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reloads in Glocks
thebambam2001
Member Posts: 733 ✭✭
What is the deal of not shooting reloads in Glocks? Is Glock the only company with this warning? If I use a Lone Wolf or Wilson Combat barrel will I be ok?
Comments
There are a number of U Tube videos relating to this problem. I don't know if this case of the Glock barrels self destructing? Is urban old wives tale, or chicken littleits? But replaced mine with Lone Wolf conventional rifled barrels?
The big deal against Glocks is the use of lead bullets in polygonally rifled barrels due to lead buildup causing high pressures and the possibility of catastrophic failure.
I use after market conventionally rifled barrels in my Glock when shooting lead bullets due to the number I shoot when practicing to keep ammo costs down.
Some will say shooting lead bullets in the Glock barrels isn't an issue if you keep it clean.
What is the deal of not shooting reloads in Glocks? Is Glock the only company with this warning? If I use a Lone Wolf or Wilson Combat barrel will I be ok?
No. There are three separate issues here.
-As already mentioned, EVERY manufacturer I've ever seen says that using reloads in their gun will void the warranty. EG, it says not to use "handloaded" or "reloaded" ammo in every single Smith and Wesson product manual.
The fact is, bad reloads are probably responsible for more gun detonations than any other factor, and the manufacturers do not want to (and strictly speaking shouldn't have to) take responsibilities for yahoos reloading screw-ups.
-Glocks do use polygonal rifling that provides velocity advantage, but is somewhat more prone to leading up with unjacketed lead bullets than conventional spiral cut rifling. Built up lead, especially near the chamber/rifling interface, is thought to increase operating pressures, potentially leading to problems.
Note that Glocks aren't the ONLY handguns that use this form of rifling (eg H&K pistols do, Kahr pistols do, Czech CZ82s do, I think the Israeli Jericho pistols do, etc) but they are the most popular type.
How much of an issue this really is, is debatable. Some say its fine to shoot unjacketed bullets so long as you actually maintain the barrel by cleaning it properly every so often. But the conventional wisdom is that if you want to fire less-expensive non-jacketed lead bullets through your Glock, you replace the stock Glock polygonal rifled barrel with an aftermarket conventional cut rifled barrel. These are readily available and relatively inexpensive.
-Next issue has to do with chamber support. The conventional wisdom/internet story is that the Glock uses a slightly oversized chamber to facilitate loading reliability AND that the cases are partially unsupported over the feed ramp. These things pose no real issue with factory loads, but repeated stretching/resizing of the brass from multiple reloads may weaken it, potentially leading to catastrophic case failures, especially in combination with other factors that can increase operating pressure (eg the barrel leading issue, etc). This problem was allegedly more of an issue with .40SW loads than other cases, because of larger case diameter and higher operating pressures.
Now, how true this is (vs internet BS) is debatable. I've seen people argue vehemently that Glock chambers are no less (or more) supported than say 1911 chamber or other gun designs and that Glocks are no more prone to these case rupture incidents than many/any other gun designs. I've also seen people claim that Glock has tightened up its chambers, specifically in response to this problem.
You can read about Glock "Kabooms" if you want to learn more.
http://leeprecision.com/3-die-set-40-s-w-carb.html
As stated, using an aftermarket barrel may alleviate some of these concerns and the barrels start at around a little over $100.00
New striker spring and Win WLP primers have reduced failure to fire issues to almost a non event. Still working on the failure to feed.
I strongly doubt I'll ever own a Glock.
Next door neighbor has a Glock 21. It doesn't like reloads. Failure to feed and failure to fire are common. Ammo that doesn't work in it shoots fine in my POS AMT Hard Baller.
New striker spring and Win WLP primers have reduced failure to fire issues to almost a non event. Still working on the failure to feed.
I strongly doubt I'll ever own a Glock.
I have a G21, it shot lead bullets like a shotgun with a factory barrel. Replaced the barrel with a match grade cut rifling barrel and have shot a 93 slow fire with it at 50 yards on a NRA bulleye target. It NEVER EVER jambs or has a FTF.
The key to shooting lead reloads is the barrel replacement. If you reload jacketed bullets you have nothing to be concerned about using the factory barrel. see PAery Shooters crimping stickey and follow his recommendations.
Never had a FTF and runs along side the Kimbers, Colts, Sigs. etc well enough to keep me in regularly in either show or place positions.
Lead bullets and polygonal rifling
This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. (September 2009)
The manufacturer Glock advises against using lead bullets (meaning bullets not covered by a copper jacket) in their polygonally rifled barrels, which has led to a widespread belief that polygonal rifling is not compatible with lead bullets. Firearms expert and barrel maker, the late Gale McMillan, has also commented that lead bullets and polygonal rifling are not a good mix. Neither H&K nor Kahr explicitly recommend against lead bullets in their polygonal rifled barrels, suggesting that there might be an additional factor involved in Glock's warning. Kahr's warns that lead bullets can cause additional fouling[7] and recommends special attention to cleaning after their use. While H&K doesn't insist on a copper jacket, at least one well-documented catastrophic incident in an H&K pistol[8] may be related to this issue. Furthermore, Dave Spaulding, well-known gun writer, reported in the February/March 2008 issue of Handguns Magazine that when he queried H&K about their polygonally rifled barrels that they commented: "It has been their experience that polygonal rifling will foul with lead at a greater rate than will conventional rifling."
One suggestion of what the "additional factor involved in Glock's warning" might be is that Glock barrels have a fairly sharp transition between the chamber and the rifling, and this area is prone to lead buildup if lead bullets are used. This buildup may result in failures to fully return to battery, allowing the gun to fire with the case not fully supported by the chamber, leading to a potentially dangerous case failure. However, since this sharp transition is found on most autopistols this speculation is of limited value. The sharp transition or "lip" at the front of the chamber is required to "headspace" the cartridge in most autopistols.
Another possible explanation is that there are different "species" of polygonal rifle and perhaps Glock's peculiar style of polygonal rifling may be more prone to leading than the particular styles employed in the H&K and Kahr barrels.
Leading is the buildup of lead in the bore that happens in nearly all firearms firing high velocity lead bullets. This lead buildup must be cleaned out regularly, or the barrel will gradually become constricted resulting in higher than normal discharge pressures. In the extreme case, increased discharge pressures can result in a catastrophic incident.
See also