At lower velocity like 45 acp, you will have good results . Drive those bevel base hard bullets more than 1000 FPS and shoot 100 or 150 and you will likely get a leaded up barrel. In spite of what many will say, I have experienced that on many guns in several different calibers. Plain base cast bullets lubed with 50/50 Alox that are softer than the commercial bullets do not lead even after many rounds. If your dies gum up with high tech, something is wrong.
Do Coated Bullets Gum Up Dies?
- Thread starter kbm6893
- Start date
muddocktor
Member
kbm6893, since you have been shooting 230 grain plated before trying out the MBC coated, have you tried any of the Zero 230 grain FMJ jacketed bullets yet? They work very well in both my 1911's and I will be trying them in my 25-2 I will be picking up from my FFL guy next Wednesday or Thursday. Roze Distribution sells them for $125/1000, shipping included. If you buy 2000-9999 it drops to $120.25/1000 and a bit less per 1000 if you order in 10k+ quantities. That's probably as cheap or cheaper than you were paying for plated and that includes shipping too. I now reload primarily Zero jacketed bullets in most calibers.
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fredj338
Member
The promary reason I switched over to coatedvs lubed with my own cast bullets was crud in my dies & guns & the smoke. I likely mever go back to conventional bullets lubes. Plus none of my magnum revo see jacketed bullets.
Thanks for all the replies. The only lead I ever bought was 158 grain MBC .38 and the one box of 230 grain for the .45. I just don't like the greasy feeling of the lead and they do smoke a lot. I won't be loading any more regular lead. I saw a video on YouTube where a guy shot 5 plated, 5 lead, and 5 coated lead. The plated had almost no smoke, the lead a huge plume of smoke, and the coated somewhere in the middle.
How is the current coating compared to the coating on the old Nyclad billets. I was issued those in .38 when I was on the job. The pics I have seen of coated bullets looks a lot thinner, like you can see through the coating.
How is the current coating compared to the coating on the old Nyclad billets. I was issued those in .38 when I was on the job. The pics I have seen of coated bullets looks a lot thinner, like you can see through the coating.
I've been using Acme coated bullets with good results. I wouldn't recommend them for serious precision pistol shooting, but for shooting out to 25 yards on human size targets, they are good to go. I shoot once a week at an indoor range and the reduction in smoke compared to lead bullets with lube is very noticeable.
JJackson
Member
A couple of friends and I cast and have powder coated thousands of bullets (mostly for 9mm, but I use some in .38/.357). I use the same cast bullets for 9mm and .38, and just size them appropriately.
I handloaded 14,000 year before last.
My experience is...it depends.
We've had some we did not cook (cure) properly and they left a dusty residue in the dies of my old Dillon 550. It didn't effect the rounds in any way, they were just messy. We perfected the time and temperature of curing them, and have driven 130 gr 9mm rounds up to 1350 fps to test them (using HS-6 powder).
There were/are no issues with semiauto function, no leading or residue in the barrels, and markedly less smoke, even with Tite group powder.
I used those dusty rounds for my.38 loading and other than being a bit messy, I've experienced no issues of concern.
I do have to copper bore brush my seating dies from time to time using the dusty bullets, but have no problem at all with properly cured bullets.
Just my ever devaluing $0.02 worth
I handloaded 14,000 year before last.
My experience is...it depends.
We've had some we did not cook (cure) properly and they left a dusty residue in the dies of my old Dillon 550. It didn't effect the rounds in any way, they were just messy. We perfected the time and temperature of curing them, and have driven 130 gr 9mm rounds up to 1350 fps to test them (using HS-6 powder).
There were/are no issues with semiauto function, no leading or residue in the barrels, and markedly less smoke, even with Tite group powder.
I used those dusty rounds for my.38 loading and other than being a bit messy, I've experienced no issues of concern.
I do have to copper bore brush my seating dies from time to time using the dusty bullets, but have no problem at all with properly cured bullets.
Just my ever devaluing $0.02 worth
