Re: Lead bullets and polygonal rifling in pistols
I shoot lead out of both of my Glocks with absolutely no issue UNDER THESE CONDITIONS
I shoot an extremely hard lead alloy that I quench by dropping it from the mould into water. The hardness is 35.5+ HBn
Soft, pure lead is about 6-7 HBn, Wheel weights run about 15 (still too soft)
You need to get it over 24 HBn before I saw no leading issues.
Even still, every few hundred rounds, just out of habit, I fire a mag full of hot jacketed loads and that scrapes the barrel clean if there IS any leading.
I have gone as far as 1000 rounds of 175 TC hard cast in my Glock 20 without leading being visible in the barrel (no jacketed loads fired).
If you're not making the bullets and testing the alloy for the hardness yourself then I would suggest you don't do it. 99% of the lead cast bullets on the market you can buy are too soft.
There is a guy in Philadelphia that will make super hard lead for you if you ask. He gave my dad the recipe for the super hard alloy. I was asked not to share it because that's his business. If you're interested, I will get you his contact info from my dad and you can see what he has to offer.