Hard lesson on shooting lead in polygonal rifled barrel

[p246]

I went to the range yesterday. It was a wonderful 28 degrees with a brisk wind. Son in laws friend was there with several guns to include a Glock 17. I noticed he was shooting hard cast lead through it and asked what barrel he was running. He said the stock Glock barrel. Mention lead build up in polygonal barrels and if he insisted on doing that to completely clean barrel every 100 rds. Shortly after that I lost track of him as I was enjoying my own guns. I heard a lot of yelling and cursing and looked down to see him holding his hands with the 17 on the ground at his feet. Needless to say the 17 scattered itself and he ended up being okay. Here are a couple pics.
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/af257/p246/IMG_20131124_204630.jpg (http://s1013.photobucket.com/user/p246/media/IMG_20131124_204630.jpg.html)

[p246]

Here is other side
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/af257/p246/IMG_20131124_204649.jpg (http://s1013.photobucket.com/user/p246/media/IMG_20131124_204649.jpg.html)

[p246]

At first I thought barrel obstruction. Case head blew out where it was unsupported. Blew mag and broke mag release bar. Blew side of lower out and the trigger and extractor launched to. However when I looked in barrel it was caked with lead. It looked like a smooth bore from in front of chamber to middle of barrel. Slide can be pulled back and no sign of barrel bulge. I'm thinking over pressure from extremely lead fouled barrel unlocked gun before bullet left barrel.

Also he said the gun had not been cleaned for about 2000 rds.

[p246]

I'll have to take it to work tomorrow and beat it apart and see what else I can find. The young man is a good kid but he had to learn the hard way on this one. Lead on polygonal rifled barrels is asking for trouble. If you want to shoot lead out of a Glock spend 110.00 bucks on a lone wolf or similar standard rifled barrel.

[Tuna]

That's why Glock states not to use lead in their firearms. They even will void the warrantee if they find lead in one of their guns if returned to
them for any work. But those pictures are typical of a Glock failure from too much pressure. A hard lesson to learn for sure but at least he wasn't hurt by it.

[p246]

That's why Glock states not to use lead in their firearms. They even will void the warrantee if they find lead in one of their guns if returned to
them for any work. But those pictures are typical of a Glock failure from too much pressure. A hard lesson to learn for sure but at least he wasn't hurt by it.

We discussed that to after the fact. He's going to buy a new Gen 3 and stick with jackets reportedly. I'm not going to lie I've run lead through some of mine but keep it to a five mag limit then clean with a brusg wrapped in cooper strands. The leading was always minimal. Then I bought a lonewolf barrel and stopped worrying about it. Of course my 1911's, as long as bullt size was right, will eat lead all day.

[Matt Anthony]

I am happy that the young man was not hurt in a physical way and hope he learns from this issue. Glock states not to use lead in their style barrels, what's so hard to understand? Again, I have witnessed this before hundreds of thousands of times, and I never exaggerate! People refuse to read the instruction manual before using a product. I do not understand their thought process and do not understand why they think they are smarter than the people that built the object. They always know better, however it can bite you in the ass as it did with this young man. Also, if he was told by someone who knows not to use lead with that barrel and he shot it anyway, then he is a stupid jackass! People like him are dangerous to others not only to himself. He is a complete idiot! I hope he uses birth control for the sake of the nation!
Matt

[joem]

I shoot a lot of cast lead but I don't own a glock and don't intend to buy one either.

[p246]

I am happy that the young man was not hurt in a physical way and hope he learns from this issue. Glock states not to use lead in their style barrels, what's so hard to understand? Again, I have witnessed this before hundreds of thousands of times, and I never exaggerate! People refuse to read the instruction manual before using a product. I do not understand their thought process and do not understand why they think they are smarter than the people that built the object. They always know better, however it can bite you in the ass as it did with this young man. Also, if he was told by someone who knows not to use lead with that barrel and he shot it anyway, then he is a stupid jackass! People like him are dangerous to others not only to himself. He is a complete idiot! I hope he uses birth control for the sake of the nation!
Matt
Too late he just had a yungun...I attribute it to it can't happen to me.....I'm just old enough to have figured out time and life fix that issue.

[Matt Anthony]

Too late he just had a yungun...I attribute it to it can't happen to me.....I'm just old enough to have figured out time and life fix that issue.

LOL you are right, but as many have said before, "you can't fix stupid"! I have been in the diagnosis business for 45 years. In order to bring a machine back to where it is safe to operate, you must first find the problem. You can't throw parts at it, you must find out what happened to cause the failure. The majority of failures are either operator error, or a maintance issue. Were they trained properly to operate it and more important did they know the daily procedures for maintance! Did they read the operators manual? 99% don't! Most tell you they know everything about the machine but don't know jack and when questioned they appear what they are, jackass'!
Matt

[Hefights]

Thanks for posting this extremely valuable thread with photos. While it is a shame that it happened, it is fortunate the shooter and others were not injured. I own a Glock, and I have heard all of the talk and seen the internet banter, but this brings it home.

