Lead in an H&K USP

[kelbro]

Anybody shooting lead in an H&K USP? Shot lots of jacketed with good results. Shoot lead in most every other pistol but never tried it in the USP. I have a 200gr SWC and 230gr RN mold on the way and was wondering how these polygonal barrels perform with lead.

Straight wheelweights or is a 50% WW/50% Pb alloy hard enough?

 

[7even6ix2wo]

Tried it before with terrible results, horrible leading. The mixture may have been a bit off though. I have heard never to shoot lead out of a polygonal barrel.

 

[Master Blaster]

Penn Bullets 200 LSWC coated with Lee liquid alox and allowed to dry, 4.5 grains of bullseye powder and a WLP, seems to work fine in my USP elite and My USP compact.
No leading problems.

Proper lube,proper velocity not too fast, and proper sizing will give you good results.

JMHO YMMV

 

[Trent]

Lead in a USP? Don't do it!

Some people shoot lead in non-rifled barrels - I used to in a USP 45 tactical. If you're making your own bullets, can control the hardness and process, you might be fine. If you're buying bulk lead bullets somewhere, you can NOT.

The problem is leading can build up FAST in these guns since bullets are "resized" to fit the polygonal barrel as they enter it. First, a little lead accumulates, then a LOT starts accumulating, then a WHOLE LOT... and so on, as the throat begins to constrict from lead build up.

I stopped shooting lead in an H&K mainly because of the royal holy terror it became to clean the barrel. But, I also started finding bulged cases and cratered primers in my brass from lead loads. That means pressure was spiking very high due to constriction in the barrel. I was X rounds away from a kaboom. Don't know what X is, but I'm sure it wasn't a very big number.

 

[kelbro]

Quick update. Loaded 50 rounds. 25 rounds of 200gr SWC and 25 of 230gr RN. Cast with 50/50 WW/Pb + 2% tin. Oven heat treated. Lubed with the Recluse formula (45% Alox, 45% Johnson Paste wax, and 10% mineral spirits). Load was 5.5gr HP38. Very accurate. Brass all landed in a neat little pile. Saw a tiny bit of fouling at the leade. Boresnake took it out in one pass. No leading.

Couple of more tests planned. Next I will shoot 100 rounds of the same and check again. The next test will be with the same bullets, same alloy, but not heat-treated. Also plan to try straight wheelweights.

 

[Sin City Shootist]

I run lead through my factory glock barrels all the time. No leading problems at all. I also use the same lube combination as Kelbro, just make sure it has dried for a few days to avoid any sticky mess.

 

[Master Blaster]

Today I shot 100 rounds of a 200 LSWC Penn Bullet, over 5.4 grains of Trailboss powder with a WLP, in my HK USP Compact. There was minimal lead fouling when I cleaned the barrel and the accuracy was excellent. My Glock 30 will shoot the bullseye powder load but prefers 5.2 grains. The Trailboss load doesn't have enough umph to cycle the Glock reliably. Minimal leading in the Glock barrel also.