Polygonal rifling does it matter to you?

[The Lone Haranguer]

The type of rifling in my barrel is in the bottom of the cellar on my priority list of features.

 

[CU74]

I voted NO, but it's really irrelevant for me - I don't buy new D/A revolvers, seldom buy new rifles or semi-auto pistols, and do not buy plastic/polymer forearms. (Less than 10% of my firearms "accumulation" was bought new.)

 

[sm]

Another that wouldn't have polygonal rifling.
One step further, I have one plastic gun, and will not own another.
OLDer Traditional blue steel guns are my preference, with blue and alloy next, and stainless being 3rd.

The rifling is only part, the rest deals with metallurgy, craftsmanship, quality control and ...

 

[HiroProX]

I deliberately bought my Ruger P345 because it had a standard rifling barrel. I get an awesome deal on .45 rounds with lead bullets (courtesy of a friend of mine who shoots National Match with a 1911).

 

[M1 Shooter]

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Where did the "You can't shoot lead through polygonal barrels" myth originate?

I have both a Glock and a H&K in my possession. The H&K has a polygonal barrel, the Glock has an oddly rifled barrel - but not a polygon in cross section. Neither owner's manual says anything about lead bullets. The Glock book says only commercial ammo.

I've shot a bit of lead bullets down the H&K without ill effect.

So who started the 'no lead in polygonal rifling' myth? Anyone know?

The manual doesn't say not to use lead. It says to only use new factory loads in good condition. Not too many lead bullet factory loads out there in auto pistol calibers that I am aware of.

However, Glock does say not to use lead.

From the 2003 Glock Annual magazine's FAQ's:

Q: Why can't I shoot lead bullets in my Glock?

A: GLOCK rifling is hexagonal or octagonal for better bullet-to-bore seal. Lead builds up more quickly in these types of rifling and the lead build-up will increase chamber pressures to an unsafe level.

I don't know about HK, you'd have to ask them.

 

[strambo]

I have one pistol with it (Kahr K9) but that wasn't a consideration either way. It does clean up easy. I don't shoot lead 9mm bullets...I'd try plated ones which are less expensive than FMJ and should be OK in a polygonal barrel, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[BHPshooter]

No, it has never been a consideration to me. I think the polygonal trend is hype. I would rather not have a polygon-rifled barrel... the one gun I have that does have one (Kahr K9) I bought simply because it feels great.

Besides, as Correia once said, once you wear out a traditionally-rifled barrel, you have a polygon-rifled barrel.

Long live lands and grooves!
Wes

 

[JR719]

I really don't care what it is. I don't know how many rounds of reloaded cast bullets my friends and I have put down barrels on Glocks. I never really noticed much buildup in the barrel. Of course, we would shoot a few jacketed bullets every now and then while shooting.

On the flip side of that, my Glock did break. Don't know if the reloads did it or what. My friends that shot the same rounds, have had no ill effects with their Glocks.

 

[Wheeler44]

I would proudly have polygonal rifling in any firearm.
My Great Grand Father held patent #1,230,712 dated June 19, 1917 for " an improved rifle barrel " the merits of such a barrel were "To insure the long life of the barrel, to increase the velocity of the projectile and to insure accurate flight therof"
He maintained that a polygonal barrel was less likely to suffer "gas cutting" and his demonstration rifle actually penetrated farther into steel than the same load in a "lands and grooves" type rifle.
Now I don't know about any of that but I think that shootin' something that is based on my GGF's patent would be cool.

 

[DMK]

My only gun with polygonal rifling is my newly acquired CZ-82. I love it. If I came across another firearm with that type of rifling, it would definitely be a check in the 'Plus' column.

 

[peacemaker45]

I reload. I like to shoot a lot, and I don't like to spend a mint doing it. Cheapest bullets I know of are cast lead, so that's what I shoot the most of. If a gun can't cope with that, I probably won't buy it. If it's a super duper great gun otherwise, I might still buy it, but buy a standard barrel for it.

~~~Mat