I'm working up some loads for a 19-2. A couple of the jacketed bullets are very accurate. Equal to or better than the cast lead bullets I have.

For years I have "heard" that jacketed bullets will wear out a barrel faster than lead. Is this really true? Or will shooting a couple thousand jacketed bullets in my revolver a year just wear out my wallet sooner??

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SWCA # 2894
NRA Life Member

At 2 thousand jacketed a year, you have at least another 40 years to go....

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Science plus Art

If jacketed bullets do wear out a barrel faster, it's a moot point because you're probably never going to shoot enough to wear out a barrel.

If you have enough money to shoot enough ammo to wear out a barrel, then buying a new barrel or new gun shouldn't be much of a financial concern.

I'm trying to wear out all my guns.

With high power rifle one would expereince throat erosion especially with the hyped up calibers. I have shot more than 10,000 rounds of jacketed bullets throuh my S&W 627PC and do not see an issue. There is no doubt that the somewhat harder bullet jacket will wear the bore more than plain lead bullets - the question is how many lifetimes does one have to wear out the bore?

When I was doing a lot of varmint shooting I burned out two barrels only took about 20 years of very hot loads. I have an M-1-A match rifle with over 4000 rounds through it , with scope mounted will do moa.
Lead bullits do generally have a lower friction coeficient or so they say Now ask yourself do you want your son or great grandson to finish wearing out the barrel.

Thanks for the replies....I'll do more load testing with more jacketed bullets. Funny how an idea sticks in an old man's head....

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SWCA # 2894
NRA Life Member

I wouldn't worry about it unless you plan on putting more than 50,000 rounds through it, the trick is to buy more guns to disperse the usage

S&W used to include a warning with their revolvers that jacketed
bullets would wear out a barrel much quicker than lead bullets. I think
it was Elmer Keith that said in his writings that 5,000 rds of hardball
would wear out a .45 acp barrel. Lyman manuals have always stated
that cast bullets are much easier on a revolver barrel than jacketed
bullets. I do believe this to be true.

Lead is softer than copper. I shoot of thousands of rounds thru my revolvers each year. Casting bullets is easy and fun and almost free (if you have a good lead source) I get wheel weights from tire shops.