Hexagonal Rifling + Plated Bullets

[coop923]

I've been researching different prospects for a autoloader to carry and use for trail gun purposes. Could someone please tell me if it is ok to load copper-plated bullets like those from Extreme Bullets, in handloads to be used in guns with hexagonal-rifled barrels. This could play a big role in my final decision.
Thanks,
-Mark

 

[ReloaderFred]

Plated bullets are fine in all handguns. Just keep the velocity down below about 1,250 fps, if you're loading them yourself.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[coop923]

Thanks, that's what I thought, but I thought I'd better ask. Why the 1250fps ceiling?

 

[ReloaderFred]

The plating is thin, unlike a cup and core jacketed bullet. The plating is applied through electroplating and is only a few thousandths thick and the core is generally swaged pure, or nearly so, lead. If you drive the bullet much over 1,250 fps, the thin plating will strip through the rifling and tumble. I've driven them a little over 1,300 fps, but that's pretty much the limit for plated handgun bullets. At 1,400+ fps they tumbled wildly.

Plated bullets intended for rifle calibers are plated more heavily, and are usually good to a little over 1,600 fps.

You also don't want to crimp plated pistol bullets too heavily, or you'll cut through the plating, which will strip off the plating and again cause tumbling. I've loaded roughly 60,000 plated bullets in various calibers and I really like them. You just have to treat them as plated and not jacketed.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[coop923]

Thanks Fred, very helpful.

 

[jon_in_wv]

If your talking about getting a Glock you can buy an aftermarket barrel cheaply enough that it will pay for itself in short order with the cheaper lead bullets you can use.

 

[coop923]

Yeah, I was thinking Glock 29 as a possibility. I didn't realize that those barrels are available. It looks like about $150 for an EFK barrel. Anyone else have any experience with these? Thanks.
-Mark

 

[Sapper771]

I have used Rocky Mountain Reloading's Plated 200gr and 230gr plated bullets in my Glock 21SF with good results. The plating is thick enough to take a good taper crimp (I use a 0.469" crimp). I haven't loaded any exotic loads, just factory spec stuff ( 850fps in 230gr and 900fps in 200gr).

 

[jon_in_wv]

Lone Wolf is another barrel maker for the Glocks. I haven't heard anything bad about them. You can check Glock Talk and they have a lot of information on the aftermarket barrels. In addition to having conventional rifling they also have fully supported chambers. All in all I think they are safer than the Glock barrel with only a few fps sacrifice in velocity.

 

[Drail]

If you're referring to polygonal rifling it will work with any type of bullet. The downside side is that you must make absolutely sure you remove all of the fouling, whether it's lead or copper. A cut rifled barrel is generally easier to clean than a polygonal rifled barrel simply because a bore brush will conform to a bore with lands and grooves better than it will to a bore with flats and corners greater than 90 degrees. (polygonal) There will usually be more fouling left in the corners of the polygonal barrel. If you're crimping heavily enough to cut into or deform the bullet then you're overcrimping.

 

[jon_in_wv]

If you're referring to polygonal rifling it will work with any type of bullet.

That includes lead bullets but lets qualify that by saying that there is risk involved in the practice. Polygonal rifles does cause excessive leading with lead bullets and lead can build up to the level that it causes excessive pressure that can lead to catastrophic failure of the weapon. CAN you use lead using a strict cleaning regimen safely? POSSIBLY. How many rounds does it take before lead build up becomes unsafe? NO WAY TO TELL. The safest thing to do for your fingers is to NOT mix polygonal rifling and lead bullets and to follow Drail and Reloader Fred"s advice with plated bullets. You can find used Glock barrels. The cost of a barrel is a pittance compared to cost of losing a digit. Good luck. BTW. I'm sure someone is going to chime in about how they shoot lead bullets out of the Glocks ALL THE TIME and nothing bad has ever happened. Being lucky isn't the same as being right.

 

[oneounceload]

A cut rifled barrel is generally easier to clean than a polygonal rifled barrel

I have never had that issue - in fact, my experience has been the other way around. My Glocks and HK are very easy to clean, unlike my S&W revolver barrels....