choosing the right bullet

[Bronco89]

How do you go about choosing a bullet? There are so many choices now days. Plated, jacketed, lead, lead alloy, synthetic jacket, Lead free.....
Not to mention bullet weight and design. It would make some peoples heads pop, but to me, it adds to reloading fun.
I load lead or lead alloy 99.99% of the time, but I just purchased some Speer, Gold Dot, 200gr 44. I also bought some 44 Hunter Supply 200 gr lead. This was a first time deviation from my typical 240-LSWC.
In 38, my favorite is the Speer HBWC
In 44 it would be the 240gr, LSWC (so far anyway)
Now I am about to add 9mm to the mix. Thinking of starting with a Speer 125gr Lead.
--- Is there a method of logic to what you start with, or what you choose? I tend to buy what seems popular.

Oh, I am looking for concepts or ideas more so than try this specific load. Like, why you like synthetics or plated, or why you avoid, (X). For example. I don't mind leading. It kills some people. Me, It seems to come right out. Lead is soft on my barrels and easy to reload; plus only one kid was born cross-eyed.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It all depends on what it are shooting at and what you want to spend. I load lead or coated bullets for range work because of price. I load a quality hunting round for hunting and so on.

 

[MyDads38]

I started reloading about 1980 and I've always loaded lead bullets mostly. I started loading plated in 9mm, 40 and 45 auto and have been very happy. Still load lead for my 38's, prefer cast over swaged; except for loading Hornady HBWC.

 

[mtgianni]

I am a caster so biased in my choices. In revolvers I like heavy for caliber. In autos I run towards middle of the road, 9 gets 125-135 gr, 40 gets 175 gr, 45 gets 200 gr. Revolvers get a good size meplate with 32 weights near 100 gr, 38 160-180, 44 240-270, 45 250-300 gr.

 

[robertrwalsh]

Each cartridge tends to have a bullet weight and bullet velocity that tends to give good performance, if you go too far away from those numbers you get problems. Fortunately the manufacturers know what that envelope is and the availability of bullets tends to align with these norms. Some rifling and some bores tends to prefer jacketed bullets, some are not so fussy. You may want to focus more on jacketed, plated or coated bullets rather than lead for the 9mm, though some 9mm pistols function with lead bullets just fine. I am confident you will have some fun finding out which works best for your needs. Enjoy.

 

[rockquarry]

If you can find a cast bullet that fits and is the right alloy for the pressure / velocity and use of your load, jacketed bullets offer no advantage over cast. Coated bullets may work well, but, like jacketed bullets, they offer no advantage over conventionally lubed cast bullets that fit and are of the right alloy composition.

If you're not casting your own, this may require some work to find the right bullet. Depends on how much you want to experiment - a procedure some enjoy and others don't.

My limited experience with plated bullets some years ago wasn't good and I see no use for them, particularly if you're interested in decent accuracy. Many jacketed bullets will work well and are more forgiving than cast if fit isn't perfect.

Synthetic bullets? I'm not familiar with those.

 

[Funflyer]

All my 9's function 100% using either 124gn Speer Gold-Dots, or SNS 125 coated round nose, and I haven't found any bullet more accurate than those two. As for coated bullets, I've pushed those same SNS 125's from a 38 Super faster than 9 mils can only dream of, without issue.

 

[fredj338]

There really is no reason to use a plated bullet vs a coated today. For practice ammo, it needs to be accurate & cheap. There is some point in going JHP in handguns, but that is very specific purpose like hunting or self def ammo.

 

[fredj338]

If you can find a cast bullet that fits and is the right alloy for the pressure / velocity and use of your load, jacketed bullets offer no advantage over cast. Coated bullets may work well, but, like jacketed bullets, they offer no advantage over conventionally lubed cast bullets that fit and are of the right alloy composition.

If you're not casting your own, this may require some work to find the right bullet. Depends on how much you want to experiment - a procedure some enjoy and others don't.

My limited experience with plated bullets some years ago wasn't good and I see no use for them, particularly if you're interested in decent accuracy. Many jacketed bullets will work well and are more forgiving than cast if fit isn't perfect.

Synthetic bullets? I'm not familiar with those.

Yes & no. A coated bullet has distinct advantage over convention lead in the amount of smoke & crud generated. You are right though on plated.

 

[rwsmith]

For revolvers and semis....

Unless I'm not punching paper my go to is coated bullets.

If I'm using wadcutters they are plain lead

I will use hard lead mainly in revolvers.

I MIGHT use plated if I get a deal on some.

