Barrel Wear and Jacketed Bullets

[Pastprime]

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??

 

[OKFC05]

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

 

[JBnTx]

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??

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.

 

[TSQUARED]

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?

 

[BoDog]

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.

 

[Pastprime]

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....

 

[Culina]

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

 

[alwslate]

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.

 

[sixpointfive]

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.