hard cast bullets in Kahr's

shooter said:

HARD CAST BULLETS IN POLYGONAL BARRELS

True hard cast bullets (as opposed to lead swaged bullets) that are properly lubed will not lead foul polygonal barrels any more than any other type of rifled barrel. Ever since Glock Corporation warned to not use lead bullets in their pistols with polygonal barrels, a myth that hard cast bullets will lead foul polygonal barrels has become wide spread in some parts of the firearms world. However, the myth is untrue. Hard cast bullets are not "lead" bullets. (See my article on "Dangerous Pure Lead Cowboy Bullets")

Pure lead or nearly pure lead bullets have a tendency to foul any barrel, not just polygonal barrels. Years ago, when several Glock pistols experienced cracked barrels because of fouling build up from shooting pure lead bullets, Glock issued a warning not to shoot lead bullets in their polygonal barrels. From that warning, the myth that you should not shoot hard cast bullets in polygonal barrels was born.

Provided you use real hard cast bullets with good lube, you can shoot them all you like in polygonal barrels without causing lead fouling deposits at the front of your chamber or anywhere else in the barrel. If you are concerned about lead fouling from hard cast bullets, all you have to do is to clean your barrel after firing hard cast bullets and before firing any jacketed bullets. However, in my experience, quality hard cast bullets won't foul a Glock polygonal barrel or any other type of barrel but lead bullets normally will

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Correct and the fact that .380 hard cast bullets fired at MVs less than 1000 fps lessen the the chance of significant barrel leading (causing potential pressure spikes if it builds up too much). I have shot hundreds of my own lead .380 reloads in my Kahr P380. However, to be on the safe side I probably would limit my round count to no more than 100 rounds or so per range session. 'Probably not necessary but I am like to err on the side of caution.

As for the Glocks (H&Ks for that matter too) and their polygonal barrels, the same applies. I do use standard rifling after-market barrels (KKM, Storm Lake, and Lone Wolf) in my Glocks however as I shoot a lot of rounds per session including 9mm, .40, .357 Sig and .45 ACP.

I would be more concerned with the health hazards associated with shooting lead bullets indoors. Make sure your indoor range has good ventilation and thoroughly wash your hands (and clothing) after firing/handling. For many years I used to cast my own lead bullets. I no longer have the time.

I had a Glock 36 and fed it a steady diet of hardcast RNL without leading problems. I've shot lots of a truncated cone hardcast lead handload thru' an LCP (with normal rifling of course) without difficulty. A couple observations about lead loads:
-Much of the problem with lead deposits results from the melting of the bullet base by the combustion of the powder, or from 'blow by' of the powder gasses if the bullet does not upset tightly enough to seal the bore. I've never encountered leading from velocity except in .357s driven really hard.
-Swaged lead skirted .38 wadcutters don't create leading problems at intended velocities, altho' oddly enough I don't recall any problems driving them backwards (!) at 1100+ fps with a walloping load of 2400. It was what gun scribe Skeeter Skelton called a 'planet wrecker special'; made one hell of a hollowpoint, and I don't recall it leading. But I never shot many either, and I may have loosened an M-60 with the load.
-It's not hard to believe that pure lead 'cowboy' loads driven too hard might lead, but it seems to me that they should upset and seal the bore at modest velocities, avoiding the 'blowby' issue.
-It's been my experience that any lead left by swaged bullets is relatively easy to remove, but hardcast driven really hard can leave deposits that are a stinker to remove.
-There's a lot of variables here, from powder type and burn rate to barrel smoothness and revolver/auto issues.
It's my intention to feed the Kahr a steady diet of the hardcast LTCs for practice, and I'll keep an eye open for leading problems. I don't expect any. Good info and thanks.
Moon