Glock 30 & Cast Lead Bullets

I was watching the great Hickok 45 yesterday while he was testing a Glock 30. Hickok mentioned during the test that he did not shoot lead cast bullets through the original Glock 30 barrel. He said that whenever he wanted to shoot lead bullets he would switch to an aftermarket barrel. He didn't say why.
Can someone please explain that for me?

 

Polygonal rifling and cast lead bullets are not a good idea.

More on the subject

 

Adding to the above, many polygonal barrels, Glock among them, allow for a better gas seal which naturally leads to higher velocities and pressure, with or without leading.

People have run lead through successfully, been debated many times here, including by those who “shoot the lead out” by running jacketed bullets after to sweep residual lead from the barrel. Talk about pressure spikes.

 

My Caniks have polygonal bores. They lead up with cast.

 

I ran thousands of rounds of my cast lead reloads through my G26, G34, and my G30 and G41, the lead build up never happened with my guns. You can do it safely with reasonable loads and good lube or even the powder coating. You just need to clean and keep an eye on it. I did have a Beretta 92 with conventional rifling that leaded up after 20 shots so bad that the bullets hit the target sideways and the barrel had visible shreds of lead in it. Very scary. These days plated are almost the same price as hard cast lead, so I haven't shot any out of my 41 recently

 

Understood. Thank you.

 

this, if you shoot lead through the stock barrel.

lead is soft, malleable and has a low melting point. these qualities allow the lead, as opposed to the guilding metal of jacketed bullets, to easily rub off on the smooth undulating bore of the glock.

hickok45 found that running even heavy, heat treated lead through a stock glock barrel at high velocities resulted in leading and target key-holing with very inaccurate results. the accuracy came back when a traditional lands-and-grooves barrel was used.

my take on the reason why the traditional barrel stopped the leading and key-holing is the lands of the barrel gave the smooth lead something to "grab onto" while traveling down the barrel.

luck,

murf

 

I'm guessing Hickock used the wrong size bullet or too hard of an alloy for the pressure. Maybe he over crimed - who knows. I experienced similar results with all commercial cast bullets.

My experience:
9,608 RCBS 45-230RN through a stock barreled gen 3 Glock 30 over 4.5 gr WST. No leading and great accuracy. If it wasn't for the powder and lube residue I would never clean it.

 

When was the video taken? If you go back to some of his older vids, he shoots oodles of lead through stock glock barrels. This was before he was giving shout outs to buds, federal, etc.

 

I think most guys who shoot lead long enough know that taming velocity and running softer alloy leaves the barrel near whistle clean. Whether for personal gain promoting ammo companies or having no intent to explain to the general viewing audience the intricacies of reloading, Hickok has chosen the safest route: follow manufacturer’s recommendation. Still, I don’t recommend it to any who inquire.

 

Hickock mentioned it because he's bought into the BS that Glock put out. LIke all manufactures they don't approve of reloaded ammunition or cast bullets for liability reasons. I shoot cast in my 30 almost exclusively.

 

i clean the barrel once in a while.

luck,

murf

 

So as not to cloud the issue, shooting .45 ACP is not the same ballpark in terms of pressure as 9mm Luger.

 

plus the fact that the gun has an alphawolf barrel because i also shoot 45 super loads in that gun. my glock19 shoots lead bullets, too, even before it got a lonewolf barrel. glocks have a reputation of running forever without maintenance or cleaning. the key is to clean it once in a while.

murf

 

Back in the day he'd have buckets of reloads sitting out on his table. Now it's all factory ammo he gets for free and is paid to promote. Of course he's going to recommend people go out and buy ammo and new barrels.