Bayou Bullets 9mm 124g RN - new profile

[elpac3]

Had some of the Bayou bullets 124g RN in 9mm I was going to work up a load for the PCC. Had about 100 on hand. Had a load that shot less than par. Have been shooting Berry 124 plated with good success but looking for an alternative supplier. Bayou filled the bill with a lower cost.

The load I was working with mirrored the Berry load, seated 1.125 with 4 grains of BE. Ordered a new batch of bullets. The profile has changed.

The old style bullet had the grease groove with a forward band. The new style bullet has a straight, solid shank. While being slightly longer by about .015", the new bullet would not pass the plunk test until the seated length was reduced to 1.105". The new style bullet has a shank that is about .020 longer than the old style bullet.

Ran a few through the run for function and accuracy testing last night and was pleased with the results. Group size shrank to 1.3" @ 25 yds from the PCC. No function issues.

The new design seems to shoot better than the old design.

Need to work up a load with W231 for a back-up load in case the BE supply runs low. Next step will be the chrono.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Really like those Berrys HBFP-TP or HBRN-TPs in both 115 & 124gr versions as well.

Please do post your chrono info: I typically use a bit more Bullseye (as in 4.6gr) for these and am interested in your results.

Cheers!

P.S. When I went on the sight the illustration for the 124gr RN still showed a grease groove. Did they remove it entirely from the new version?

 

[Nevada Ed]

Glad to hear that the new 124 coated bullets are working out for you.

I had some 125 coated that I could plunk at 1.16" to 1.06" in my pistol.
Funny how the shape of some bullets can have on your loads.

I also like the the no-lube wall bullets a little better, if available.

Right now the coated are a lot less than the Berry's, so they will have to
take a back seat for a while.
Have fun.

 

[Old_Cop]

Try 4.0 for 231.

 

[Racer X]

Is this new profile a good fit for loading .357 SIG?

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Is this new profile a good fit for loading .357 SIG?

I, too, was somewhat interested... So I sent them a question on their Contact Us page: when (& if?) they respond, so will I.

Cheers!

P.S. My prediction: not especially as it is still a round nosed bullet. The 124gr HBFP-TP from Berrys is my favorite range bullet for 357 SIG because it fits & has the higher velocity rating: can load it closer to "normal" factory ammo (i.e., with bullets typically around 125 gr).

 

[scooterj67]

The lube groove isn’t needed for coated bullets. So when the die set needed replacing, the groove was left out. This reduces the amount of time that is required to make the new dies which also reduces cost.

 

[Rlg#17]

I was using the Acme which has the smooth surface and “new profile” they stopped making the 124 grain lipstick bullets. I had to shorten the OAL because of the ogive on the new bullet was too long for the chambers on the new GLOCK GEN 5 barrels. They would fit into the Wilson case gauge, but not in the chambers of G-34’s, 17’s, 19’s etc.

I tried some of the new Bayou’s recently and the same results. GLOCK has shortened the leade into the chamber. A friend gave me some Montana Gold 124 grain jhps and the work well.

The run everything with the same load of Titegroup from pocket guns, up to and including our unlimited and 17L. Less barrel fouling then ANY coated bullet I have tried. Not that much more in cost either. $360/3750 delivered. Acme has been “rationing”/limiting the number of bullets per order, plus shipping. BB is the same way. Last order from them was 4 months to get delivered.

Going to try some Rocky Mountain reloading bullets here shortly, probably the 147 gr jacketed Matchwinners.

Note: The TG loads also run in our Ruger PCC’s.

Regards, Rick Gibbs

 

[AzShooter]

Bayou makes great bullets and I'm glad it's working for you. Looks like you have a good load now with BE. A backup load is a good idea.

I had troubles with Berry Bullets and wouldn't shoot them now if they gave them to me. I've never had troubles with Bayou and have shot many thousands of than over the years in my autos and revolvers. Great people to work with.

