accu9 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 First off let me say that I love E3 (well, now I'm not so sure). My CZC Accushadow has about 12,000 rounds down the pipe. Exclusively my reloads with solely coated and plated bullets .356 diameter. 10,000 have been with N320 and the last 2k have been with E3: 3.1gr E3 and 147's for 132PF to be exact. I have never noticed anything odd with N320 during my normal cleaning sessions every 1,000 rounds. I was cleaning my gun last night and noticed the first half inch of the rifling post chamber is now worn almost completely smooth!!! My 5 other CZ's don't exhibit this type of wear nor do any of my other high rounds count competition guns (none have seen E3 though). I have never heard of N320 causing this, plus I'm using soft bullets- No .358 jacketed bullets here. Upon searching I found another member who burned 7 pounds of E3 and noticed the same type of wear in his STI limited gun (40 major) albeit much worse. He believed it was E3, so he switched to WST and has never had the problem again. QUESTION: Has anyone else noticed accelerated barrel wear that miraculously appeared once they burned at pound + of Alliant E3?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave33 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 I have run probably a pound and a half of e3 through different guns, but have run lots of other powders as well and dont see any type of barrel wear on anything. Unless e3 has some type of additive in it that makes the residue harmful to barrels I cant see how it would harm them. Its a shotgun powder, if it is harmful to steel barrels wouldnt shot gunners be complaining about erosion? Im curious to find out more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accu9 Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 Yep, this has me completely puzzled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZackJones Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 My son and I have gone through 16 pounds of e3 in various Glocks and M&P's and I've never noticed an issue. I just picked up a used Glock 34 that I'll be shooting a bunch of e3 through so I'll keep a lookout for this problem in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowenbuilt Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) I am on my 8th, 4lb jug of e3 and I have shot every bullet you can lay hands on using it in major, minor and steel, 9mm, .40, .44 Spl, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .38 Spl and .380. I have shot a dump truck load of coated bullets using e3 and since the first post I have checked all of my barrels for damage using a bore scope. I did find some erosion but not from e3. Winchester LPP eroded the hell out of the breech face of my Gann Custom but no damage to any of my barrels using e3. I am not saying it can't happen, it just has not happened yet to any of mine. Since e3 is not a violent, hot or spikey powder with a relatively fast burn rate unlike Lil Gun which WILL remove rifling and forcing cones I cannot imagine it being harmful to barrels I hope you find your problem and if it turns out to actually be from e3 please let us know. Edited August 5, 2015 by bowenbuilt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic2377 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Are you sure the wear isn't due to other factors? Some coatings are actually hard on barrels, even compared to jacketed bullets. I have heard of this occurring in other calibers with coatings not specifically intended for bullets. Unfortunately I have not used an E3, have only burned Bullseye and N340 through my Glock. I was thinking of picking some E3 up, I am now waiting to hear what the conclusion is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_striker Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 What's your process for cleaning your barrel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accu9 Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) The wear could certainly be due to other factors but the only X Factor used in this gun vs any of my other high round count competition pistols is Alliant E3. My other production, single stack, limited and open guns have probably 2x as many rounds down the pipe, many with jacketed bullets and show no odd barrel wear.The coated bullets I'm referring to use the ubiquitous J&M HI-TEK coating that Bayou and countless others use.My process for cleaning the barrels is quick and gentle. I spray them down with Ballistol and then run a Boresnake through them once, sometimes twice. I'm not scrubbing with battery acid and a steel brush. Edited August 6, 2015 by accu9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfalcon00 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Hmm interesting. I too would love to know if this is a problem. I read quite a few different forums (too much free time a work) and this is the first I've heard of this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ActionJackson Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Have you verified, such as by using a metal pick, that the rifling is not being hidden by lead deposits? I have seen that happen before. Ballistol and a Boresnake may not disturb any lead deposits enough for you to notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accu9 Posted August 20, 2015 Author Share Posted August 20, 2015 Have you verified, such as by using a metal pick, that the rifling is not being hidden by lead deposits? I have seen that happen before. Ballistol and a Boresnake may not disturb any lead deposits enough for you to notice. Yes, the barrel is squeaky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC27 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 "my normal cleaning sessions every 1,000 rounds." Seems like this would result in a lot of crud srubbing your barrel and could have something to do with your wear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDescribe Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Um... a photograph might help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Over 30K through my KKM barrel in my M&P and about 15K through a factory barrel. No wear at all. I shoot 124 Xtremes at about 1050 fps mostly. A few Xtreme 115s and 135s that are loaded a little hotter. I have 3K through a KelTec Sub2000 with E3 as the powder, no issues there. Maybe 4K each of .40 and ,45 and no issues there either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accu9 Posted August 21, 2015 Author Share Posted August 21, 2015 I will try and get a photo (barrels are not the easiest) once I'm back from the match this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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