Why would you choose a bullet weight over another?

[SLT223]

Heavy bullets would be a waste of material and money for putting holes in paper, in my opinion. Also, if you bring a bucket of rounds with you to the range for paperwork, 125's and 200's is it little easier on the back than 158's and 240's.

 

[glenwolde]

I'm a paper puncher like yourself, so my main concern is accuracy, nice neat holes, and cost.

But I'm not averse to straying, either out of necessity or curiosity. During the last shortage I got caught short of bullets. I was about to break out the casting equipment when I ran into some 125gr LRN.

When I bought them the only powder they had in stock was 700-X. I had a fair stash of powder but since it had been 30+ years since I last tried 700-X I said what the heck, I'll get a can.

Turns out those 125gr LRN (polycoated from SNS casting) and 4.0 gr of 700-X is as accurate as anything I've shot in .38 Special, and I've shot a lot of .38 Special. I didn't get my nice neat holes, but eh, no big deal. On the plus side they are also cheaper than the 148/158.

So every once in a while try something new. Sometimes I learn something when I do that.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Heavy bullets would be a waste of material and money for putting holes in paper, in my opinion. Also, if you bring a bucket of rounds with you to the range for paperwork, 125's and 200's is it little easier on the back than 158's and 240's.

I've never seen anyone lug a bucket of 45 ACP or .357 to the firing line. That must be a lot of ammo.

A few hundred rds is about all I shoot in one session. True, bullet cost is less, about 0.01/rd where I shop. Powder and primer cost is about the same. Not enough to cause me any great financial hardship.

 

[Sevens]

Heavy bullets would be a waste of material and money for putting holes in paper, in my opinion.

Seriously, it really is all about what you seek in your shooting. Some handguns absolutely will shoot a particular bullet style, weight or construction more accurately than it will some other kind. If your goal was to put holes in paper and you really place a priority in how small that group will be or in how close you can put them all in the center, it makes genuine sense to select the bullet that helps you in that endeavor. When I take a Model 52 to the range, I use a soft swaged hollow base 148 grain bullet in the ammo that I'm using. Could I use a cheap 125gr plated slug that costs less? I'll bet I could make a 52 operate around such a bullet, but I don't wish to do that, because the HBWC is going to perform for me, removing the doubt and leaving the rest to my skill.

Also, if you bring a bucket of rounds with you to the range for paperwork, 125's and 200's is it little easier on the back than 158's and 240's.

This one is too funny to let it sit.

If you had such a heavy, long, grueling range day planned that you were going to shoot ONE THOUSAND ROUNDS of .38 Special, and you shot only 158 grain ammo, that would be a very heavy bucket to carry.

So two weeks later, when it is time to do exactly the same range day over again and your bucket is jam packed with ONE THOUSAND more rounds of .38 Special but this time you decided to spare your aching back and you instead loaded 125 grain bullets...

...your effort saved you 4.71 pounds.

 

[duane_wade]

Most of my EDCs are short barrel revolvers and I tend to shoot 125 gr whatever I come across because 125 gr shoot at POA. I get more muzzle rise with heavier bullets which is expected. Even my Lc9s shoots lighter bullets to POA and I only have what I will call one standard size 9mm semiauto for carry and it shoots better with 147 gr.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[CWS&W]

The reason I was asking is because though I have been loading the “traditional “ loads, such as 45ACP 200gr SWC/bullseye, 38sp 148gr WC/bullseye, I like to experiment with different bullets or powders and I needed an idea of which direction to go.
This might also explains why I haven’t been very happy with my 9mm loads.

I appreciate all your input. So I copied and pasted a comments that were relevant to me:

- I use the bullet weight that the cartridge was originally intended for. In .38 Special and .357 Magnum, for example, that's around 160 grains.

- Handguns with fixed sights are designed to optimise for a given bullet weight--158 gr. for 38 Spl, 230 gr. for .45 ACP--- and will shoot higher or lower with other weight projectiles.

- 9mm For Example I normally Load 124 Grain Bullets Reason they shoot to Point of Aim. 115grain bullets don't. My 9mm has fixed sights

- To follow up on what Father Joe said. I adjust elevation on fixed sighted guns by changing bullet weights. Heavier strikes higher.

- Sights are usually regulated for the original bullet weight

- Heavy bullets would be a waste of material and money for putting holes in paper, in my opinion.

