Ammunition & Hand Loading > Cartridge and Shotshell reloading
Bullet Brands for pistol shooting...
shooter:
even tho the bullets are plated or coated. they may be to soft. not letting them hold in the rifling. only other thing I can think of that would cause tumbling
noylj:
The 125gn Zeros are 2 mils cheaper per bullet than Montana Gold.
Case expansion is done with the expander die. It opens up the ID of the case, hopefully to within 0.001-0.002" of the bullet diameter. It also flares the case mouth. Some people just use an "expander" that ONLY flares the case mouth. This can work fine with jacketed (and, I assume, heavy plated bullets), but can wreck lead or thin plated bullets.
In general, if you seat a bullet and then pull it, you will find that the case ID will now be about 0.001" smaller than the bullet OD. If the bullet is soft, compared to copper (i.e., lead or thin plating), the bullet will generally be swaged down.
Every one always talks about the "soft" bullet being stripped from the rifling, but commercial bullets are no where near that soft (even swaged bullets). I have had great success with 10-12 BHN in 9x19 and not had any leading--once I got the diameter up high enough.
From your statement:
>coated-lead bullets both smoke a lot more and leave significant lead residue in barrels
I thought you were actually writing about standard lead bullets and had had a leading issue also. Even if you were really writing about coated lead bullets, my suggestions still are applicable.
Sorry if I mis-interpreted.
I was just trying to help you find a cheaper alternative and felt that if you solved your lead bullet issue you might try them.
I have ordered as-cast (unsized) lead bullets (saving more money) and applied a tumble lube of White Lab 45/45/10 ( http://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=31 ), and never noticed any smoke or leading. Just like my own cast bullets, I have found as-cast (unsized) is generally more accurate than sized bullets and, unless the mold is really over-sized, work just fine in all my pistols.
JTH:
--- Quote from: noylj on February 01, 2016, 03:13:33 AM ---The 125gn Zeros are 2 mils cheaper per bullet than Montana Gold.
--- End quote ---
True. The savings of $6 per 3750 just wasn't enough for me to really think about it. (And Zeros used to be more expensive than Montana Gold. Wonder when that changed?)
--- Quote ---Case expansion is done with the expander die. It opens up the ID of the case, hopefully to within 0.001-0.002" of the bullet diameter. It also flares the case mouth. Some people just use an "expander" that ONLY flares the case mouth. This can work fine with jacketed (and, I assume, heavy plated bullets), but can wreck lead or thin plated bullets.
In general, if you seat a bullet and then pull it, you will find that the case ID will now be about 0.001" smaller than the bullet OD. If the bullet is soft, compared to copper (i.e., lead or thin plating), the bullet will generally be swaged down.
--- End quote ---
Ah. Thought you meant doing something else, which I didn't understand.
I use standard Dillon dies, which include the expander mandrel as normal. Unless my expander die has changed significantly (read: broken) it is still expanding the case while providing bell to the case mouth. It literally is something I can't help but do on my reloading setup, if I want the case mouth to be belled at all.
--- Quote ---Every one always talks about the "soft" bullet being stripped from the rifling, but commercial bullets are no where near that soft (even swaged bullets). I have had great success with 10-12 BHN in 9x19 and not had any leading--once I got the diameter up high enough.
--- End quote ---
It seems unlikely to me that this lot of bullets is softer than their other lots, but it is certainly possible.
What's REALLY odd to me is that I have used this same reloading setup with some 115 gr Xtreme bullets for light calibration ammo purposes---and didn't have ANY problems like this. And I've used this setup (obviously with a powder amount difference) to load their 147s, too, so I don't get it!
--- Quote ---From your statement:
>coated-lead bullets both smoke a lot more and leave significant lead residue in barrels
I thought you were actually writing about standard lead bullets and had had a leading issue also. Even if you were really writing about coated lead bullets, my suggestions still are applicable.
Sorry if I mis-interpreted.
--- End quote ---
Ah. I put that in there because stereotypically, lead bullets (even some coated lead bullets) do exactly that. Later in my commentary, I talked about the fact that I had observed no smoke or leading in the barrel, however, and I had been looking for it.
--- Quote ---I was just trying to help you find a cheaper alternative and felt that if you solved your lead bullet issue you might try them.
I have ordered as-cast (unsized) lead bullets (saving more money) and applied a tumble lube of White Lab 45/45/10 ( http://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=31 ), and never noticed any smoke or leading. Just like my own cast bullets, I have found as-cast (unsized) is generally more accurate than sized bullets and, unless the mold is really over-sized, work just fine in all my pistols.
--- End quote ---
Interesting. One of these days I'm going to try my hand at casting my own, simply because I think that is an interesting skill that may be useful at some time. At the moment, though, I just don't have time! So I cheat and buy bullets from other people. :)
So far, the coated Blue Bullets are working remarkably well---measurably better than the Montana Gold, actually. I'm still checking variations and need more tests at distance, but it really looks like the BB will be a significantly cheaper alternative to MG with no actual downside.
PC13:
Thomas, I reload with Precision Delta bullets and do not see them mentioned here. I've found them to be very consistent, accurate and priced very well. Currently $88/1000 ($1980 for 22,500) shipped and they are jacketed bullets. https://precisiondelta.com/index.php/products/bullet/9mm/bullets-9mm-124-fmj.html
I'm in no way affiliated, just find them to be good quality (like MG) for a good price.
JTH:
--- Quote from: PC13 on February 01, 2016, 07:39:43 AM ---Thomas, I reload with Precision Delta bullets and do not see them mentioned here. I've found them to be very consistent, accurate and priced very well. Currently $88/1000 ($1980 for 22,500) shipped and they are jacketed bullets. https://precisiondelta.com/index.php/products/bullet/9mm/bullets-9mm-124-fmj.html
--- End quote ---
I've heard good things about Precision Delta--I know a couple of folks who like them. At the moment, though, I'm really hoping the BBs work, given the cost of $1610 for 25,200 bullets. :)
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