Leading in barrel

[glenns]

I shoot lead bullets in my Glock G17. How do you tell if it is leaving excessive lead in the barrel? Can you see the lead color in the barrel?

What is the best of cleaning it? with a brush and Hoppe's?

 

[joneb]

If your patch is always gray you have a lead problem.

 

[Curator]

Wrap some bronze wool around a nylon bore brush until it is somewhat tight in the bore then dry-scrub it out over some clean white paper. If you see silver flecks you have a bit of leading. Brushing the bore with the bronze wool will remove it fast and easy. I brush out my Glock 23's bore after each 50 rounds of lead bullets and keep on shooting.

 

[Walkalong]

If you have leading it will be obvious after a bit.

 

[cdu357]

A good lube also works to help keep it down.
The other way is to keep under 900fps .

 

[CraigC]

The other way is to keep under 900fps .

That depends solely on the hardness and bullet design. Plain based bullets can be easily driven to 1400fps or more without leading, if they are the proper hardness. They can be driven, much faster with a gas check. Hell, soft swaged bullets can be driven to 800-900fps.

 

[billyjoe]

If you shoot cast bullets in a glock your goina have leading. It will be noticeable after 50-100 rounds. Use a good bore cleaner like montana cowboy blend and a bronze brush. It will clean out fairly easy. The more often you clean the less build up will occur. I never fire more than 100 rounds of cast bullets in my glock without cleaning. The hardness of the bullet will also have some affect on how much leading you get.

 

[GLOOB]

When I shoot lead in my Glock, it's obvious after just a couple shots, let alone 50-100 rounds. But it's sorta self limiting in that it doesn't get noticeably worse with 50 more.

I don't clean it much, anymore. I put one or two plated bullets in there with each mag and finish with a couple mags of plated bullets. When I get home and take the gun apart, I can't even tell that I shot lead.

 

[ljnowell]

If you shoot cast bullets in a glock your goina have leading. It will be noticeable after 50-100 rounds. Use a good bore cleaner like montana cowboy blend and a bronze brush. It will clean out fairly easy. The more often you clean the less build up will occur. I never fire more than 100 rounds of cast bullets in my glock without cleaning. The hardness of the bullet will also have some affect on how much leading you get.

I would agree with the hardness of a bullet making a difference but my g21 does not lead any more than anything else I load for, and that is little to none.

 

[billyjoe]

I would agree with the hardness of a bullet making a difference but my g21 does not lead any more than anything else I load for, and that is little to none.

I think caliber has a lot to due with leading in glocks as well. My 9mm is terrible but my cousins .40 glock is no worse than my m&p 40. Even my 10mm glock is not as bad as my 9mm glock. I would guess a .45 wouldn't be bad at all.

 

[Josh45]

Against blueing in a barrel, You will notice it. I had sever leading in my barrel with Hornady 230 GR RN .452 Size using Bullseye.

At the muzzle, It went from blue to silver. Its a pain to remove unless you size and lube correctly. I bought this stuff ready to go and I never slugged my barrel so it's a reason or two as to why mine would lead...

 

[ljnowell]

I think caliber has a lot to due with leading in glocks as well. My 9mm is terrible but my cousins .40 glock is no worse than my m&p 40. Even my 10mm glock is not as bad as my 9mm glock. I would guess a .45 wouldn't be bad at all.

I have heard that theory too, and i think that there is something to it. I have also been told, but do not know this as fact, that the 45 glocks have a slightly different poly rifling. I have no way of knowing because I do not own a 9mm glock to compare it to. I just know that my g21 will eat up lead loads and love. I had originally bought a lone wolf barrel to shoot lead, then sold it as it was no better than a factory barrel and I didnt have leading problems with it.

 

[ironhead7544]

I clean the Glock barrel every 100 rounds when using lead loads. Get some Chore Girl or Chore Boy scouring pads, all copper, not the plated. Wrap some material around a bore brush for a tight fit. Will remove leading easily. Also removes plastic wad fouling from shotgun bores.

 

[gamestalker]

I don't load or shoot lead, but I was under the impression that you need a different barrel for Glocks if shooting lead. I think everyone I've talked to says a Lone Wolf is the way to go for those Glocks. I have a G17 but it's never had lead through it, only hot jacketed loads.