"coated" bullets?

[palmetto99]

Wow! Thanks for the input. I'm loading for a Glock 34 and thinking of moving to 124 grn bullets for competition.

 

[venomballistics]

With all due respect to all the above posters, my view of these coated bullets is that they are an answer to a non-existent problem. The issue with commercial cast projectiles is they are too hard, and the lube used on them doesn't work as it should: it is too hard, it falls out of the grease grooves instead of staying there, and so forth. And atop that, a lot of the bullets we buy are not sized properly. If you don't believe that, take a zero to 1" micrometer, and measure the projectiles at the proper points. It is sometimes amazing how far off they are. I know, because I used to buy commercial, but I soon decided I could pour a better bullet than I could buy. I still can...

But we buy, and then we cry. If consumers got hold of the commercial casters and voiced their displeasure, all this would be fixed. Instead, we come up with these pretty little bullets of blue, pink, red, and green, coat them with some space aged powder that is a misapplication of what it was designed for in the first place, and scream "Eureka! I found it!!!"

I will unequivocally state that I have shot my own cast out of both rifles and handguns, and all this smoke and leading I keep hearing about is non-existent, even in gas guns like my ARs. All that is required is to size the projectile properly, use a suitable alloy, and gas check the bullet if necessary. Traditional lube is still pretty cheap, and gas checks only add about three to three and a half cents to the cost of a bullet if you roll your own, and that is for the bigger checks like 44 and 45. Typically rifle checks are somewhat cheaper.

But I am used to being told I am wrong... although it doesn't happen as much as when I was married...

With all due respect, coatings are an answer to a whole lot of problems you just listed.
they eliminate much of the need for sizing to a level of precision to be envied by the jet propulsion laboratories.
they eliminate the need to have a degree in metallurgy.
they eliminate the need for faffing about with various lubes by eliminating said lubes.
they eliminate the issues of using lead in polygonal rifled barrels such as those used by Glock, HK, and a few others.
they eliminate the need for gas checks.
they eliminate the need for lube grooves, which will allow a mold to rain bullets at rates no traditional design would ever allow.
Why put up with having to be so exacting to make it work, when you can use lead of nearly any hardness and expect excellent results?
If you don't like it, don't use it.
but don't look down at us for it. We have something that finally actually lives up to the claims and promises oh so many traditional products advertised through the decades, and never delivered.
This never made the claims ... but it delivers.

 

[BC38]

I use Leatherhead Bullets. Great guys, great product.

Leatherhead Bullets LLC.

FINALLY, someone makes a coated bullet that doesn't make the loaded cartridge look like a tube of lipstick!
Blue, green, red, orange, they all just look weird to me. Black or dark grey I can deal with...

 

[fredj338]

Here's all you need to know about coated bullets.

Missouri Bullet Company

That is just one type. I like the hi-trek coating, what Missouri uses, but if runs out of gas about 1500fos, accuracy starts to go. PC will get you at least 2000fps with decent accuracy.
I am just getting going doing both. Both are good, PC is a better bet for rifle vel. Both are easy to apply. I shake & bake both, pretty simple.

 

[venomballistics]

I've observed much the same.
At pistol velocities, it offers so much latitude that cast can be thought of as born again new.
you can still run your super hard alloys or, go to pure soft lead.
That's not a small gain.
pure soft lead at full magnum velocities is perfectly fine, and offers expansion previously lost to the need for harder alloys needed for those magnum velocities.

In fact, hardness does not even start to enter the equation till we get up past about 1600 where resistance to deformation during firing can help with accuracy.

 

[venomballistics]

FINALLY, someone makes a coated bullet that doesn't make the loaded cartridge look like a tube of lipstick!
Blue, green, red, orange, they all just look weird to me. Black or dark grey I can deal with...

some colors might not be particularly dignified, but they do bring along a handy feature.

if we look at a 44 magnum's 240 grain Kieth type SWC, we have a sort of Swiss Army Knife bullet.
loaded with unique, its a fine all day shooter and reasonably capable load. Same with 2400 H110 or AA#9 behind it is a solidly capable full house dose of heavy metal medicine.
both side by side look identical ... unless you used different colors to tell em apart at a glance

 

[fredj338]

FINALLY, someone makes a coated bullet that doesn't make the loaded cartridge look like a tube of lipstick!
Blue, green, red, orange, they all just look weird to me. Black or dark grey I can deal with...

If the loud colors bother you, get some hi-tek gold. The bullets come out almost brass colored.

 

[Geo. T.]

Precision Bullets

I have used thousands of their 200 grain SWC's in the 45 ACP and they are great! Barrel clean up is a snap and the pistol stays cleaner than with any other bullet. They are very fairly priced and right now shipping is free!

