Plated accuracy in Glock polygonal barrels?

[Squid556]

Been wanting to cook up some 40 cal handloads for my Glock 22. And I’m deciding on which bullet I want to try.

Long time ago I had a very bad experience with loss of accuracy using lead bullets in an HK USP. Did some learning and found that polygonal barrels (both Glock and HK use) don’t agree well with cast and the accuracy was exceptionally poor.

There’s a nice box of Berry’s plated .400 bullets at my LGS but I’m kinda worried that my polygonal rifling G22 won’t agree with the plated bullets, since they are just cast with a thin layer of copper.

Anyone load plated bullets in OEM glock barrels?

 

[snapping turtle]

Barsto barrel. Unsupported chambers and reloads are not for me. So the perfect pistol is only really perfect when you replace the parts to make it perfect.

Tried to reload for my only Glock a 17L. Did not have much luck with those fired from the Glock. Worked well with bullets fired by the smith 5906. The 17L is very accurate with factory 147’s and 124’s. Accuracy was average with reloads.

 

[55fairlane]

I talked to a couple Glock reps couple years ago , during pistol at Camp Perry, and they both said, full metal jackets , something about the gas seal (or lack of) and leading,then a squib.....you get the picture.
While they will not advise you to add non stock parts to your Glock pistol, it was mentioned use of an aftermarket barrel......

 

[t-squared]

Berry's themselves claim they're okeydokey for Glocks....Berry's FAQ

 

[Cameramonkey]

Ive run Berrys plated in my Glocks for years. No problems.

 

[Creedmoor]

I have run my cast through two Glocks for 20+ years. A 19C and a 23C.

 

[snapping turtle]

Ive run Berrys plated in my Glocks for years. No problems.

Berry's themselves claim they're okeydokey for Glocks....Berry's FAQ

They work. Yes. Bullets be bullets pretty much. And berry’s makes a good product.

I guess my main issue is with the why and how of reloading for a Glock platform. Glock does state no reload ammo. (Lawyer speak)
To feed all any nearly any ammo they use loose tolerance specs which is great for always going bang and being considered reliable. (All very good things) unsupported chamber in at least my 17L bulged cases at 6 o clock on the brass. During my range time with a very good reloaded an avid Glock shooter I have witnessed one brass failure which sent some burning powder down the trigger group giving the shooter hand a slight powder burn ((just an ouch). That led me to believe that the brass failed at the 6 o’clock position.


How many reloads per piece of brass. How much extra work to get the brass back in spec. I understand the current ammo prices now make the factory ammo I was using 4 time mimore expensive. The 17L was the target version Glock. It is also at least a tie for my most accurate 9mm. I have more accurate target pistols but the 17L does hold it own dollar per dollar. Since I have a single stage press I find that time is better spent working on loads for other rounds and platforms that I get a better accuracy per reload minute on. Feed that Glock 147 grain federal American eagle ammo or above and it equals my handloads or better. Now if I go to my friends Dillion progressive and we set up to crank out 3k rounds maybe it would be another story. My time expense does not justify the difference in accuracy.

That said just watch the brass for bulges and keep the times brass is shot through the unsupported chamber to a minimum. Or be prepared to go ouch if you get a brass failure.

 

[Squid556]

They work. Yes. Bullets be bullets pretty much. And berry’s makes a good product.

I guess my main issue is with the why and how of reloading for a Glock platform. Glock does state no reload ammo. (Lawyer speak)
To feed all any nearly any ammo they use loose tolerance specs which is great for always going bang and being considered reliable. (All very good things) unsupported chamber in at least my 17L bulged cases at 6 o clock on the brass. During my range time with a very good reloaded an avid Glock shooter I have witnessed one brass failure which sent some burning powder down the trigger group giving the shooter hand a slight powder burn ((just an ouch). That led me to believe that the brass failed at the 6 o’clock position.


How many reloads per piece of brass. How much extra work to get the brass back in spec. I understand the current ammo prices now make the factory ammo I was using 4 time mimore expensive. The 17L was the target version Glock. It is also at least a tie for my most accurate 9mm. I have more accurate target pistols but the 17L does hold it own dollar per dollar. Since I have a single stage press I find that time is better spent working on loads for other rounds and platforms that I get a better accuracy per reload minute on. Feed that Glock 147 grain federal American eagle ammo or above and it equals my handloads or better. Now if I go to my friends Dillion progressive and we set up to crank out 3k rounds maybe it would be another story. My time expense does not justify the difference in accuracy.

That said just watch the brass for bulges and keep the times brass is shot through the unsupported chamber to a minimum. Or be prepared to go ouch if you get a brass failure.

For 9mm I agree. Not really worth my time. And I normally keep a 9mm barrel in it.

This however pertains to the original 40 cal barrel that came with it. 40 being so much more expensive it’s borderline worth it cost wise. ……But it’s more about mastering another cartridge. Never loaded this one before and I’m curious what I’ll run into. I very well may experience some case bulging especially if I run them hot.

Sometimes I do things more for the experience gained rather than the overall practicality.

 

[snapping turtle]

For 9mm I agree. Not really worth my time. And I normally keep a 9mm barrel in it.

