Lead and jacketed ammo for clean shooting.

[timbo]

Anyone ever try shooting lead ammo through their gun for say the first half of the day then switch to jacketed ammo to perhaps push some of the fouling out of the gun? Maybe I'm crazy, but I thought this would be a pretty nifty idea, although I don't think I shoot enough in one day to where fouling is an issue.

 

[JohnKSa]

Beretta states that this should NEVER (their emphasis) be done in their pistols. I have the complete quote from the manual if you're interested.

I've also seen pics of a Glock 19 that blew up after a box of lead bullets followed by a single jacketed round.

 

[jsalcedo]

I was taught that trick years ago when I fired my first super Redhawk.

My gunsmith friend showed me what a leaded revolver barrel looked like.

He then fired some hot 180 grain JHPs and showed it to me again.

It looked like some of the lead was blown out or had smoothed out at least.


I'm still waiting to hear whether the refrigerator method works on getting the lead out.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Shootin the lead out.
Not a good idea, and MAY break things.

Sam

 

[P95Carry]

BAD NEWS ..... IMO .......... !!

Think on this ...... shooting lead bullets .. even hard cast ... will always leave some residual lead.

Where does that lead collect? Well, generally it is to be seen in the driving side of the lands .. such that grooves retain a small ''fillet'' of lead.

To put a jacket thru after this is asking for trouble .. tho it may seem safe ... simply because the potential for considerable pressure rise is there ... 9mm maybe is worst to try this but even hot loads thru 44 and 357 - not a good idea.

Reverse the ammo useage .. shoot your jackets early on and finish with the lead .... then clean thoroughly after.

Better safe .........

 

[Standing Wolf]

I've been doing that for years with no ill effects whatever; then again, I don't own any guns with barrels that won't accept lead.

 

[JohnKSa]

I've been doing that for years with no ill effects whatever; then again, I don't own any guns with barrels that won't accept lead.

This is probably not an issue in revolvers due to the venting between the cylinder and the barrel.

However, this is NOT simply a polygonal barrel issue. Notice that Beretta does not use the same type of rifling as Glock and still states that chamber pressures can be dangerous if jacketed is fired after lead bullets.

 

[J Miller]

I've done this for years without the least bit of problems.
This has been with both autos and revolvers and handgun caliber rilfes.
Not one whit of trouble, excess pressure, or damage have I seen.
Now the guns I have used are American by design, and mostly by manufacture, and I will admit I have only the tiniest ammount of experiance with Glocks, and Hi Powers. None with other foreign makes.

As far as American designed guns like Rugers, Smith & Wessons, Colts, et al, that use regular rifling, I consider it a non problem.

As for the foreign designed guns that use the weird rifling, (partial quote):"I don't own any guns with barrels that won't accept lead. "

 

[JohnKSa]

As for the foreign designed guns that use the weird rifling, (partial quote):"I don't own any guns with barrels that won't accept lead. "

I'm interested to hear what you find weird about Beretta 92 barrels or the rifling therein...

It looks identical to the rifling in my Ruger pistols.

Not one whit of ... excess pressure... have I seen.

What kind of pressure measuring equipment did you use to determine this?

I'm not trying to be nasty, but the kind of anecdotal "evidence" you provide is worthless.

Like a person claiming that playing golf in a thunderstorm is perfectly safe because he has played golf in thunderstorms all his life and never been struck by lightning.

Or like a person claiming that driving drunk is not unsafe because he's never had an accident while doing so.

Or like a person claiming that smoking won't hurt you because he's smoked 50 years and doesn't have lung cancer yet.

Just because a few people get lucky doesn't change the facts of the situation.

Furthermore, you don't know anything about the ammo or guns that people will be using when they take your advice. There are a large number of variables that play into whether the pressure goes slightly high or the gun blows up, and you haven't addressed ANY of them in your post.

If you're going to continue to recommend this (against the recommendation of a gun manufacturer that has been in business for around 500 years), you owe it to the people who are going to follow your suggestion to at least get some pressure measuring equipment and do some experimentation with a wide variety of calibers, gun types, and ammunition.

 

[timbo]

As for the "wierd rifling" that was spoken of, it likely refers to polygonal rifling or other unconventional methods. With what I've seen here though I think I'll just stick to jacketed ammo or lead, not one or the other. I think I'd rather spend a few more minutes cleaning a barrel than risk my gun and my health for any benefit I'd get.

For the record though, I have a USP and an old bolt action .22 rifle. I'd never use lead in my USP so I'm not concerned with that, but I was thinking of alternating the lead and jackets in the rifle. Sometimes I even borrow a revolver from my dad, but I think I'll just error on the side of caution and not go there.

Thanks for the advice all, and please don't get in a fight on my account.