 

[rockquarry]

Had some of the Bayou bullets 124g RN in 9mm I was going to work up a load for the PCC. Had about 100 on hand. Had a load that shot less than par. Have been shooting Berry 124 plated with good success but looking for an alternative supplier. Bayou filled the bill with a lower cost.

The load I was working with mirrored the Berry load, seated 1.125 with 4 grains of BE. Ordered a new batch of bullets. The profile has changed.

The old style bullet had the grease groove with a forward band. The new style bullet has a straight, solid shank. While being slightly longer by about .015", the new bullet would not pass the plunk test until the seated length was reduced to 1.105". The new style bullet has a shank that is about .020 longer than the old style bullet.

Ran a few through the run for function and accuracy testing last night and was pleased with the results. Group size shrank to 1.3" @ 25 yds from the PCC. No function issues.

The new design seems to shoot better than the old design.

Need to work up a load with W231 for a back-up load in case the BE supply runs low. Next step will be the chrono.

I've yet to become an advocate of coated (or plated) bullets, much preferring conventionally lubed cast bullets, but a 1.3" 25 yard group size is exceptionally accurate as long as subsequent groups are consistently small.

My best 9mm cast load is pretty accurate, but not that accurate.

 

[Nevada Ed]

"Accuracy" depends on the gun, the bullet type, fps and distance to target.

My C9, 3.5" up to my 5" barrel 9mm pistol, both do very well with a
plated and coated bullet at light target to +P loads, that I have tested, over the years.

Just that I have yet to find a 115, 124, 135 or 147 gr bullet that all my 9mm pistols, do well with, except
with one 124 gr PHP bullet that Berry puts out but it cost more than the coated bullets, in its 250 box container, in local stores.

For paper work, and chrony data, I use the cheapest bullets that I can find
and save the Berry's for the kids, for fine tuning their outtings.

I might also add that the 115/124 Gold Dot is a good SD round but I have also found
that it is not the most accurate load in my 9mm guns.

Tight groups.

 

[rockquarry]

"Accuracy" depends on the gun, the bullet type, fps and distance to target.

My C9, 3.5" up to my 5" barrel 9mm pistol, both do very well with a
plated and coated bullet at light target to +P loads, that I have tested, over the years.

Just that I have yet to find a 115, 124, 135 or 147 gr bullet that all my 9mm pistols, do well with, except
with one 124 gr PHP bullet that Berry puts out but it cost more than the coated bullets, in its 250 box container, in local stores.

For paper work, and chrony data, I use the cheapest bullets that I can find
and save the Berry's for the kids, for fine tuning their outtings.

I might also add that the 115/124 Gold Dot is a good SD round but I have also found
that it is not the most accurate load in my 9mm guns.

Tight groups.

I use a 150 grain roundnose .38 Special bullet cast from a Lyman #358212 mould sized to .358" in my three 9mm pistols. It's the most accurate bullet I've found to date. I've tried many cast designs, probably a dozen or so in the last thirty+ years in these pistols along with many powders.

I've probably fired benchrested 25 yard groups using this bullet but don't recall group size. It should be no more than 2" -2.5" and hopefully a little less. My Beretta 92F, Sig P226, and Walther P4 are all unmodified, straight-out-of-the-box guns that have been fired a lot.

To me, any unmodified non-target 9mm pistol with open sights that will consistently group inside of 1.5" at 25 yards is very accurate, as mentioned in the original post. I'd like to get such results.

 

[AzShooter]

I agree. For LRN of Plated the best size is .358. Groups tightened up a bunch out of all of my 9s and especially my 929.

 

[Jim Watson]

Brazos has the bullet mold that Bayou used to use.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I agree. For LRN of Plated the best size is .358. Groups tightened up a bunch out of all of my 9s and especially my 929.

I ordered three dia. sizes from a company that coats 9mm lead bullets.

I received, .356, 357 & .358" dia. sized bullets to test out.

The 356 were good, the .357 were a little too large for my mixed brass cases (bulge )
and the large .358" would not plunk or fit in my chamber.

If they fit, great.

A lot depends on your dies and pistols.