This however pertains to the original 40 cal barrel that came with it. 40 being so much more expensive it’s borderline worth it cost wise. ……But it’s more about mastering another cartridge. Never loaded this one before and I’m curious what I’ll run into. I very well may experience some case bulging especially if I run them hot.

Sometimes I do things more for the experience gained rather than the overall practicality.

By all means this is MERICA. The great thing about it is you can do anything you like and experience is never a bad thing.

i was bring up 9mm know ing you were talking 40 because I have no Glock 22’s anymore. 40 is higher pressure than 9. Higher pressure In non supported chambers is a greater chance of case failure and more case prep. The early Glock .40s had the least amount of chamber support though this was changed in later versions.The Glock [and others ] had problems with the .40 but that involved more than just chamber support. The Glock company rushed the 22 to market to beat out smith in their own cartridge. please work up your loads carefully.

My current 40 is a sig p229 and often it dresses up as a 357 sig.
fully supported chamber. I guess I was lucky in stocking up ammo high when no one wanted 40 smith anymore and it was just a bit higher that 9 mm when it was cheap.

here is someone else talking about it except this one guy on InG0 who says be careful instead of been running reloaded lead bullets in a Glock for years .



https://ultimatereloader.com/2012/05/06/reloading-40-sw-brass-considerations/

 

[ckcollins2003]

I've ran over 30,000 Xtreme plated bullets through my Glock 22 (.40 and 9mm) with no noticeable accuracy issues. I'm also not trying to shoot bullseye groups at 100 yards with a Glock. For training and range purposes I think you'll be hard pressed to notice any accuracy issues between an FMJ load and a plated load.

 

[DadSmith]

Been wanting to cook up some 40 cal handloads for my Glock 22. And I’m deciding on which bullet I want to try.

Long time ago I had a very bad experience with loss of accuracy using lead bullets in an HK USP. Did some learning and found that polygonal barrels (both Glock and HK use) don’t agree well with cast and the accuracy was exceptionally poor.
View attachment 217452
There’s a nice box of Berry’s plated .400 bullets at my LGS but I’m kinda worried that my polygonal rifling G22 won’t agree with the plated bullets, since they are just cast with a thin layer of copper.

Anyone load plated bullets in OEM glock barrels?

I've ran hard cast 200gr WFNGC in my Glock 20sf and it never had a problem. Shot about 4-6" groups at 50yds off rest.

 

[tsilveus]

I run lead, coated lead and plated lead in all my glocks. High and low pressure calibers. Never an issue. 1000's of rounds. Accuracy can be dialed in (recipe dependent).

 

[King Noodle]

I’ve reloaded and shot thousands of rounds of Barry’s plated in Glock barrels with no issues and decent accuracy even with hotter defensive loads. Maybe 10k 9mm and 2k .40 without issue.

 

[Indy574]

I’ve shot plated in my 19 with no issues with accuracy. I’ve also shot a ton of lead LSWC in my 41 with excellent results.

 

[DadSmith]

Been wanting to cook up some 40 cal handloads for my Glock 22. And I’m deciding on which bullet I want to try.

Long time ago I had a very bad experience with loss of accuracy using lead bullets in an HK USP. Did some learning and found that polygonal barrels (both Glock and HK use) don’t agree well with cast and the accuracy was exceptionally poor.
View attachment 217452
There’s a nice box of Berry’s plated .400 bullets at my LGS but I’m kinda worried that my polygonal rifling G22 won’t agree with the plated bullets, since they are just cast with a thin layer of copper.

Anyone load plated bullets in OEM glock barrels?

It isn't hard cast bullets Glock warns of. It's soft lead.
Hard Cast bullets that are 16 BHN or harder are good to go.
IIRC 16 BHN is harder than fmj bullets.

Here is a good read.

Differences Between 'Lead' & 'Hard Cast' Bullets

Differences Between 'Lead' & 'Hard Cast' Bullets

www.buffalobore.com

Edit:




I shot thousands of hard cast through my Glock 20sf factory barrel. Not one problem.

 

[ECS686]

Late to the party but I use to run a 49 cal Glock 35 in USPSA when USPSA had only 2 divisions.

I ran 5.9 grains of Winchester Super Field with a 180 TMJ or Plated with GREAT results on accuracy and made Major power factor without beating my gun up. Somewhere around 950-975 fps

 

[Creedmoor]

It isn't hard cast bullets Glock warns of. It's soft lead.
Hard Cast bullets that are 16 BHN or harder are good to go.
IIRC 16 BHN is harder than fmj bullets.

Here is a good read.

Differences Between 'Lead' & 'Hard Cast' Bullets

Differences Between 'Lead' & 'Hard Cast' Bullets

www.buffalobore.com

Edit:




I shot thousands of hard cast through my Glock 20sf factory barrel. Not one problem.

Its interesting that the black powder cartridge shooters cast bullets from pure lead and tin with ratios of 20-1 to 30-1
And shoot them with up to 34" barrels and shoot them without leading issues. What gets swabbed out is BP residue.
Correct bullet size and lube play a huge factor in leading a bore.