Polygonal rifling and reloads

[william_munny]

Quick question for you guys:

I have a H&K USP 40, which has polygonal rifling, and I bought a box of reloads to shoot. The reloads are unjacketed lead bullets. Another shooter just told me that you're not supposed to shoot unjacketed bullets through a barrel with polygonal rifling because it'll cause some serious carnage in the barrel.

Anyone out there know anything about this? Not true, should I just use these 50, or should I not use these 50 at all?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[appraiser]

the serious carnage is lead fouling that could cause a round not to exit the barrel before you send the next one down the pipe.

It has been a warning from Glock forever, but people have been doing it without problems.

YMMV

I'd shoot the 50 then clean the barrel

 

[kevin9]

I've heard that leading is not, or is less of, an issue in polygonal barrels if hard lead bullets are used. YMMV

 

[william_munny]

Sweet, thanks for the info! I'll make sure that any reloads I buy in the future are jacketed so I can avoid any problems.

 

[appraiser]

Kevin you are correct, the issue is greatly reduced if hard cast bullets are used

 

[Gammon]

the serious carnage is lead fouling that could cause a round not to exit the barrel before you send the next one down the pipe.

It has been a warning from Glock forever, but people have been doing it without problems.

YMMV

I'd shoot the 50 then clean the barrel

Hard cast lead bullets work just fine in a polygonal barrel. I have run about 40,000 rounds through several Glocks (mostly .40) and have had no problems. I clean the barrels religiously every 600 round or so.