I only shoot FMJ bullets in mine, and I will keep it that way unless I get a Lone Wolf conventionally rifled barrel.

[p246]

I pulled it apart. The upper faired well only the extractor needs replaced. It took me an hour to clean the lead out of the barrel. The lower is a paperweight. Frame blown out. #1 pin magazine catch and slide stop broken in half. Locking block held but has an obvious dent where barrel lug hit it, trigge broke..take down bent...ah but the magazine still works:-)

[joem]

Now that guy can go buy a 1911a1 and shoot all the lead he wants.

[p246]

Lol... later after he blew his up I let him shoot my 1911 a 686 and 64 Smith....He liked the 1911 until I told him I had 1500 in it. He has several guns but it looks like 5 to 600 price range is his limit. I pointed him towards Rock Island but I don't think I converted him.

[joem]

He might look for a 1927 Colt sistema. Those I've seen look worn on the outside but are tight and good shooters.

[da gimp]

Glocks blow up even with jacketed & FMJ reloaded ammo, it's not just the lead bullets causing the blow ups...........it is the crude/cheap unsupported case head/chamber that is the problem.......... Buy a BarSto replacement barrel & you can shoot anything you want in a Glock................

[KeithNyst]

There is an interesting section in Wikipedia on polygonal rifling and a comment on Glocks with lead bullets here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonal_rifling

It reads: "One suggestion of what the "additional factor involved in Glock's warning" might be is that Glock barrels have a fairly sharp transition between the chamber and the rifling, and this area is prone to lead buildup if lead bullets are used. This buildup may result in failures to fully return to battery, allowing the gun to fire with the case not fully supported by the chamber, leading to a potentially dangerous case failure."

[p246]

There is an interesting section in Wikipedia on polygonal rifling and a comment on Glocks with lead bullets here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonal_rifling

It reads: "One suggestion of what the "additional factor involved in Glock's warning" might be is that Glock barrels have a fairly sharp transition between the chamber and the rifling, and this area is prone to lead buildup if lead bullets are used. This buildup may result in failures to fully return to battery, allowing the gun to fire with the case not fully supported by the chamber, leading to a potentially dangerous case failure."
Interesting read. As noted most leading was from in front of chamber about half way down barrel.

[PhillipM]

I am happy that the young man was not hurt in a physical way and hope he learns from this issue. Glock states not to use lead in their style barrels, what's so hard to understand? Again, I have witnessed this before hundreds of thousands of times, and I never exaggerate! People refuse to read the instruction manual before using a product. I do not understand their thought process and do not understand why they think they are smarter than the people that built the object. They always know better, however it can bite you in the ass as it did with this young man. Also, if he was told by someone who knows not to use lead with that barrel and he shot it anyway, then he is a stupid jackass! People like him are dangerous to others not only to himself. He is a complete idiot! I hope he uses birth control for the sake of the nation!
Matt

Glock's instruction manual also says NEVER carry the pistol with a round in the chamber and, along with most other manufacturers, state "do not use reloaded ammunition".

How many people follow the book on those two points?

[PhillipM]

Lol... later after he blew his up I let him shoot my 1911 a 686 and 64 Smith....He liked the 1911 until I told him I had 1500 in it. He has several guns but it looks like 5 to 600 price range is his limit. I pointed him towards Rock Island but I don't think I converted him.

1 glock 17 kaboomed $500
1 replacement glock 17 $500
1 barrel to shoot lead bullets $110

$1100. He saved a lot of money, didn't he?

[p246]

Glock's instruction manual also says NEVER carry the pistol with a round in the chamber and, along with most other manufacturers, state "do not use reloaded ammunition".

How many people follow the book on those two points?
I violate rule one at least 40 hours a week. They also say to use a nylon bore brush instead of wire which I find weird.

[Matt Anthony]

Glock's instruction manual also says NEVER carry the pistol with a round in the chamber and, along with most other manufacturers, state "do not use reloaded ammunition".

How many people follow the book on those two points?

If you read the material and you comprehend it, then you would know that Glock has a legal statement on how they want their products used. On the issue with "do not use reloaded ammunition", one must understand the liability laws along with what ammo Glock used when testing their product. If I manufactured a firearm, I too would have a "do not use reloaded ammo disclosure"!
Carrying a firearm with a loaded round in the chamber is common and no one is going to change that with any disclosure. I carry a S&W 38 spl. revolver with the exposed hammer in a shoulder holster. The weapon is on my person for protection and is the last resort on an assault
I don't expect to use 6 rounds, but also carry two speed loaders with an extra 12 rounds just in case. Remember, "one who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day"! I watch who is around me and there has been many times I was uncomfortable and removed myself and family from the area before something could happen.
If I carried a semi-auto, it would have one in the pipe!
Matt

[glockbox]

I USED to shoot lead through my Glock 26, I would clean it after every 50 rounds, that didn't seem to matter one day, it went ka-boom! It didn't break the frame but it did blow out the take down lever and left a nice powder burn across my trigger finger. I sold the pistol after that because I would flinch like crazy with it. Now I have a Glock 22 with a conversion barrel for 9mm with standard rifling.