Shooting hard cast bullets through a glock?

aeropb

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For the record M&P barrels are manufactured with cut rifling.

I miss that thing Jesse. It was always good to me.
 

Wall

El Diablo
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You guys are right....not sure why I was thinking my M&P had polygonal rifling.
I guess if I cleaned that thing a little more often I'd have remembered :)
 

Jefpainthorse

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Running a jacketed bullet after a box of lead? I used to do than- that advice is older than dirt.

What I found out... the jacketed bullets pressed the lead into the grooves. It looked good for a long time... then the grooves got shallow and bullets started to tumble. This pistol got cleaned too. I just never noticed that lead burnished into the grooves--- it was shiny.

I did get the lead out. A over night soaking in solvent, Kroil, a couple of bore brushes and a sore elbow later we were good to go. That brush session was around 4 hours over 2 days.

Learned a couple of things here... lead wont "push" out... and elbow grease is not sold in stores.

Most of those lead bullets were hard cast lead, 158 grain RN and the pistol was an Italian (Uberrti) SAA clone. A few factory 38 and 357 loads went through that bore also. The loads booked out about 900 fps (never chrono-ed) and I don't think that was hot enough to warrent gas checks.
 

poopgiggle

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I did get the lead out. A over night soaking in solvent, Kroil, a couple of bore brushes and a sore elbow later we were good to go. That brush session was around 4 hours over 2 days.

Learned a couple of things here... lead wont "push" out... and elbow grease is not sold in stores.

I'm a big proponent of the "copper scouring pad wrapped around an old bore brush" method. Someday I'll get an Outer's Foul Out system but I don't shoot enough lead to justify that expense.
 

RyanReed

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I've had success with bullets from BBI and The Bullet Works in my g35 - probably close to 10k in the past 2 years. No problems, but 90% of that was at 135PF. I just clean the barrel after every match. I've done the run a jacket bullet after thing, but the more I read, the more I think it's a bad idea. Spiked pressure and what not.
 

shootingbuff

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I've had success with bullets from BBI and The Bullet Works in my g35 - probably close to 10k in the past 2 years. No problems, but 90% of that was at 135PF. I just clean the barrel after every match. I've done the run a jacket bullet after thing, but the more I read, the more I think it's a bad idea. Spiked pressure and what not.

I have shot a lot of Percision and a ton of Bear Creek. The coated bullet seems to work at least for me and mine have been at a 135PF as well.

Totally agree with cleaning vs shooting a jacketed bullet.to get the lead out. A lot of folks swear by Choir Boy (all cooper) to help with getting lead out. I use a home brew and a few buddies use it as well. Amazing what lead you can get out of what you think is a clean bbl when this is used. Easy as well.
 

dennishoddy

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Elaborate on the chore boy please.
I've heard the name, but don't know what it is.
Also, the method that your using might be informative.
 

Scott Hearn

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Elaborate on the chore boy please.
I've heard the name, but don't know what it is.
Also, the method that your using might be informative.
Dennis, they are a copper scouring pad just like the SOS pads only without the soap and the strands are much wider and quite smooth. You take some scissors or a knife and cut a small "sheet" (they are actually woven like cloth), wrap it around a bronze bore brush and scrub away. You'd be amazed at how much lead comes out. It really cuts down on the time. They are kind of hard to find down here but Walgreens has them. Used with Ballistol, the heavy lead buildup comes right out of my revos.
 

poopgiggle

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I use Scott's method, except they don't have to be Chore Boy. There are a few brands of copper scouring pads. Just check with a magnet to make sure it's actually copper and not copper-washed steel.
 

shootist

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I had a H&K USP 45 that also had similar polygonal "rifling" as the Glocks. I shot nothing but lead loads thru it without problems, but gave it a thorough cleaning every time out.
 

Rockon71385

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I've run tens of thousands of rounds of hard cast bullets through my G34 with the stock barrel. I start to see a little bit of leading right in front of the chamber after a few hundred rounds, but I've shot over a thousand through it without cleaning it before and never saw a sign of overpressure. The barrel also didn't seem much dirtier than normal afterward. I think a lot depends on the bullet and the load. I was running 147gr J&K's on top of solo 1000 and titegroup mostly.

The only way to know how your gun will behave with a given bullet/powder combo is to run a few rounds at a time through it and check for leading. You should do that no matter what.
 

Zekernst

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I've known folks who shot more leads rounds than I'll ever shoot thru thier glocks. I imagine its alot like my volkswagen, I can only run 91 octane or higher thru it, but I run 89 all the time and it does fine.
 

DogmaDog

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I've heard you're not supposed to shoot lead through Glocks. The barrels are polygonally rifled, and companies that use that kind of barrel will claim that the barrels suffer less fouling, deform the bullet less, and produce higher velocities. And yet there's also the claim that those barrels will suffer MORE fouling from lead bullets than conventionally rifled barrels.

I see the basic logic in the proposition that pressure might increase as a barrel gets more fouled, and bullets fit tighter in the bore as a result. I just can't fathom why this would be a problem with one type of rifling, and not a problem in another. Conventionally rifled barrels lead, but, evidently, not catistrophically.

I've fired a few thousand lead bullets in my Glock 35 without cleaning it. The barrel is absolutely filthy, and leaded from the muzzle back toward the chamber. My ammo isn't going very fast--about 140 PF max, so maybe it's intrinsically not dangerous because pressures aren't anywhere near max to begin with.

DD
 

f.schmitt1014

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The trick is "Hard" cast. Not all bullets are the same but many use the term. If hard enough they will cause no harm. Too soft and they can peel lead into the rifling and increase pressure until they destroy your Glock. As was fore mentioned, a $100 after market barrel solves the issue!
 

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