Lead, SJ or FMJ in older Smiths?

[Steve in Vermont]

Half my guns (all .38 & .357 S&W revolvers) date to the 60's, the remainder are recent purchases. Last evening a friend was looking at my collection as well as my reloading set up (He shoots only Glocks but we're still friends). He noticed I was making up some 125 gr Remington sjhp and had some 130 gr FMJ as well. It was his opinion I should shoot only lead in the older guns as they were not designed for jacketed bullets. He also said something about barrel wear. It's my opinion there's not a problem, especially since I don't load for +P. We both researched this and found some evidence supporting both positions. Although I believe I'm correct I'm open to other views (I've shot his Glocks and I'm not open to purchasing one).

 

[NKJ nut]

A revolver from the 1960's will be fine with jacketed bullets. However I wouldn't use them in older S&W revolvers such as my 1930's vintage M&P.

 

[chief38]

First off, the .38 special revolvers were originally designed for lead 158 grain round nose bullets. They will usually be the most accurate with that load. POA = POI.

If you are using jacketed bullets for self defense (like the Speer 135 gr. Gold Dot) a few rounds of the stuff will do no harm at all - even in older guns. Since they are expensive to plink with, I doubt you will be firing them that often anyway.

Copper jackets slow down the bullet because they are not as slick as lead, and because they have more resistance in the barrel, they will cause slightly more wear than lead. Again, you would have to fire thousands of them to see any appreciable difference.

Since I retired a few years ago, I have done some extensive testing with .38 special bullets. I have found that for general purpose plinking, target shooting and varmint control, a plain old 158 grain RNL bullets works the best, is the most accurate, causes the least amount of leading, and is one of the most cost effective bullets you can shoot out of a 38/37 revolver.

For self defense I like the Buffalo Bore HEAVY +P LSWCHP-GC 158 grain and in older revolvers the BB NON +P 158 grain LSWCHP is GREAT! The Speer 135 grain JHP +P also works very well, although a bit light in the penetration dept. (IMHO).

Light weight bullets usually shoot low out of a 38/357, and lack the penetration I personally like to see in defense ammo. For punching holes in paper or ringing steel plates, I personally see no reason at all to shoot copper jacketed bullets.

Chief38

 

[Pisgah]

You will wear out the action long, long before you have any appreciable bore wear from firing jacketed ammo -- even though, certainly in theory, lead is easier on the bore.

 

[venomballistics]

in the 60's they built guns like modern ones, just without the plastic.
the 1903 springfield represents the era where we pretty much hammered out the metallurgy for modern weapons. Its lessons are still in use today.

 

[Steve C]

Guns from the major companies manufactured after WWII are not "old" and shooting jacketed bullets will do no more damage or excessive wear to them than one you would buy today as long as they are in good mechanical condition. Guns are mechanical devices that wear with use, enough use and they wear out. A 50year old pistol may have more rounds down the barrel than a newer one but they won't wear out with fewer total rounds than one made this year as long as they were maintained well.

Being softer, lead bullets wear on the barrel less but you need many thousand jacketed bullets to wear out a barrel. You are more likely to wear out a gun mechanism by simply using it. Heavy loads can accelerate wear so keep to factory levels in your hand loads and don't push for extra high velocities. Slow powders produce flame cutting and barrel erosion, esp with light bullets and lots of powder.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

Since I retired a few years ago, I have done some extensive testing with .38 special bullets. I have found that for general purpose plinking, target shooting and varmint control, a plain old 158 grain RNL bullets works the best, is the most accurate, causes the least amount of leading, and is one of the most cost effective bullets you can shoot out of a 38/37 revolver.

Chief38

Thanks Chief, on your recommendation I ordered (and had delivered just an hour ago) 3 boxes of Hornady 158 gr LRN. I'll load them up this week and give them a try.