 

[yeti]

Been using Hi-Tek coated bullets by several manufacturers for a couple years. Bayou, BBI, The Blue Bullets, ACME, SNS, & Precision have all worked well, but I have favorite bullets among these. Cleaner dies, cleaner barrels, no double tap smokescreen with acrid aftertaste. All that at not much more cost than lubed lead. They work great!

 

[H Richard]

I've been using Bayou 9mm, both 125 and 147 as well as a 45 225 TC. I am very impressed by the performance of the bullets, and the fast service from Bayou. Also, Donnie will answer any questions regarding loading. Never any leading, minimal clean up and accurate. What more do you want.

 

[BE Mike]

I supposed they are fine for plinking, but I have yet to see any serious accuracy testing with them, so I am on the fence. As soon as I see some machine rest tests of the bullets at ranges around 50 yards that show that these bullets can produce groups adequate for precision pistol shooting to include hunting, I'm not buying any. I no longer have the equipment to perform the tests myself.

 

[randy_68]

I've been casting and powder coaying

For a couple years now. I use the tumble meathod and it works great. Mostly only doing 9mm and they are definitely cleaner to handle and no leading whatsoever. I have tried it in .357 and .44 but not much. No problems in them either. I'm really not a good enough shot with a pistol to tell the difference in accuracy to say its better, but its not worse either.

 

[pbcaster45]

I've been using Blue Bullets in my Glock 35, STI Edge, and Springfield Armory Trophy Match. Love 'em! Little smoke, good accuracy, and they shoot clean.

I like the Hi-Tek bullets from SNS Casting too but prefer the Blue Bullets - less smell.

I was shooting the SNS 200 gr. RNFP in my Trophy Match but they were even better in my Ruger Bisley .45 Colt.

 

[yeti]

Coated can be as accurate as lubed lead can be.
Tailoring the load to the barrel is the key.

 

[Calliope]

I like the Hi-Tek bullets from SNS Casting too but prefer the Blue Bullets - less smell.

I noticed that too, plus the SNS leaded in my 357, the Blues don't.
Blue bullets advertise a "proprietary polymer based liquid coating that we mix in house", so it's not powder coating or Hy-Tek.
I also like the Blue's square base design with no lube grooves, maximizing the bearing surface.
Good stuff at a very nice price.

 

[venomballistics]

I noticed that too, plus the SNS leaded in my 357, the Blues don't.
Blue bullets advertise a "proprietary polymer based liquid coating that we mix in house", so it's not powder coating or Hy-Tek.
I also like the Blue's square base design with no lube grooves, maximizing the bearing surface.
Good stuff at a very nice price.

house mix ..... that might be a fun nut to crack, given that virtually everything is born of preexisting technologies.
automotive clear coat and powder coat in a thin slurry perhaps ....
I have so many experiments on the back burner ... why do I let myself think up more like this

 

[oldpapps]

I have many views on 'Coated Bullets'.
I cast many of my bullets and do the 'shake-n-bake' coating process on some.

For most of my pistol loads old fashioned cast and sized/lubed works best. The older I get the less time I want to stand to cast and our friends at Missouri Bullet come to the rescue.

But when it comes to my not so light loadings in .44 Mag, I find that I spend a lot of time adjusting to lessen leading. In jumps 'powder coating'. With my powder coated cast bullets, sized properly, I can push them as fast as the weapon/case and my hands can handle. I also cast and powder coat .311 lead. These get pushed out of a .308 Winchester and I have had no issues with velocities up to over 2750 FPS (130 grain flat base). These are my normal play bullet in my .300 AAC Blackout. Again full function and no issues. I have found that accuracy does fall off a little at the higher velocities (over 2400 FPS).

I use several coating powders but my favored is 'Crystal Clear' with a little Neon Pink or Neon Yellow added to spice them up. With the clear, I don't have to deal with full pigment coverage, just want the polyester to fully cover. This powder is from 'Powder By The Pound'.

I see no/little need to coat 9MM, .40s, .45s or my wimp load .44s. It all comes down to the end use of the bullet and how cheap I am.

Enjoy,

OSOK

 

[venomballistics]

Excellent summary and welcome to the forum.

 

[oldpapps]

venomballistics

Thank you.
I have been 'learking' for some time, many times not signing in. I see no need to just babble (with my fingers) unless I have something to add that has some validity.

OSOK

 

[fredj338]

I supposed they are fine for plinking, but I have yet to see any serious accuracy testing with them, so I am on the fence. As soon as I see some machine rest tests of the bullets at ranges around 50 yards that show that these bullets can produce groups adequate for precision pistol shooting to include hunting, I'm not buying any. I no longer have the equipment to perform the tests myself.

I'm putting together some 44mag hunting loads that will be tested out to 100yds. I'll be testing both hi-trek & PC, stay tuned.