2nd Barrel for Lead?

C

CPTozzy

Inactive
I am a new private gun owner - Previous experience was in the Army.

I have a Glock 35 G4. So far I have only been punching holes in paper with FMJ target rounds, but I am interested in shooting some steel targets. I understand that Lead is recommended to reduce risk of richochet, and I have been told that I should buy an aftermarket barrel dedicated to Lead. WHY?

Thanks
 
Richocheting may be a problem when shooting steel plates, but the usual concern when shooting lead in a Glock is the barrel design. Polygonal barrels tend to "lead-up" more quickly than rifled barrels, and there can be some danger if too much lead has accumulated in the barrel. I've shot a lot of jacketed bullets when shooting steel plates and it never seemed to be a problem -- as it's still lead under that jacket -- the rounds deform. (Steel bullets against steel plates might be a bigger risk.)

Several acquaintances, one a pro who shoots competitively, tell me that with the proper lead (i.e., hard enough) and the bullet properly sized, there is no real problem with leading in a Glock barrel ... but check with someone who is already doing it, if you're going to handload.

(Years ago, when my son was going through BLET training -- he's now a State Trooper -- he used my Glock 17. His training program used lead rounds for their handgun training. We cleaned the barrel each night, saw a little bit of lead build up, cleaned it out, and kept going.)

If all of this seems like too much trouble, you can get an after-market RIFLED barrel. They're in the $100-$120 range. (I've had both a .40 and 9mm after-market barrel when I had a Glock 35; they shot well, and you could use the same mag for either caliber.)
 
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ricochet absolutely can be an issue when shooting fmj at close distances. usually it's fragments of the jacket that ricochet back, not the entire bullet, but still potentially dangerous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDPz4ODYsnw
ALOT of people shoot lead through Glock barrels w/o a worry in the world. As long as you keep your barrel clean btween outings, the lead will not build up to pressure-rising levels. if you are concerned, you can buy another barrel for pretty cheap, or use fragmenting ammo(pricier in the long-run). me, personally, would just shoot lead through the stock barrel and keep it clean
 
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I have a Glock 35 G4. So far I have only been punching holes in paper with FMJ target rounds, but I am interested in shooting some steel targets. I understand that Lead is recommended to reduce risk of richochet, and I have been told that I should buy an aftermarket barrel dedicated to Lead. WHY?
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use the search function. It's oft discussed. Glock warns against using cast lead bullets in their "polygonal rifled" barrels.

Lonewolf makes decent land-and-groove rifled barrels for the Glock, at a good price. Cheap peace of mind.
 
Both my wife and I shoot FMJ ammunition at a variety of steel targets. The key safety element is to have the target tilted slightly downward towards the ground.

If the ammunition is FMJ with a lead core, you will find that the bullet flattens out and the copper outer jacket will fragment. If you have the steel tilted downwards, the majority of the fragments are directed downward towards the ground.

The closest safe distance to a steel target is 15 yards with a .45 ACP or 9mm. If you use larger handgun calibers, you'll have to move back further.
 
You should always be concerned about ricochets.
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Agreed. However, taking proper precautions such as eye protection should mitigate the risk of injury. Personally, I would just shoot lead, but that's just me.
 
Shooting lead over plated is all about cost savings. I see lead and plated for the same prices almost. A second barrel is ~$175.

I think both options have similar riccoshet potential.

So, that is why I shoot plated for now.
 
Lead bullets can, indeed, cause steel targets to shoot back.
But the bullet generally flattens out.
It can definitely hurt, but it doesn't usually cut like a copper jacket shard will.
Like as been said, good target positioning can greatly reduce or even eliminate the ricochets.
And lead bullets in Glocks is doable.
 
FMJ's are softer than hard cast bullets, but both will go splat when they meet steel.

As others have said, angle the steel down and keep a safe distance. The most you'll get is some splatter.
 
Some ranges won't let you shoot lead bullets. Like buckhorn_cortez says, if the plate is slanted so the bottom is a bit farther away from the shooter from the top, the fragments will be forced mainly toward the ground.

Then, make certain the plates are not pitted. I was hit once in the shin by a bullet that flew back 25 yards after I hit a plate at an public range pitted by some rifle bullets. Nice bruise ... and I always look at the plates at shared ranges now.
 
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