Depth of rifling in handgun barrel

[toallmy]

My Google fu is not that strong but I haven't ran into much in the archives on the subject of ( depth of rifling ) in handguns . It seems my favorite 45 acp has shallow rifling and does it's best with harder boolits , this shouldn't be a problem as I cast my own - but my preferred mix is 50/50 + tin they just seem to hold together better during impact over straight coww's . I'm not really interested in ordering a harder alloy to cast for one particular handgun / but I have considered having a new barrel installed .

Any thoughts on this subject
I'm sure many members have looked through more barrels over the years then I have .

[AndyC]

I have a couple of the Kuhnhausen 1911 books - Vol 2 states:

1911A1 NM Barrel
Lands dia: .4410" +.0015"
Groove dia: .450" +.002"

I believe the numbers after the + signs are to indicate tolerances, but if we take the difference between the first 2 numbers we get 9-thou' and divided by 2 we get a land-height of 4.5-thou'

[gwpercle]

Colt Gold Cup
AMT Hardballer
Star model PS (Star's 1911 )
Old WWII G.I. 1911A1
All of the above, + a 45 acp Revolver, have shot 45 acp cast from 50-50 COWW and scrap soft Lead .
I'm going to say accuracy was just as good , if not better than straight COWW.
After starting to use the 50-50 mix I liked it better and have stayed with it in 45 acp , I usually load 200 gr. cast boolits in the TC or SWC persuasion .

My results indicate a new barrel is not required for the 50-50 blend . I shot the G.I. 1911A1 in a service pistol match w/ 200 gr. cast SWC , sized .452 , 50-50 mix 5.2 grs. Unique ... and Won a First Place Trophy !!!
Try your existing barrel first ... it just may surprise you !
Gary

[samari46]

Haven't shot it yet but have a Brazilian 1937 contract revolver. Looks just like the model of 1917 that S&W and Colt made for WWI. Shallow rifling as basically they were made for the 230 grain jacketed bullets. One of these days will slug it and see what it is telling me. And have a NOS S&W M1917 45acp barrel to swap out.
Frank

[toallmy]

This 1911 is a Colt combat commander I haven't slugged the barrel to get measurements but I think I will now .
Happy Thanksgiving