True, pushing wad cutters hard usually does not end well. We have not settles on a bullet style guess i presumed round nose.I am thinking more along the lines of my swaged HBWCs
So I contacted faxon firearms, who make barrels among other things.
Except Aluminum, all of the metals work harden some.
Heat is the major factor, but metal on metal friction is a factor. Lead can wear steel just like water can wear a rock.Barrels are made of steel.
Bullets are made of ...something softer than steel...
When a harder material is rubs on a softer one, the softer one is what wears.
IT isn't the BULLETS that wear out the barrel, it is the heat/pressure of firing.
The higher the intensity of the firing, the greater the effect (more rapid= wear per round count).
A rifle barrel used entirely in slow fire will last X,000 rounds before wear begins to affect its performance. An identical barrel firing the same ammuntion, used for rapid fire, will not last as many rounds before wear has an effect. It's the HEAT and Pressure of the gas, "cutting" the steel.
The same process is at work with handgun barrels. Its just generally "slower" due to lower temps and pressures.
Under lab conditions, I'm sure you could run a test, and find a measurable difference between two barrels shooting the same load one with jacketed and one with plated bullets. Now, the question is, is that difference going to be something significant, or just a difference in numbers on paper?
For example, if the jacketed bullet barrel is judged worn out at 8,637 rounds and the plated bullet test barrel takes 9,210 to reach the same point, does that matter from a practical standpoint? (numbers for illustration only)
The other point to consider is, how well will your test barrels reflect/represent the actual in use barrels of other guns??
I think the point of just shoot what works best and buy a new barrel if need be is the way to go.
Lead can wear steel just like water can wear a rock.
Not doubting them. I will just make the side note that in my years in the court room, I encountered quite a few court recognized legal experts who were dumb as a brick and flat wrong. Arson investigators being the worst. In DNA early days, expert testimony in it was 100% wrong based on what we now know today, especially in areas of how it can and supposedly could not be transferred.When you have a barrel maker that is a member, posting, and is also a court sanctioned ballistics expert. I'm so hurt. (sarcasm)
All I can tell you about Aluminum is I hate welding it. Its ability to "sink" heat is unbelievable.I should have expected someone to go read an internet article about Aluminum. Bending Aluminum past the elastic range (which is small) is not classical work hardening. Aluminum, unlike most metals, has a strain curve that is based on the number of cycles, at any level. Work hardening increases the surface hardness leaving the base subsurface material ductile...and Aluminum does not do that. Classical work hardening occurs when the material has not been pushed into the plastic range.
4Amp says a rifle barrel used entirely in slow fire will last X,000 rounds before wear begins to affect its performance.
I'm not aware of any 26 or 28 caliber magnum lasting more than 900 rounds in long-range matches, My 264 Win Mag lasted 640, two 30 caliber magnums went 900. All slow fire.
For hitting human torso size target, that's quite adequate. I thought snipers in combat hardly have chance to do follow-up shots, as the target would run or hide. It turns out they mostly freeze in confusion.USA sniper rifle accuracy specifications aren't as small as most folks think. In 1971, I asked Carlos Hathcock what his 30-06 Winchester 70 had at 600 yards with the M72 match ammo he used. 10 to 12 inches was his reply.