Lead bullets in stock G20 barrel

[plateshooter]

I just bought a G20 that looks unfired.  The fired cases in the envelope that came with the gun are dated 2005.  I checked Glock's web site and several forums and could not find the information I am looking for so I am trying here.

What is the story with the lead bullets in a glock barrel?  Are there problems when just shooting a few rounds or is it shooting many rounds with out cleaning the barrel.

I load cast bullets for my 40 S&W guns and would like to load the same bullet for my G20.  Not screaming hi speed loads, but for something like 40 S&W +P+ type loads.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[REDLINE]

There are certainly those out there that do it and find no fault in doing it.  Then again I've heard of some Glock barrels that just don't seem to like lead period.  Most suggest trying it while paying close attention and see how your barrel handles the lead you're launching through it, deciding by the trial and error method.

[plateshooter]

Thanks Redline.  I appreciate the response

[REDLINE]

You bet.  My personal opinion is to simply go with the least expensive after market barrel with conventional rifling that can be had.  But of course that ain't free, and I'm well aware money doesn't grow on trees for most of us either.

[hillbillyhans]

When I first got into 10mm, I picked up this loose box of 10mm ammo at a gun show. Most of it was lead, and to be honest I was taking a risk anyway b/c I didn't know what kind of ammo it was. I didn't know anything about anything then, but the ammo was cheap, and I just wanted to put rounds down range.

Nothing bad happened with the lead stuff to my G20.

[The_Shadow]

There are two things to look for while shooting lead from the Glock, leading in the bore and fouling at the end of the chamber that the casing headspaces on!  If leading in the bore is allowed to build up pressures can spike.  If fouling builds at the end of the chamber then a possible out of battery condition might be a failure to fire or out of battery un lock might happen.

With all that said...I shoot my own cast lead alloy bullets from my Glock 29 with out issues, but I inspect and clean often.  Bullet fit and quality lube play important roles to my success driving some bullets to 1200 + fps for the heavy (200gr) bullets and even higher with lighter bullets.

Just understand and know your gun and what to look for!  Best regards!

[sqlbullet]

Bullet fit, bullet fit, bullet fit.

Did we mention bullet fit.

And, no one has mentioned hardness.  Anything over dead soft will be fine, and anything over 20 could be a problem too.

Bullets that don't fit will always lead a barrel.  If they fit, they will be fine.

And, fit means a minimum of .001" over the measured diameter of YOUR gun. That may or may not be .401".  For one of my guns that is .400" and for the other two that is .402".  None of mine are Glocks.

[Yondering]

I've found my Glock barrels all prefer a harder lead alloy than conventional rifling, but otherwise do very well with lead.

I've also found that some aftermarket barrels tend to lead up a lot more than the Glock barrels; the common recomendation to get an aftermarket barrel for lead is not always the best choice.

[EdMc]

I've found my Glock barrels all prefer a harder lead alloy than conventional rifling, but otherwise do very well with lead.

I've also found that some aftermarket barrels tend to lead up a lot more than the Glock barrels; the common recomendation to get an aftermarket barrel for lead is not always the best choice.

Interesting, what hardness of lead have you found to work in aftermarket barrels w/o leading problems? I suppose I should ask what hardness in relationship to velocity?

[Yondering]

As a rough example, in 9mm and 40 S&W, I've found air cooled wheel weights to work fine in a traditionally rifled barrel. In my glock barrels though, that's too soft to prevent the bullets from stripping partially in the rifling, so I heat treat them. My air cooled bullets are 10-12 BHN, heat treated they are 18+. Stripping in the rifling isn't immediately apparent in the barrel or on the target; you have to look at recovered bullets to tell. Solving that issue does give better accuracy in my Glock barrels.

I didn't use the 10mm in this example, because I don't have a 10mm Glock barrel, only aftermarket. I've used one, but it's been a while.

In my 10mm Lone Wolf barrel (the bore has been lightly lapped, and polished), I find that air cooled wheel weights works fine, even at 1600+ fps, if I use a gas check of some sort (I'm using plain base checks made from soda cans) and good lube. Without a gas check, I need a harder bullet to prevent gas cutting of the base band, for full power loads, so I heat treat them. Again, not immediately obvious, until you look at recovered bullets.

[plateshooter]

Great information guys, thanks again for your replies

[475/480]

I shoot lead bullets in my G20SF all the time with good accuracy and a (little) leading .When I am hog hunting I have the G20SF in a crossdraw holster loaded with 215 gr WFNGC at 1200 fps. The G20 will shoot all 4 of the bullets I cast very well at 7-15 yards. I just make sure it is cleaned after every shooting session.

Sean

[JBnTx]

I shoot this hard cast lead bullet in my Glock 20.
http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=79&category=5&secondary=11&keywords=

I've never had any leading problems.