Moly bullets in Glocks

[EmanP]

I have a bunch of Bear Creek moly bullets loaded up and I was going to start shooting a G19 for awhile. Will they gum up the barrel just the same as lead will?

[mlmiller1]

You won't know for sure until you try a few of them. There are so many factors involved in "why" the barrel leads, there is no absolute answer to your question. I shoot precision moly bullets in both of my 35s, one with a kkm, one with a stock barrel & have had great luck in both barrels. However, the factors that cause leading include but aren't limited to the bullet, the powder, the crimp, & your barrel. Any one of those things & more can cause lead/gum or whatever. Check your barrel, run a few rounds--I mean a few, check again. Then if your results are acceptable, run a few more. If you start getting build up, stop immediately. I understand the pressure builds drastically with relatively small amounts of build up.

MLM

[Adam P.]

Bob Vogel runs Precision Bullets through his stock Glocks without issue. But as stated before, load them up and run some through your gun. You should see real quick if they will work or not.

[JimmyZip]

You won't know for sure until you try a few of them. There are so many factors involved in "why" the barrel leads, there is no absolute answer to your question. I shoot precision moly bullets in both of my 35s, one with a kkm, one with a stock barrel & have had great luck in both barrels. However, the factors that cause leading include but aren't limited to the bullet, the powder, the crimp, & your barrel. Any one of those things & more can cause lead/gum or whatever. Check your barrel, run a few rounds--I mean a few, check again. Then if your results are acceptable, run a few more. If you start getting build up, stop immediately. I understand the pressure builds drastically with relatively small amounts of build up.

MLM

+1 to this. I run moly coated bullets in several guns and put them over Solo 1000. In my CZ, HiPowers, I get minimal leading. Most of the deposits seem to be the moly itself. With the G17, I am running BBI 130gr LTC, with 3.6-3.7 of the Solo 100 and I am amazed at the cleanliness of the barrel. So far I have about 1K through the barrel, and have the least amount of residue in this barrel as that of any other firearm I own. I take it out and look at it after every range session, and have yet to clean it. It still looks really clean! (I've had it to the range four times now.)There are many variables that can cause bullets to lead or not. Cooler/hotter burning powders, and proper charge weights and crimp are just a couple, bullet size and bullet hardness are a few more. What you will find more likely is that one powder, and load that will make them work the best for you may or may not satisfy your desires anyway. YMWV.

JZ

[EmanP]

Thanks for the replys. I'm running Solo 1000 with the Bear Creeks bullets. Chronoed various charges from 4.4 - 4.6 today and cleaning up the barrel really good. It was dirty before I started so I need to clean it up really well and try a few at a time tomorrow. Frankly, I'm not too impressed with those Bear Creek bullets and wouldn't be suprised if they don't work out.

[JimmyZip]

Thanks for the replys. I'm running Solo 1000 with the Bear Creeks bullets. Chronoed various charges from 4.4 - 4.6 today and cleaning up the barrel really good. It was dirty before I started so I need to clean it up really well and try a few at a time tomorrow. Frankly, I'm not too impressed with those Bear Creek bullets and wouldn't be suprised if they don't work out.

Bear Creek and BBI are the two moly coats that I use. I do notice a bit more residue with the Bear Creek, than the BBI, but I have a friend here that is a distributor, and the 2 minute drive to his place is kinda like being a crack addict across the street from a crack house. It's just so close! I am still happy with the both of them, as far as accuracy and all, but with the BBIs I do get a bit less residue. So when I can order them, (every couple of months) I do. If I run out, or am getting close, and I don't want to wait, then it's Bear Creek.

JZ

[EmanP]

Well accuracy testing while I chronoed won't have me going back anytime soon to BC. Groups were not good and the occasional flier was wide. Very wide. Like where the hell did that come from wide. Like that's 8 inches away from the nearest group wide.

[Jman]

I use a very high quality hard cast black "MOLY-KOTE" bullet. Rudy Warren makes them. Called "Billy Bullets" http://www.billybullets.com/

Ten's of thousands shot in 45 ACP, 9mm (G17) and .40 S&W (G35). Zero issues. Just doing my part to lower demand on jacketed bullets. I'm here to

help.

Jim

[EmanP]

Well after 50 there's a noticable amount of leading going on. I took it up to almost 300 before cleaning it out completely. Guess that answers that.

