

[MCQUADE]

IC, I had that problem with the wife's marlin 60. She brought it to me saying the scope was off, I shot it and couldn't hit nothing. I had to get within 10 feet of an 8x10 target just to get it on paper, then I saw the problem, it was tumbling too. I could not get a rod in it so I plugged the chamber and filled the bore with shooters choice lead remover. The next morning I poured it out and it looked like quicksilver. I got a rod in it then and with the help of jb bore cleaning compound and kroil she is a tack driver again. Look out varmints.

[Yondering]

I've honestly never found a significant difference between the plated and plain lead .22 bullets. They're all waxed (outside lubricated) and all of them should work fine without leading in a good barrel. If you're getting leading, there's something not right about your barrel; maybe a sharp edge in front of the chamber, or an oversized or undersized spot in the bore.

Sounds like you got a bad one Intercooler, bummer. You might want a good gunsmith to look at that barrel closely, something is not right. If you've been running a cleaning rod through it, you may have caused the damage yourself.

[DenStinett]

I've honestly never found a significant difference between the plated and plain lead .22 bullets. They're all waxed (outside lubricated)

Federal Plated are not waxed
I have shot tens of thousands of Rounds and have yet to see any fouling to speak of

[Yondering]

I've honestly never found a significant difference between the plated and plain lead .22 bullets. They're all waxed (outside lubricated)

Federal Plated are not waxed

I haven't bought any in a year or two, but they used to be waxed. It was a very thin layer and hard to see, but it was there. 22 LR is an outside lubricated round, and those tiny dimples or grooves around the driving band generally are filled with a hard wax for lube.

[Intercooler]

I don't think it is the barrel. Got the same kind of thing in my Marlin 60

[DenStinett]

I've been shooting 22s for over a half century and I've found Leading in all my Weapons
Then I found the Federal Copper Plated, and I haven't shot a full lead 22 Bullet since
I have shot tens of thousands of the FCP through all eight of my 22s (both Rifles and Handguns) haven't seen any Leading or Copper Fouling in any of them
One is an early 40s Winchester 72 Target, and the newest is the Witness 22 Conversion
Maybe I've just been lucky
I don't know