Just acquired my first Glock (19), and the consensus seems to be that shooting lead bullets out of Glocks due to the type of rifling is a bad thing. In reality it's mostly a moot point since I don't reload lead for my 9mm, but I'm curious what are the downsides? I mean does the gun blow up or what? Every body says don't do it, but they don't say why.
Glocks and lead bullets
- Thread starter danprkr
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Vern Humphrey
Member
Lead fouling will build up at the chamber mouth, preventing the gun from fully chambering a round. This will leave the back part of the chamber unsupported. The Glock can fire out-of-battery -- that is, unlocked.
I have seen a picture of several fired cases lined up. The first case shows a tiny bulge ahead of the extractor groove. The next case shows a slightly larger bulge, and finally there is a blown case -- a dramatic illustration of how the Glock K-Boom happens.
I have seen a picture of several fired cases lined up. The first case shows a tiny bulge ahead of the extractor groove. The next case shows a slightly larger bulge, and finally there is a blown case -- a dramatic illustration of how the Glock K-Boom happens.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Yep!
I has nothing to do with the poly rifling leading up.
It has all to do with Glock Perfection allowing the gun to still fire out of battery by as much a 3/32".
Lead & packed bullet lube in the chamber headspace shoulder hold the slide open too far.
I have shot lead cast bullet reloads in my Model 23 for almost 14 years now without a problem.
But I use very hard Linotype bullets, and I clean my guns every time I shoot them.
Some people believe the horse pucky about Glocks never need cleaning.
Some people blow up Glocks with lead bullets too.
rc
I has nothing to do with the poly rifling leading up.
It has all to do with Glock Perfection allowing the gun to still fire out of battery by as much a 3/32".
Lead & packed bullet lube in the chamber headspace shoulder hold the slide open too far.
I have shot lead cast bullet reloads in my Model 23 for almost 14 years now without a problem.
But I use very hard Linotype bullets, and I clean my guns every time I shoot them.
Some people believe the horse pucky about Glocks never need cleaning.
Some people blow up Glocks with lead bullets too.
rc
whatnickname
Member
Glocks & Lead
As others have mentioned it is basically a function of design. Glocks were designed and intended as hard ball guns. That's what they tend to work the best with. I've fired cast lead bullets in my Glocks but I make a point of running a bronze brush and an oily patch through the barrel every 20 to 25 rounds or so. I've even shot lead bullets in my .40 S&W Glocks using this same protocol. The trick is frequent cleaning otherwise you will get a first hand lesson in what Glock owners call a K-BOOM! This can wreck a Glock and may not do the shooter much good either. Any more I make enough money these days that I can afford to shoot jacketed bullets in my 9MM and 40 S&W pistols. I reload and can run a case off on my Dillon in a couple of hours or so. I carry my Glock 19 frequently and the practice with full power jacketed loads just makes more sense anyway. 9MMs in general have too fast a rifling pitch to fire cast bullets very accurately. It you are determined to fire lead bullets in a 9MM make sure they are cast hard. I've had the best success with the 147 grain TC configuration hard cast bullets loaded up just fast enough to get the pistol to cycle reliably and no more.
As others have mentioned it is basically a function of design. Glocks were designed and intended as hard ball guns. That's what they tend to work the best with. I've fired cast lead bullets in my Glocks but I make a point of running a bronze brush and an oily patch through the barrel every 20 to 25 rounds or so. I've even shot lead bullets in my .40 S&W Glocks using this same protocol. The trick is frequent cleaning otherwise you will get a first hand lesson in what Glock owners call a K-BOOM! This can wreck a Glock and may not do the shooter much good either. Any more I make enough money these days that I can afford to shoot jacketed bullets in my 9MM and 40 S&W pistols. I reload and can run a case off on my Dillon in a couple of hours or so. I carry my Glock 19 frequently and the practice with full power jacketed loads just makes more sense anyway. 9MMs in general have too fast a rifling pitch to fire cast bullets very accurately. It you are determined to fire lead bullets in a 9MM make sure they are cast hard. I've had the best success with the 147 grain TC configuration hard cast bullets loaded up just fast enough to get the pistol to cycle reliably and no more.
1858rem
Member
what other type 9mm's have the poly rifling, or is it only glocks, in particular im wondering about a jiminez/jennings J.A.9
I owned a Glock 23 briefly earlier this year. To test it, I ran A BUNCH of lead SWC bullets through it I had loaded years before for my .40 1911 IDPA-wannabe pistol. I ran a few hundred through it without a single problem, then a bunch more ball.