 

[trapper9260]

I cast my own boolits and that is mainly only what I shoot, I lube and size .As for what the OP ask .what is the bullets or booilts use for, will say what will work,

 

[Sevens]

There really is no reason to use a plated bullet vs a coated today. For practice ammo, it needs to be accurate & cheap. There is some point in going JHP in handguns, but that is very specific purpose like hunting or self def ammo.

There is for some of us who have lived through politically-driven component droughts and have exercised the "strike while the iron is hot" method of buying components.

In plated .358", I'll bet I have more than 20,000 on hand. In plated 9mm 124's, the number may be higher. I'm probably sitting on only 5-6,000 of plated .45. Bulk buys when I felt the price was right have me wanting to further explore coated lead, but I'm going to be eating away at my supply of plated for at least a handful of years.

As for the accuracy potential of plated bullets, AGREED, I would not use them nor recommend them for Bullseye competition. However, avoid the tunnel vision thinking when it comes to their "accuracy or lack thereof." Much of my shooting is at steel plates at 12-25 yards, fast transitions, drawing and shooting, moving while shooting, loading mags with only two rounds and dumping plates and doing fast reloads to dump more plates... For this kind of handgun shooting, these slugs are absolutely BETTER than any possible bullet if the other bullet costs more money. And of course, if I have 50,000 of these suckers in my reloading room, buying even one single bullet of any other kind requires money... and these shiny things are long ago paid for.

 

[Nevada Ed]

The good thing about revolvers and pistols, is that you don't need to worry about barrel twist rates.

Plus, High $$$ bullets are not needed to kill paper or plink at short ranges.
I like coated and plated but still have LOTS of lead bullets to burn up.

Today we are spoiled by all the bullets that are out there at our disposal.

I might also toss another idea for you to think about for low cost practice & shooting, that some of us also enjoy.................

Wax bullets.

 

[Bronco89]

......Some rifling and some bores tends to prefer jacketed bullets, some are not so fussy. You may want to focus more on jacketed, plated or coated bullets rather than lead for the 9mm,..... Enjoy.

That sounds like wisdom. I think I'll order some FMJ's for 9mm.

 

[Bronco89]

......Wax bullets.

Nellie! Wax? I thought you were pulling my chain till I googled it. This is something I have to try. Tell me more. There's even an article in American Rifleman on this. How have I missed this?

 

[Bronco89]

Wax! I gotta try that.

American Rifleman | How to Make and Reload Wax Bullets

 

[fredj338]

There is for some of us who have lived through politically-driven component droughts and have exercised the "strike while the iron is hot" method of buying components.

In plated .358", I'll bet I have more than 20,000 on hand. In plated 9mm 124's, the number may be higher. I'm probably sitting on only 5-6,000 of plated .45. Bulk buys when I felt the price was right have me wanting to further explore coated lead, but I'm going to be eating away at my supply of plated for at least a handful of years.

As for the accuracy potential of plated bullets, AGREED, I would not use them nor recommend them for Bullseye competition. However, avoid the tunnel vision thinking when it comes to their "accuracy or lack thereof." Much of my shooting is at steel plates at 12-25 yards, fast transitions, drawing and shooting, moving while shooting, loading mags with only two rounds and dumping plates and doing fast reloads to dump more plates... For this kind of handgun shooting, these slugs are absolutely BETTER than any possible bullet if the other bullet costs more money. And of course, if I have 50,000 of these suckers in my reloading room, buying even one single bullet of any other kind requires money... and these shiny things are long ago paid for.

Jacketed from several sources is nearly as cheap or cheaper than some plated. Most coated are certainly cheaper than either. For the true worrier of politics limiting their shooting, start reloading, which you do, & start casting & coating your own bullets. Coated are like having a better plated bullet for nearly free.

 

[Bronco89]

.....& start casting & coating your own bullets. Coated are like having a better plated bullet for nearly free.

I've been wanting to try casting anyway. How are you coating your casted bullets? This sounds like a great idea.

 

[rockquarry]

Wax! I gotta try that.

American Rifleman | How to Make and Reload Wax Bullets

I tried the wax bullets many years ago, and, as I recall, the Speer plastic cases and reusable plastic bullets work at least as well, maybe better than wax loads. They're also less trouble to put together. I still have them in .38 Special and .44 Special.

After experimenting with both the wax and Speer, I couldn't see much point in either, but others may find a usefulness I didn't.

 

[Drm50]

I shoot all cast in handguns except two. A Ruger SBH / 240gr JHP for deer and a Brn HP 9mm comp that I can't get to shoot cast, FMJs for it. All my rifles I shoot jackets except for my vintage stuff like 25/20-32/20--45/70 ect. I cast my own bullets from 25 to 45 cal, rifle & handgun. All my S&Ws are fed lead and mostly WCs with target loads.