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Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 7:54 am
by Boriqua
Generously Gifted some 500 pcs of lead bullets in .40. I have shot Lead through my Sig 229 without issue but The inbound HK has a polygonal barrel. Should I just use the lead in the Sig or is it ok to run in the HK?

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 8:31 am
by G34
Perfectly fine. Just another internet misunderstanding. This came from casters running lead bullets to soft and/or to fast

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 9:44 am
by Suck My Glock
There has been an above average number of KABOOMs in .40 cal. Glocks. Legend has it that this was somehow because of handloads with cast bullets in the polygonal rifling. But that's all it is; a legend, and an unjustified one. The real cause is that .40 is a rather easy cartridge to over-pressure if you're an idiot reloader. And no one ever wants to admit their gun blew up because of something that was their own damned fault.

I've run thousands of handloads of mine through 10mm and .40 Glocks using cast projectiles of all weights and velocities without any problems associated with polygonal rifling. Never any tumbling, never any leading. Everything always worked.

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 10:40 am
by omegaman
This can cause issue due to lead build up. I have shot quite a bit through one in a glock just clean the barrel out after every couple of hundred and you are good to go.

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 3:11 pm
by Jack Dupp
Depending on the model, HKs like the old P9S and P7M8 have REAL polygonally 'rifled' barrels. Glocks do not. They just have rounded lands, but they are not true polygonal. That said, there is no issue shooting lead bullets through Glocks. In a real polygonal barrel, you could run into issues, but I don't think you will if you use a hard enough lead alloy.

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 3:11 pm
by Jack Dupp
Depending on the model, HKs like the old P9S and P7M8 have REAL polygonally 'rifled' barrels. Glocks do not. They just have rounded lands, but they are not true polygonal. That said, there is no issue shooting lead bullets through Glocks. In a real polygonal barrel, you could run into issues, but I don't think you will if you use a hard enough lead alloy.

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 4:11 pm
by 792mauser
I haven't had a problem firing cast bullets through a G17L, G19, G26, H&K USPc.

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 4:32 pm
by Boriqua
I should have mentioned the gun .. Its a P2000 in .40S&W. Thank you everyone for your replies. I am assuming coated is certainly good to go even if I chose to shoot the cast stuff through my sig? I have a good stash of FMJ bullets right now but usually buy from DGBullets.

Re: Lead through polygonal barrels

Posted: September 19th, 2022, 9:34 pm
by 338lapua
Jack Dupp wrote: September 19th, 2022, 3:11 pm Depending on the model, HKs like the old P9S and P7M8 have REAL polygonally 'rifled' barrels. Glocks do not. They just have rounded lands, but they are not true polygonal. That said, there is no issue shooting lead bullets through Glocks. In a real polygonal barrel, you could run into issues, but I don't think you will if you use a hard enough lead alloy.
I ran a stih ton of lead through through H&K P7 pistols. Even the ones with lube on them. When Danny Cox came out with the black coated lead bullets I ran close to a half million of those through all sorts of pistols rifles and sub guns. Never had a issue.

If jacketed bullets get much higher I will buy dedicated pistols and rifles for shooting lead bullets and go back to them.