Bird Shot Through a Rifled Revolver Barrel

[tmark]

Will firing bird shot through my .357 affect the rifling in the barrel?

[Allen]

I don't see where lead shot would hurt anything. Obviously you would need to run a brush through it afterward. We've all shot 22 shot through rifled bores with no problems. Steel shot I would say "don't".

[Vern Humphrey]

You might have some leading, but nothing that won't clean out.

[RED]

OK, question.

I had a registered H&R M -16A1 full auto with a 1/9 twist heavy barrel. I bought the first .22LR kit that was made some time in the late 70's or early 80's. It was amazing in dumping 25 rounds of .22LR in about 3 seconds!

The problem was with the twist. A .22LR, 10/22 for example has a 1/16 twist and the 1/9 lands and grooves on the 5.56 barrels would lead up and disappeared after 2 or 3, 25 magazines and you would have hours of cleaning to fix it!

I tried running 2 or 3, 5.56 rounds through the leaded barrels... and guess what, IT WORKED. Maybe that would work on the revolvers.

The question is, was I just lucky or is this the way to do it?

[Allen]

I tried running 2 or 3, 5.56 rounds through the leaded barrels... and guess what, IT WORKED. Maybe that would work on the revolvers.

The question is, was I just lucky or is this the way to do it?

It works but can be risky depending upon how much lead buildup and how powerful the cartridge.

I have an old Marlin 1892 with a 26" barrel. The bore is fouled with old black powder usage and no doubt, lead. Brushing and soaking with solvents only go so far. Shooting a modern round through it between brushing helped but I used the low powered 22 shorts to help prevent getting a barrel bulge. Of course the rounds fired had lead bullets too and not the copper jacketed rounds you mentioned so the soft lead was a little forgiving.

This is a "try and see" method that can't be recommended.

[Johnny P]

The incapsulated shot shoots better out of a handgun, and no worry about leading.

[Oyaji]

As a youngster about 10 or 12 yrs old or so, I remember going with an older brother into an apricot orchard and shooting crows and ground squirrels with birdshot using an old beat up .22 rifle. Can't say, as I've seen any rimfire birdshot since those days long ago. Is it still be produced by any of the ammo manufacturers? I have seen the stuff CCI makes for .38 and .44 special/magnum.

[Allen]

As a youngster about 10 or 12 yrs old or so, I remember going with an older brother into an apricot orchard and shooting crows and ground squirrels with birdshot using an old beat up .22 rifle. Can't say, as I've seen any rimfire birdshot since those days long ago. Is it still be produced by any of the ammo manufacturers? I have seen the stuff CCI makes for .38 and .44 special/magnum.

I bought some Winchester 22 shot before the Covid outbreak. Most all production went down because of Covid, lack of employee's, lack of demand. Things are returning back to norm but slow. Gun shops tell me they have no source yet for the shot cartridges.

Win made the brass crimped style. CCI made the shot with the plastic tip dome. I haven't seen any CCI in a long time.

To answer your question though, Win 22 shot was on the shelves up till 2020.