Now, I was apparently totally ignorant of this issue as this is the first I have heard (not being a long-term Glock owner). But these were quality reloads I did on my dillon machine, and I used a Lee separate crimp and re-size die as the final stage (this was necessary for the tight chamber on the Schuemann barrel on my .40 1911, else it would FTF 30% of the time). So my reloads with soft lead were coming out in dimensions about as tight as commercial ammo. (Hey, if you reload, get a Lee crimp/re size die for your progressive press - it is like $13 and your ammo comes out WAY better than with three die sets. WAY better. For $13. This is what IDPA high-volume shooters taught me). Ok, back on track:
So this is one data point - well within spec lead loads, even soft ones not over-lubricated, gave me zero issues with the Glock 23 and were impressively accurate rounds. I think maybe rcmodel hit it that it is just cleaning the gun.
The guys on the Glock forum say its a very bad idea to shoot lead out of a Glock barrel as blow ups are common and if anyone should know, they should.
I have a barrel that i bought from Lone wolf that does the job though, shoots lead or jacketed. I shoot 125 gr lead and get good groups.
I have a barrel that i bought from Lone wolf that does the job though, shoots lead or jacketed. I shoot 125 gr lead and get good groups.
loop
Member
Glock Perfection strikes again!
Kahr uses poly rifling on its better 9mms. It doesn't have that problem. Some CZs use poly rifling, not a problem. A lot of guns use poly rifling and it is not an issue. It is exclusive to Glock.
At one time I had six Glocks in 9mm, 40 S&W and 10mm. I shot lead reloads out of all of them and never had an issue. OTOH, I clean my guns every time they are fired. I also pay attention and know when my gun is not returning to battery.
I got rid of all the Glocks. Despite all the propaganda they are not match grade guns. I like really accurate guns. If it is not accurate enough to shoot bull's eye or hunt with, it is not accurate enough for me.
It is funny how that eliminates so many popular guns.
Kahr uses poly rifling on its better 9mms. It doesn't have that problem. Some CZs use poly rifling, not a problem. A lot of guns use poly rifling and it is not an issue. It is exclusive to Glock.
At one time I had six Glocks in 9mm, 40 S&W and 10mm. I shot lead reloads out of all of them and never had an issue. OTOH, I clean my guns every time they are fired. I also pay attention and know when my gun is not returning to battery.
I got rid of all the Glocks. Despite all the propaganda they are not match grade guns. I like really accurate guns. If it is not accurate enough to shoot bull's eye or hunt with, it is not accurate enough for me.
It is funny how that eliminates so many popular guns.
The late Gale MacMillan disagreed with you. So does Glock.rcmodel said:
Wikipedia has a decent writeup on the topic with supporting links.
That's NOT to say that lead bullets in a Glock are certain to cause a blowup--they're not. They do increase the chances of an incident, particularly for those who aren't careful and who don't understand the possible issues associated with lead bullets & polygonal rifling. The harder the bullets used and the more careful the cleaning the less likely such an incident becomes.
It's also NOT to say that the ONLY issue with lead bullets in a Glock is leading in the poly rifling. Buildup at the front of the chamber is certainly another problem that can develop and cause an unpleasant incident. However, changing barrels doesn't do anything to reduce the out-of-battery firing tolerance of a Glock, nor does it eliminate buildup at the front of the chamber and yet "incidents" seem to be much less common with aftermarket barrels using conventional rifling--the evidence seems to point more toward the rifling as the primary culprit.
ljnowell
Member
RC, I respectfully disagree with you on this point. My gen 3 g21 will not fire OOB at 3/32 of an inch. Thats not the thing though, I have seen glocks blown up by barrel leading, its plainly not an OOB condition when you examine the brass and failure.
That aside, I shot lead out of my glocks for nearly 10 years before I bought a lone wolf barrel for my g21. Its the only glock I have left but I would shoot lead out of its stock barrel too. I can also say that I have seen the leading condition first hand. If I push commercial cast lead faster than 850 fps then I get leading, bad.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Maybe they fixed them now? I don't know.
The 1st gen guns like mine were all made that way.
I don't have a 3rd gen gun, and never will.
One Glock is enough for me.
rc
ljnowell
Member
I feel the same way. I have one and it is my go to gun if something happens, but they all look and feel the same to me. I like variety in life.
trickyasafox
Member
I shoot lead in 3 glocks without issue. this is a big YMMV situation.
the oldest of mine is a gen 2.5- so RC is probably right about really early glocks.
I load lead for a 21, a 23, and a 17. All run fine without issue. I do get leading in the 40- but its not bad and not prohibitive with regular cleaning.
the oldest of mine is a gen 2.5- so RC is probably right about really early glocks.
I load lead for a 21, a 23, and a 17. All run fine without issue. I do get leading in the 40- but its not bad and not prohibitive with regular cleaning.
evan price
Member
I've shot thousands of lead bullets in Glocks. It's called, "Regular cleaning". Case closed.
chuckusaret
member
I have experienced a KaBoom with a Gl@ck-----I no longer own one
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