[mcanada]

I have a S&W M&P .40cal and wondering if it is acceptable to shoot lead reloads through the barrel or do I need to reload with copper FMJ loads? I have been concerned with the barrel rifling.



Thanks,

Mark

 

[G56]

The barrel should handle lead bullets just fine. I shoot plated bullets in mine, but I know that several have posted that they are shooting cast lead bullets.

 

[mcanada]

The barrel should handle lead bullets just fine. I shoot plated bullets in mine, but I know that several have posted that they are shooting cast lead bullets.

Thanks John!

 

[coltman1985]

Leading is only a problem in bar's with hexgonal or polygonal groves. I still shoot a plated bullet just because of the small difference in cost and the fact that I don't want to "handle" lead any more than I have to!!

 

[politegunner]

Ugh! Lead is foul, nasty, stuff. If you re-load, you're already saving big bucks over buying even the cheap-o factory .40 cal ammo. Sure, lead bullets are cheaper in dollars but way more costly to your health.

 

[G56]

Here's a post from the General Board:

I feed mine a steady diet of oregon trail lead

http://mp-pistol.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=4265

 

[machgt]

the big thing with lead is to not eat anything while handling it. Getting it on your fingers won't do anything if you wash your hands afterwards. Ingesting it by getting it on food and eating that is where you can have health problems

 

[thedude]

Is it true that you get lead deposits in your barrel that are really hard to get out when you shoot lead bullets?

 

[G56]

Is it true that you get lead deposits in your barrel that are really hard to get out when you shoot lead bullets?

Depends a lot on the quality of the bullets, some lead bullets that aren't made from the right lead alloys, or use a poor quality lube, or if you try to push them too fast, can leave lead deposits behind in the barrel, good quality bullets shouldn't leave any lead behind, or a minimal amount at most. Lead can be hard to remove, the best method by far I found in a video from Jim Clark, that's to obtain a COPPER CHORE BOY, they can be found in the dishwashing area at WalMart, only use the COPPER one, they also make them in stainless steel, and you don't want that one! The copper is harder than lead, but softer than steel, take an old pair of scissors and cut a patch of the copper mesh, wrap that around a bronze bore brush and clean the barrel with that, it will remove the lead.



Brownells sells the Lewis Lead Remover, it uses brass patches and does essentially the same thing.



http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/Pro...IS+LEAD+REMOVER



I shoot lead bullets in my 38 specials and 1911 45acp, because of the bullet lube they will be dirty, the lube smokes a bit and leaves a lot of residue behind, that's just a thing you have to live with when shooting lead bullets, the lube residue is dirty but cleans up easily.

 

[FieroCDSP]

Just be sure to clean the barrel of lead deposits if you're going to shoot plated or jacketed after lead.

 

[G56]

Just be sure to clean the barrel of lead deposits if you're going to shoot plated or jacketed after lead.

It pushes the lead deposits deeper into the pores of the metal, it can be dangerous if there is a lot of lead in the barrel, but mostly it just makes it much harder to clean the lead out later.