Shooting lead in titanium cylinder

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Peakbagger46

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After over a decade of hard service, I’ve decided to regulate my trusty S&W 340 M&P to practice duty and have a titanium 340PD on the way. I’ve read and will follow the warnings about avoiding harsh brushing or chemicals on the cylinder.

Is it OK to shoot lead reloads (or factory for that matter) through the titanium cylinder for practice?
 
The Titanium cylinders have poor extraction, especially at higher pressure. This is why Ruger opted not to use Titanium for the Super GP-100, but to lower the cylinder's mass by more aggressive fluting. The low rotational inertia is the real advantage of Titanium cylinders. It does reduce the weight of a carry gun, which is probably more significant for the 329PD than for a little j-frame. In either case, a heavy penalty is paid in felt recoil, not just for the Titanium cylinder, but also the scandium/aluminum alloy frame. On a heavier competition gun, it's the ability to accelerate and stop the cylinder faster and with less wear on the bolt and notches that make Titanium desirable, but the trade-off is poor extraction. Most of the time, the cases just stick when ejecting them. Sometimes I had the case heads separate. The cases would stick to the chamber walls and the pressure would cut the case when it blew the head against the recoil shield.

It should be fine with any kind of bullet so long as they're not lighter than the 120-grain minimum that S&W specifies. I would keep pressures low to avoid sticking cases.
 
163 gr lswc is all i shoot in a 337PD 38+P . The guns factory instructions said not to shoot lead. The bullets may jump crimp.
If the barrel ever needs to come off, lead may lock the barrel into the frame? full.jpg full.jpg
 
I’ve put thousands of leads rounds through my 929. And have had good luck with accuracy out to 100 yards. I just use CLP for a cleaner. If you need to use harsher chemicals you’re doing something wrong.
 
I have used mostly lead in my 329pd. I don't brush it much. Just run a soft bristle through the cylinder occasionally.

It's not a gun that will look mint after a couple boxes of rounds. The ugly cylinder just gets uglier. Ive had no extraction issues though.
 
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