Two Bullet Questions

[pspc271]

So Im just about all set to get started reloading for the first time but I have two quick questions about bullets.

1. Is it ok to shoot cast bullets in an FNP-45, Glock, and 1911?

2. Can anyone recommend a place that has good prices on FMJ bullets, mainly 45acp and .223 for now?


Thanks!

[flashhole]

What kind of reloading manuals do you have access to?

[Jimro]

Answers

1. "It Depends"

2. Wideners, Natchez, Pat's Reloading... take your pick.

Jimro

[pspc271]

I have the Lyman 49th edition

[arch308]

As a general rule only jacketed bullets thru a Glock. I believe that's in the manual. I've used Berry's plated bullets in my Glocks and they work fine.

[Jammer Six]

I use Hornady for jacketed, and I have the Hornady reloading manual to go with them. I usually buy them from Powder River or Midway.

I used to use plated, but I think jacketed are quite a bit more accurate.

I haven't explored lead that much.

[Arub]

I do use cast bullets in my Glocks, both 45 and 40S&W calibers. No issues with the 45 but the 40S&W is a little persnickety. The Glock 23 handles hard cast very well but leads up considerably when using home cast bullets cast from wheel weights also the home casts tend to tumble some so I stick to either TMJs or commercially cast bullets.

The .45 handles the bullets cast from wheel weights with only a slight degree of leading comparable to my Kimbers.

[Misssissippi Dave]

Lead bullets can be shot in a polygon barrel. There are some special considerations you need to take into account when doing it so it may not be a good idea to start reloading using them.

For jacketed bullets I use Montana Gold. To get good pricing you really need to order them by the case at a minimum. Once you get started loading the case of bullets seem to go rather quickly. The shelf life of bullets is really long so even if it takes years to use them you will be OK.

https://www.montanagoldbullet.com/pricelist.html

[pspc271]

Thanks for all the input! I guess i will stick with FMJs for a while until I become more experienced in the whole process. I'm sure i will be on here many more times in the coming weeks as I get started. Wish me luck

[TMD]

As a general rule only jacketed bullets thru a Glock. I believe that's in the manual.

This is a myth. The only thing in Glocks owners manuals is a warning to not shoot reloads. It doesn't say anything about lead.

[serf 'rett]

It’s my understanding that lead bullets are not recommended in a Glock pistol with a polygonal barrel. If this is a myth, which it could be, then somebody change that paragraph in Wikipedia's discussion of polygonal vs. rifled barrels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonal_rifling

Of course, shooting reloads of any type, in any barrel and in any firearm is not recommended either, but some of us choose to ignore that part of the owner’s manuals.

Google polygonal vs. rifled barrels for some additional reading.

Proper care and frequent cleaning are perhaps the key factors.

I've been pleased with Berry's plated bullets from Powder Valley (they have lead too).

[TMD]

Polygonal barrels were around long before jacketed bullets.

[Unclenick]

Let me preface this by saying I don't own any polygonal barrel weapons, so I can't speak from experience with shooting lead in them. But I have seen a number of descriptions by others that suggest some degree of concern is appropriate.

Gail McMillan said that if you try to hand lap a Glock type polygonal barrel you come to understand what the problem is. Apparently the bullet tries to jump the curb, so to speak, resulting in shearing force on the bullet that raises pressure. McMillan offered no more detail on the mechanism, but I can imagine the gradual slope of the sides polygon allowing the propelling force to try to wedge the bullet under it. That may be what he was referring to; shearing the peaks off the lead.

A description I've heard repeated is that lead will shoot along just fine and then suddenly suffer rapid lead accumulation over just a few rounds, narrowing of the bore and causing the attendant pressure rise. They said the lead seems to try to glaze the corners of the polygon over and, once begun, this snowballs. The only way to know it has started to occur is to inspect the barrel constantly, which becomes necessary to prevent high pressure events. I suspect this is what McMillan meant when he said, "if you haven't had trouble {with lead in Glock barrels} just be patient".

On the other hand, McMillan also pointed out that the harder the bullet, the less of this problem this is. So a person who always shot high BHN cast bullets and uses a good load pressure range appropriate to the bullet might come away with the impression the polygon rifling shoots lead fine, while someone shooting swaged bullets might find trouble quickly. But that's just speculation on my part. Again, I don't have personal experience with this, but contrary comments have shown up often enough that, if we are to stay safe by erring on the side of caution, it should not be dismissed out of hand, either. If I were going to experiment with one of these barrels, I'd use a hard alloy or even oven heat treating, then keep checking the barrel with my borescope until I felt confident that particular load and alloy wasn't going to raise an issue.

As to ancient polygonal barrels, they were indeed around long ago, but running black powder. That raises an interesting question, though, which is would the .45 ACP have better immunity than 40 S&W or 9 mm pressures allow? One would expect so, but, again, I haven't tried it.