If you are doing high-volume training, there is a concern that the barrel will be affected by this softer material frangible ammo is made of. People are afraid the metal dust that arises from shooting off this ammo increases the need for more cleaning. However, it is also possible that the barrel is ruined faster than with the standard ammo. Some people may simply not like this option because of the additional hassle it provides.
However, whether or not frangible ammo is bad for the barrel is very scattered and inconclusive. Various users online will be telling you different things. In addition to that, various websites online point out that frangible ammo is rather expensive. The overall cost of shooting will depend more on the number of bullets you are going through.
In terms of protecting the barrel, you will likely be better off being sure that you are using minimally abrasive methods to do the cleaning.
Maybe you are using steel bristle bore brushes to do the cleaning against the barrel. What may be damaging the barrel is not the frangible ammo. Instead, it’s using a steel brush to scrub and clean the barrel instead of something slightly less abrasive. The more enthusiastic you are when cleaning out the barrel, the more worn out it will become.
Another important factor that you may want to consider and compare the two different ways of shooting. With traditional ammo versus this lighter stuff- is the overall cost associated with your hobby.
One of the examples that we found online was in a community where many people compared the various costs associated with different shooting options. The initial poster was concerned as to whether 2,000 rounds of frangible ammo would wear out the barrel or not.
The gas flame is essentially what will wear out the barrel. There is a concern that this type of ammo is lighter than the usual kind. The power produced has to be higher to create the necessary velocity to ensure the disintegration of the bullets. In other words, the gas flames needed to make the entire mechanism happen are more.
Over time, this additional gas and heat associated with this lighter ammo will impact the barrel’s accuracy. The high flame cutting that arises from this is substantially more than usual bullets. Where it starts becoming more relevant is the associated cost of this hobby.
Frangible ammo costs quite a bit, as many rounds will cost $2-3 per round. It means when you are shooting 2,000 rounds, that equates to $4,000-6,000 simply in ammunition. These bullets may have higher wear on the barrel than traditional ones do.
| Amount of bullets | Cost, $ |
| 100 | 250 |
| 500 | 1250 |
| 1000 | 2500 |
| 1500 | 3750 |
| 2000 | 5000 |
| 3000 | 7500 |
It’s more important to make sure that you compare apples to apples. The question does not become whether you are saving money by using a type of ammunition that is more or less abrasive on the barrel. Instead, it’s how the price of ammo compares to the cost you will incur when you change the barrel.
A barrel will cost you somewhere between $60 and $210 for most handgun barrels. It becomes obvious that the question is not whether or not there’s more wear on the barrel.
This type of ammunition will not be chosen based on its effect on the barrel. Rather, it’s chosen because of the other advantages over the alternatives. Would you rather be safe when you practice where ricocheting is a valid concern?
It’ll protect you from excessive lead exposure that could cause chronic side effects over the long term. Are you more concerned about the cost associated with this type of hobby? The choice is yours to make.
Is it best for training?
Suppose you are a person who likes to know that the ammo you have will have the level of penetration that you are expecting with traditional bullets. In that case, frangible ones may be ones you want to use for training purposes. It may be if you are forced to undergo training in places where you are likely to be hitting hard surfaces. The risk of ricocheting bullets is a serious concern there.
You at least have a valid option to ensure that you stay safe in the process. It can provide you with the necessary training to increase your proficiency. It will allow you to practice at those close ranges that would otherwise be problematic with normal ammo.
Target damage provided by these bullets
These bullets intend that they disintegrate when they hit their target. This isn’t necessarily the case with all of them. It will depend on the surface they are hitting and how they were manufactured. Bullets may be vaporized upon contact. There are many situations where the mechanism of bullet disintegration may mean that it is. Only part of the bullet is disintegrated.
Know that these bullets are at risk of disintegrating if not handled properly during the loading and firing mechanisms. This is why high-velocity loads often have a feature that non-high velocity loads don’t – non-frangible jackets. You will want the bullet to disintegrate when it hits what it should be hitting. A frangible jacket is used in certain situations.
There is a chance that the jacket ricochets. The chances of this jacket doing any damage are significantly lower than if the frangible core was preserved and was to rebound as well.
Will it kill a human being?
If you are hit by frangible ammo, it will kill you the way traditional ammo would. This type of bullet will still do a great amount of damage to soft tissue, whereas it will shatter when it hits a hard surface. Unless you are wearing armor, this type of ammunition can cause some severe damage to you as a human being.
