Do pistol shotshells damage barrels?

[Steelharp]

Got some CCI 9mm shotshells. Can they damage, say, an FNS barrel? Or any barrel?

[MacGyver]

It's still lead shot which is softer than the steel in your barrel.  You're not going to hurt it.

 

[MacGyver]

Not to mention that you won't shoot enough of them to matter.  Pattern them on a target and you'll see what I mean.

[Steelharp]

Mac, you rock. Thanks. Hope to see you again soon!

[RED333]

I load some up for 44 mag and 45 Colt, Mac is right, pattern them. Best I could do is 3 foot spread at 10 feet or so. Tell ya what they will dispatch a varmint up close. Had a few opossum after chickens and dog or cat food. I used a flash light to keep them still and at 4 feet did not worry about being chased after the shot.

Edited October 16, 2017 by RED333
Because I can.

[Steelharp]

Explain "pattern them," please.

[MP5_Rizzo]

Every shot down the barrel does damage in varying amounts depending on what the load is.  Like MacGyver  said, if they just have lead shot there will not be nearly as wear on the barrel than every time you send a FMJ down the pipe.

[Fourtyfive]

They rarely cycle a semi.

[Steelharp]

13 minutes ago, Fourtyfive said:

They rarely cycle a semi.

I figured it would become a single shot.

[RED333]

53 minutes ago, Steelharp said:

Explain "pattern them," please.

Hang up an old bed sheet, step out 10 or so feet, aim at center of sheet, Fire pistol at sheet and see where the holes are that are left by the pellets.  If you have a shotgun and bird hunt or shoot clays you need to know where most of the pellets hit. Now with a shotgun you can step back 30, 40, 50, 60 feet or more.

A pistol is rifled so it will in part spin on the load and will sling the pattern wider than a smooth bore.

[Steelharp]

Ah, ok. So you just see what kind of pattern it makes. There isn't some sort of physical alteration done to the firearm itself to change it.

[Garufa]

2 hours ago, Steelharp said:

Got some CCI 9mm shotshells. Can they damage, say, an FNS barrel? Or any barrel?

They won’t damage what your shooting at unless it’s just a few feet away.

[xsubsailor]

Not mine, but.........

 

[chances R]

Mine cycle every time in 9mm.  No damage expected.  Never heard of it in a judge have you ?

[1gewehr]

Most of the pistol caliber shotshells I've seen have some type of cup to contain the shot until it leaves the barrel.  So, it's only plastic touching the barrel, not lead.

[owejia]

Red333 have you tried 410 shotgun wads in the 45 Colt shotshell loads? Should help the pattern some.

[RED333]

No, my 45 Colt is a standard pistol. I do make a wad from card and plastic sheet.

[xsubsailor]

Speer does make shot shell capsules for .45.  I load my own for 38/357.

http://www.speer-bullets.com/products/components/empty_shot_capsules.aspx