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9mm plated bullet preferences
v35
Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
Any preference in 115gr plated bullet brands?
I spoiled a number of very soft flat based 9mm bullet reloads before discovering that removal of an O-ring would give cases a small flare, eliminating shaving.
The Lee disk measure works best for me in a turret press but the O ring isn't covered in the old instructions.
It's been many years since reloading 9mm when I used FMJ bullets with no need to flare or chamfer brass
I spoiled a number of very soft flat based 9mm bullet reloads before discovering that removal of an O-ring would give cases a small flare, eliminating shaving.
The Lee disk measure works best for me in a turret press but the O ring isn't covered in the old instructions.
It's been many years since reloading 9mm when I used FMJ bullets with no need to flare or chamfer brass
Comments
I'd like to avoid shaving and barrel leading.
Do you have a source for reasonable lead bullets? I tried Gunshop@twinvalley last night. Their ad showed a nice selection but they must have gone out of business.
I'd like to avoid shaving and barrel leading.
Leading is caused MOSTLY by improper sizing for the bore. Slug your barrel and buy a quality cast bullet (see the auction side) that is .001 over your bore diameter. I drive cast rifle bullets (wheel Weights) up to 2,000 FPS with no leading. Good lubes help too.
Some folks claim Laser Cast makes a good bullet.
FWIW I too found plated bullets to be very poor in the accuracy department.
Any preference in 115gr plated bullet brands?
I spoiled a number of very soft flat based 9mm bullet reloads before discovering that removal of an O-ring would give cases a small flare, eliminating shaving.
The Lee disk measure works best for me in a turret press but the O ring isn't covered in the old instructions.
It's been many years since reloading 9mm when I used FMJ bullets with no need to flare or chamfer brass
I have never been able to load any pistol or revolver bullets without flaring the casemouth. Whats the trick to that? And what o ring are you referring to?
The "O" ring was between the round knurled nut and the die body. Actually, it is the extra O-ring between the little hex funnel that you discard and die body that should have been removed.
The only brass I recall flaring was thin wall revolver brass when using soft cast bullets.
This latest batch of Ranier has sharp cornered bases that don't start without a flare.
I never flare rifle brass like 06, 223, 6.5 Swede 243 etc.
I replaced the 6-32 hopper attaching screws with 2" ss and threaded the brass nuts through, simplifying single and double disk use.
Older rectangular hoppers were drilled thru and tapped 6-32 for 2" studs
epoxied in. This eliminated wood screw threads and cracking.
It's been at least 10 years since I've handloaded and am just getting back into it.
CP
My old Herter die sets had separate expanding with flaring operation that I've gladly forgotten about.
I am even going from all lead bullets in 9x19, 9x21, and .38 Super to jacketed as the commercial lead bullets I have been buying over the last couple of years are now priced too close to these jacketed bullets for me NOT to go with the higher quality.
And there is still a LARGE price difference.
CP
Berry's
9mm 115gn P-RN: $84.58/1000
9mm 147gn P-RN: $99.74/1000
Rainier (from MidwayUSA)
9mm 115gn P-RN: $92.99/1000
9mm 147gn P-RNFP: $102.99/1000
Montana Gold
9mm 115gn FMJ: $105/1000 or $298/4000 (eq. to $74.50/1000)
9mm 147gn CMJ: $129/1000 or $313/3000 (eq. to $104.33/1000)
Precision Delta
9mm 115gn FMJ: $76/1000
9mm 147 FMJ or FMJ-FN: $95/1000
Zero Bullets (from Roze Distribution)
9mm 115gn FMJ: $101.40/1000 or $96.70/1000 for 2000+
9mm 147gn FMJ: $105.35/1000 or $100.65/1000 for 2000+
For me, the choice is easy: if not a cast bullet, then a REAL jacketed bullet and buy in bulk.
$71.80 per 1000.
CP
BulletWorks are cast (not part of my original "comment") and almost exactly the same cost as the bulk Montana Gold.
For Cast (which I have been shooting for decades), see:
Penn Bullets 120gn Truncated Cone for $65/1000
Boothill Bullets 122 L-TC for $57/1000
Precision Bullets EXCELLENT 125gn L-FP moly-kote for $70/1000
MasterCastBullets 125gn L-TCN for $48.21/1000
BulletWorks very interesting 130gn L-SWC for $64/1000
Dardas Bullets 122gn CFPBB for $52.75/1000
I just think that excellent jacketed bullets for $74.50-$76/1000 is bulk is too good a deal NOT to buy if I have the money. If someone is loading for full-auto, you need LOTS of good bullets. I love cast bullets, but with prices the way they are, plated just seems "stupid" and cast can't compete to me wit real jacketed at the "same" price.
You've removed some cost asumptions for me at least.
Plated bullets should be superior to cast if pricing is right because they're die swaged after plating to close dimensions, with casting irregularities and voids pressed out. It's interesting that to a shooter here, superior accuracy hasn't proven out.
Irregularities in cast bullets proved as far back as the Civil War, to be cause for inaccuracy compared to swaged bullets
though differences may not be as measurable out of handguns.
Nose pour molds supposedly produce the most accurate cast bullets as base defects are more critical than nose defects.
With wheelweights and other inexpensive sources of lead drying up for me, I see jacketed and commercial lead as my choices in the future.
If I had the money, I would buy 20k+ Montana Gold 124gn JHPs for all my 9mm and .38 Super needs.
For .40, .44, and .45, I will stick with cast bullets (either mine or commercial)
The manufacturing process was on the prints as described above.
Swaging following plating was to closely control dimensions.
These were furnished gratis as were Winchester jacketed, canalured bullets for new cartridge development in hopes of exclusive production contracts.
They were tested in front of pressures up to 75kpsi.
Jacketed bullets flew apart both inside and outside the pressure barrel at the higher pressures breaking my chronograph screen and were generally unsatisfactory for my application while plated bullets held together in one deformed piece.
On impact plated bullets held together better even at lower pressures in the 40-50kpst range.
Accuracy wasn't tested.
Forgot to mention the SAECO 925 (115gn SWC) and 924 (124gn SWC).
I have no idea how I forgot about these.