Unfortunately they weren't "Hot" loads when I started out, using Laser Cast bullets that were .0005" over bore dia. and book standard 9mm loading data. As I was firing the recoil got progressively higher and the leading got worse and worse. The rifle loads were worse, I quit after only 10 rounds the last try, the primers stayed in the cases, only because of the rifle design, but the pockets were nasty and the cases were useless.
I finally gave up for pistol when the primers were ejected at the same time the case was leaving the pistol. I was a great deal newer to reloading then, I still wonder why I still have all ten fingers.
I think there is a fine line between bullet to rifling fit and depth of rifling. Pope rifling was shallow but has great gripping surface, with multiple grooves with semi-rounded corners in them, this is still one of the best rifling styles.
Look at the 1950 and 1917 Smiths, these pistols have shallow rifling in comparison to the model 25's, and perform their best work with jacketed bullets as lead at any respectable velocity generally tends to strip out in the rifling.
Technically Micro-groove barrels should perform phenominally with lead, but most of the time this isn't the case. This is why Marlin brought back Ballard rifling in the Classic series and later the Cowboy guns.
I have always loaded for Auto's that have the poly rifling, H&K & Glock, and have found that even when I use hard cast, even water quenched bullets I get stripping of the lead when the velocity gets up to where the action will work.
My last Model 21 had an extra barrel fitted to it, a Wilson Combat with conventional rifling. The same ammo fired in each would leave a slight lead trace in the corners of the grooves right in front of the chamber and no other leading. Meanwhile the Glock barrel would lead heavily for 1-1.25" in front of the chamber and pressure signs were quick in coming, somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 rounds. This is with Laser Cast bullets again, 200gr moving at 900fps. This happened with my H&K also, although not as bad and the Gold Cup I still shoot doesn't lead at all with the same load.
I'd like to find out just how to make the cast bullets work in a Glock and such, without risking hand and weapon, but I still am leery of using lead at this time.
There is no ready available source for Beartooth Bullets around here, so I may have to order some and try them.
I'm no expert at reloading, only been doing it for 15 years now so I'm a relative beginner, but I have made my share of mistakes and try and not let others make the same ones or worse.