polymer coated lead SWC in 9mm for Glock?

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Shadow9mm

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Ok, I am trying to figure out if a 125g polymer coated lead SWC, 18BHN, will function well in my gun. It is a 5th gen with a cut barrel, not polygonal, so it should grab the rifling fine, I was just not sure how well SWC's would cycle in a semi auto.

backstory, I have been reloading for over 12yrs, 9mm, 45acp, 223, 30-06. I have only used copper jacketed or plated bullets with 1 exception. I tried some non coated 230g lubed lead bullets for my 45acp over 10yrs back with terrible results. No idea on the hardness. I had major problems trying to seat the bullets, even after flaring the case mouth. I kept mangling the bullets, shaving off pieces of lead on the case and leaving dents or rings on the bullets. I also got my dies stuck a couple times when lead shavings got inside. Needless to say I stuck to jacketed and plated bullets after that.

Currently with there being a shortage I have to take what I can find and am trying to decide whether to mess with lead in general and specifically these lead SWC bullets I found, or if I should save my money and wait until I can find some of what I normally use.
 
You can make lead shoot fine in the lower pressure 45 Auto. It should be possible to do at 9mm pressures but expect it to be more challenging. The two main tricks are to get a stepped flare in the case so you can set the bullet upright in the case mouth so it starts straight into the case, and to seat the bullets out so they touch the throat before the case mouth touches the end of the chamber and before the rim reaches the extractor hook. In some guns that is pretty long and can cause some magazines to fail to feed, but man does it do wonders for accuracy and to stop leading.
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For the mouth flare, the polished TiN-coated Redding die is expensive but excellent, as it leaves the brass smooth and not prone to scraping anything. This photo shows the step forming portion below the flare portion. If you get tired of seeing the slight bulge where the bullet base is located, this is your tool. It will come as close to evening them out as the neck thickness uniformity allows.
 
Coated lead is fine in 9mm, I use it regularly.
The question is whether your Glock will feed a semiwadcutter.
In happier times, you could buy a small trial box to see, but I don't know if anybody is now. MBC is not.
 
Jim Watson said:
Coated lead is fine in 9mm, I use it regularly.
The question is whether your Glock will feed a semiwadcutter.
In happier times, you could buy a small trial box to see, but I don't know if anybody is now. MBC is not.
Click to expand...
Thats the problem, I'm looking at 500rnd minimums, around 45-50 shipped. I wish I could just buy 100 to try...
 
Shadow9mm said:
Thats the problem, I'm looking at 500rnd minimums, around 45-50 shipped. I wish I could just buy 100 to try...
Click to expand...
With the current shortages, you should have no trouble reselling them if they don't work out for your gun.

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The problem with lead in Glocks was due to a few people who didn't check their barrels for leading and fired until there was not rifling visible and they had "problems."
If one checks their barrel after 25 rounds for leading, one knows if things are OK. Check again at 100 rounds or when you get home, which ever is less, for leading.
A hard alloy often needs to be even larger than a soft alloy as it will not expand at pistol pressures. A hard alloy is NOT needed for any pistol up to and including .44 Rem Mag.
In fact, hard alloys often lead worse than soft alloys.
 
noylj said:
The problem with lead in Glocks was due to a few people who didn't check their barrels for leading and fired until there was not rifling visible and they had "problems."
If one checks their barrel after 25 rounds for leading, one knows if things are OK. Check again at 100 rounds or when you get home, which ever is less, for leading.
A hard alloy often needs to be even larger than a soft alloy as it will not expand at pistol pressures. A hard alloy is NOT needed for any pistol up to and including .44 Rem Mag.
In fact, hard alloys often lead worse than soft alloys.
Click to expand...
I'm still learning about the alloys, but they are listing the 9mm bullets at 18 BHN, and it has a polymer coating so leading it not supposed to be an issue. I'm still learning about BHN but from what I understand pure lead is around 4, and hard cast is generally between 11 and 30, according to buffalo bore
 
Why not just order the round nose or the cone bullets if you're worried about feed issues?
(assuming you're ordering from Missouri Bullet)
Your Glock will have no problem with coated bullets, you just have the 5th gen issue with the short leade.
I had to seat the Missouri 125 SWC deep in the case for my Kimber, forcing me to reduce the powder charge.
The Missouri cone or round nose will give you a more normal seating depth.
I just ordered 500 more of their 124 grain 'small ball' bullets, a sure feeder in any gun.
 
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