Precision Reloading

[amboy49]

Has anyone had any experience with Precision Reloading lead bullets ? Their website describes a coating process they use. They have a good FAQ page - and discussion about using or not using in a GLOCK. I just ordered 1,000 115 gr. 9mm. They appear to have them in stock for shipment unless I failed to see any small print backorder label.

BTW, why aren't Glocks and lead bullets compatabile. I read that the rifling in a Glock barrel is polyagonal (sp?) and I have no idea what that means. Can anyone weigh in on this ?

Thanks in advance

 

[sgtonory]

I reload 230g LRN for my G21 and i was getting leading and accuracy was a joke with stock barrel. Switched to a Storm Lake and all is better. You can shoot lead with stock barrel and it may work well for you but i did not have any luck. Here is a good read helped me out with loading 125g LRN for my Hi-point carbine. Setting up for boolits in a new 9mm

 

[amboy49]

In addition to the Glock 26, I also have a S.A. XDm subcompact in 9mm. If I can't use lead bullets in the Glock I hope to be able to get them to shoot out of the Springfield. At this point, they were the only 9mm projectiles I could find - either on-line or ftf. I have been shooting .45 since I have all the components, but my ECD is a 9mm and I would like to shoot it more. Once I receive the order and load/shoot a few I give a report.

 

[Disposable Heart]

The poly rifling in Glocks squishes the lead into it's rifling, rather than cutting into it. The squishing is VERY violent comparative to standard rifling. Combine that with the fact that poly rifling doesn't seem to allow the bullet to obtruate properly (seal the bore to keep gasses from blowing past the bullet and melting the lead at the base and sides, causing leading)

You're going to get two distinct camps on this issue: One camp 'sez you're going to blow up your gun, poly rifling is bad for lead, etc.... The other camp 'sez we've been loading lead in factory Glock barrels for years, no problem, etc... Please bear in mind: the Glock manual I have (factory manual) states NOTHING specifically about lead, but states explicly that there are to be no reloads/handloads/remanufactured ammunition used in the Glock pistol. Liability, etc...

I load lead for my G22 barrel, which according to naysayers, is the most prone to Kabooms. I have some experience in this matter and for the most part (for most reloaders or shooters), I would say just buy a standard rifling barrel and have at.

If you decide it's worth it, here's some tips:
1. Don't buy weirdo, strange bullets that use a "coating". If they cannot give you the make up of the coating, then avoid it. Yes, some people like and have used countless moly bullets before. I am not a fan due to added cost, the horrible smell and mess, and the fact that moly is hydroscopic and will suck moisture out of the air and into your barrel unless you remove it (a PITA).
2. Do use hard cast bullets, talking (depending on caliber) 18 BHN or higher. IMHO gas checks had little to no difference on leading in poly barrels. Just use a quality bullet.
3. Start your loading VERY low, and go up, not just randomly pick a loading level and going with it. While this should be SOP for all handloaders, many don't (including yours truely). I have found that it is usually low loads that do not lead poly barrels but this sometimes isn't the rule for poly barrels.
4. Decopper your poly barrel: I have noticed a significant reduction in leading if you use a quality copper bore cleaner after running FMJ then wanting to load lead.
5. Slower burning powders (medium to slow) seemed to work best in my book, gave more burn time for obturation I would think. My experiments with Clays and Titegroup in my G22 with lead were Choreboy wrapped nightmares.
6. Prepare to clean bore every 100 rounds if you do find a good load. You will never be able to shoot without cleaning. The main reason is that alot of people use their Glocks for carry, therefore, are more apt to run a jacketed bullet. Running jacketed after lead can iron the lead into the pores of the metal, causing buildup and subsequent pressure increase (or spike, depending on build up). On the positive side: I have found that the "cleaning" was only usually just run a single pass with a brush then a few patches afterwards, came out clean.
7. I sometimes, but rarely, would horse with stuff like Lee Alox or bore preparations for muzzleloaders (Bore butter or similar) and it seemed to work in keeping leading down. But, considering the cost and thus consigning your barrel to essentially only lead from there on, it's of questionalbe efficy.
8. I cannot stress it enough: Despite hillbilly reasoning and logic: DO NOT USE JACKETED BULLETS TO "BLAST OUT" LEADING OR LEAD BUILDUP!

Thus the reason why I suggest getting a cut rifling barrel, lol.

One CAN load lead for the poly barrel, but it's an art, not a science at that point. And seemingly each Glock barrel is different in regards to lead loading: I had a G21 that would lead regardless, a friend's would never lead despite taking no precautions against leading!! It's up to what YOUR gun will do and YOUR results.

 

[noylj]

One of my very favorite bullets is their 200gn moly-koted L-SWC. The bullets are swaged, so there are no air bubbles in the bullets and weights are very consistent.
If they didn't cost so much, compared to so many cast lead bullets, I might ONLY shoot them.

I wouldn't even know where to begin about selecting lead bullets but:
1) 11-14 BHN is all you need. Any harder and the bullet will NOT obturate and you will get leading unless the bullets are large enough (i.e., softer alloys, at normal pistol velocities, are more forgiving in terms of size as they will obturate)
2) Almost all commercial casters use an alloy that is 18-22 BHN. Very hard. They also often use a lube that is barely adequate, if that.
3) Poly rifling and Precision Bullets are not recommended.
4) Moly-koting does not leave MoS2 in the barrel. It may leave the koting in the barrel, but not the MoS2 by itself. I find what very little residue is ever left in the barrel to be easy to clean.
Remember, MoS2 burnished rifle bullets are NOT at all like moly-koted bullets.
5) Running copper after lead will coat the lead with copper. Then, if you fire lead bullets, the lead will coat the copper. Then, if you fire copper bullets, the copper will coat the lead. Get the idea?
6) If you do get leading, do try a VERY LIGHT tumble lube with Lee Liquid Alox on the bullets after you have cleaned the barrel. The stuff is very tenacious and seals the bore very well even with slightly undersized bullets and it resists gas cutting to an amazing extent.
7) I find that no matter how well my lead bullets fit, I have to clean the barrel every 2-5000 rounds--not due to leading, but just peace of mind. I think more people wear out their rifling from too much cleaning than from too much shooting.

 

[CTC B4Z]

Ive used their 9MM and their .223

that was the first time and the last time my Walther ever jammed, I tried a few more and after that I tossed the box in the trash

and for the .223, thank god I brought my cleaning kit that day, I needed something to dig the brass out of the barrell....

junk

 

[Spike_351]

many different firearms have polygonal rifiling, and while some people choose to use lead, I would still not advise it. I won't use lead in my Jericho 941 for the same reason, also the depth of the lands and grooves are very small to the point of almost being a smooth bore, which makes lead gumming up the rifiling difficult to spot before it causes issues.