[kevin c]

FWIW, my personal experience:

The 9mm BC bullets tumble out of my stock 17 and 34 barrels, but did't seem to gunk up the chamber. They would not tumble out of an aftermarket barrel (BarSTo), but caused a heavy build up in the chamber right at 12:00, where I assume the bullet nose was hitting as the round broke over. The buildup would cause rounds to jam before they chambered completely, usually at 50 to 75 rounds. Adjusting the OAL didn't help. Nor did getting some specially oversized bullets (358's vs 356's), as far as the tumbling issue goes.

9mm's from Precision worked fine in either bbl.

YMMV

edited for clarity

Edited March 8, 2010 by kevin c

[EmanP]

Accuracy wasn't good with the BC out of a G19 either.

[Del]

hopefully you didnt get a bunch of them-- since they are not that accurate in your Glocks.

At least you know they arent gunking up your barrel

[EmanP]

No, they are gunking it up pretty good. Only 450 more left.

[21 shooter]

I have shot the Bear Creek bullets for a few years now, with good results. I am using Winchester WSF powder, and have loads that run 975-1020 fps, with little or no leading, and accuracy is very good. For cleaning, I just run a few patches through and that usually takes care of what little there is in the barrel. As was mentioned earlier, many factors can affect/cause leading, plus some pistols will shoot well with one brand and not another. I hope their quality control has not fallen off.

[JohnGaultsGun]

I shoot thousands of BC each year. My overall take is that it is not that bad. I have had issues with powder combinations with BC bullets. For example, with my 9mm 125g RN, if I use TiteGroup, there is a very hard buildup that forms in the throat. After 100 rounds, I have to scrub the barrel with a brush and solvent otherwise my load wont chamber and the slide wont go into battery. If I use Universal Clays, problem goes away. I'm reminded of this problem because I still have about 2K left loaded with TiteGroup that I use only for practice.

Otherwise, 99.9% success rate.

[EmanP]

So what's a good solvent to get the lead out? Some of this stuff is stubborn and doesn't want to come out.

[cnote]

So what's a good solvent to get the lead out? Some of this stuff is stubborn and doesn't want to come out.

For Moly, per "precision bullet" website 50/50 vinegar/hydrogen peroxide will work

[EmanP]

How about just lead? Looks like it's caked in with lead.

[kevin c]

That mix is what people use for lead in the bore. I haven't tried it personally, but have read that it works well, but that you need to watch the time in the solution, and get it out afterwards because the chemicals can pit the bore. Some will actually run a baking soda solution through the barrel afterwards to neutralize the first solution.

[EmanP]

Thank you.

[Jman]

Blue Wonder and a nylon brush. Second to none IMO...

http://www.bluewonder.us/BlueWonderGunCleaner.html

...moly has no chance against this stuff.

Jim

[GForceLizard]

+1 on G17 with BBI 130gr LTC

[Dan Hefta]

I just started using BBI bullets with my G24, FYI a G24 is .40SW with a six inch barrel, I have had no signs of leading.

[JimmyZip]

So what's a good solvent to get the lead out? Some of this stuff is stubborn and doesn't want to come out.

For Moly, per "precision bullet" website 50/50 vinegar/hydrogen peroxide will work

I do this for 15 minutes only. Your barrel will come out looking like it was just machined. That should tell you to rinse it thoroughly and run some WD-40 through it to displace any water. I have had such good luck with this solvent that I shoot moly coated bullets without worry. I do notice though that I keep my guns cleaner because it is so easy to clean the barrel now.

If you leave the barrel in this I have heard that y ou can find the barrel looking like swiss cheese with the pitting and all.

[racine]

So what's a good solvent to get the lead out? Some of this stuff is stubborn and doesn't want to come out.

For Moly, per "precision bullet" website 50/50 vinegar/hydrogen peroxide will work

I liked the Precision Moly bullets but my biggest problem was their ability to supply me where I live so I moved back to the Bear Creek for now. I will comment this about Glock factory barrels or hexagonal/polygonal barrels; they tend to lead more even with moly coated lead bullets. This I've seen with all my 40 glock and 45 hk barrels. That recipe for vinegar/peroxide is caustic enough to etch your glock barrel(did so to two of my G35s and my HK45acp)so use care and only for 10" if at all. Going to the KKM G35 barrel has minimized any leading whatsoever. I've also read someone recommend that vinegar/peroxide solution for stainless barrels only so use caution. HTH...

Racine