- I'm a paper puncher like yourself, so my main concern is accuracy, nice neat holes, and cost... Turns out those 125gr LRN (polycoated from SNS casting) and 4.0 gr of 700-X is as accurate as anything I've shot in .38 Special, and I've shot a lot of .38 Special. I didn't get my nice neat holes, but eh, no big deal. On the plus side they are also cheaper than the 148/158.

- Even though the 148 gr bullet is good for target shooting........
some even load lighter weight bullets to get even lighter recoil
if needed or they might also get good accuracy in their weapons
with a bullet that even cost less than the larger 148 gr. bullet.
A 125 gr. lead at 533 to 600 fps or a even lighter 110 gr, JHP at770 to 866 fps,
make for some great target loads, for most shooters that own a 38 special.

-Could I use a cheap 125gr plated slug that costs less? I'll bet I could make a 52 operate around such a bullet, but I don't wish to do that, because the HBWC is going to perform for me, removing the doubt and leaving the rest to my skill.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Seriously, it really is all about what you seek in your shooting. Some handguns absolutely will shoot a particular bullet style, weight or construction more accurately than it will some other kind. If your goal was to put holes in paper and you really place a priority in how small that group will be or in how close you can put them all in the center, it makes genuine sense to select the bullet that helps you in that endeavor. When I take a Model 52 to the range, I use a soft swaged hollow base 148 grain bullet in the ammo that I'm using. Could I use a cheap 125gr plated slug that costs less? I'll bet I could make a 52 operate around such a bullet, but I don't wish to do that, because the HBWC is going to perform for me, removing the doubt and leaving the rest to my skill.


This one is too funny to let it sit.

If you had such a heavy, long, grueling range day planned that you were going to shoot ONE THOUSAND ROUNDS of .38 Special, and you shot only 158 grain ammo, that would be a very heavy bucket to carry.

So two weeks later, when it is time to do exactly the same range day over again and your bucket is jam packed with ONE THOUSAND more rounds of .38 Special but this time you decided to spare your aching back and you instead loaded 125 grain bullets...

...your effort saved you 4.71 pounds.

19 lbs or 14 lbs. Makes no difference. That much ammo will wear a man down.

 

[Sevens]

Cost more than a new pickup truck maybe.

 

[G-Mac]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but, at least for rifles....I believe that different barrel twist rates will have an effect on what bullet weight will work best in that particular rifle.

 

[CWS&W]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but, at least for rifles....I believe that different barrel twist rates will have an effect on what bullet weight will work best in that particular rifle.

Yes, this is a good one.
I forgot: is it faster twist rate for lighter bullet or the other way around?
Does any body have a rule of thumb or a chart?

 

[AManWearingAHat]

All depends, some barrels shoot some weights better than others. For me, I know my Hi Powers prefer 124 grain stuff. One has fully adjustable sights so if I work hard enough I could get any bullet weight to shoot well. I stick to the 124 grain stuff for commonality between the two. The other one has only windage adjustment. My semi-fixed sights are calibrated for 124 grain ammo on the top of the blade and 115gn ammo behind the dot on the front sight. Target work I shoot 124 grain for a more precise sight picture, competition and carry I shoot 115 because the dot is faster to pick up.

My Glock factory sights tend to shoot 115's to POA/POI.

For me with .38 Special / .357 revolvers as an example, my bullet weight change tends to come with the nose profile I want. I shoot 158 grain SWC for pure target work and nice holes. I shoot 140gn HBWC out of my Model 14 because its THE load for it. I shoot 140 and 125 grain truncated cone ammunition in action sports because the nose geometry facilitates very easy loading with speed loaders where a SWC or anything with a shoulder will get hung up. A truncated cone also helps you more than a traditional round nose in finding the cylinder with the speed loaders. I pick between the two based on whether I'm shooting a fixed or adjustable sight gun. 140gn load shoots closer to the fixed sights of my model 10, which was probably zeroed for 158 grain lead round nose. Adjustable sights Ill shoot the 125's for lower recoil impulse.

Frankly it's also just fun to experiment sometimes. Because of my work with a bunch of different bullet weights, I have a ton of loads in my book that I know work well in my guns. Helps when component availability is spotty like our current situation.

Rifles, especially long range rifles are a WHOLE different animal when it comes to selecting bullet weight. Once I work up a good load for a rifle with good chrono numbers I almost never deviate from it unless something major changes.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Yes, this is a good one.
I forgot: is it faster twist rate for lighter bullet or the other way around?
Does any body have a rule of thumb or a chart?

Using a 5.56x45 as an example, the heavier bullets require more twist. The original twist rate for the 55 gr. bullet was 1/12 or one revolution in 12". A heavier bullet like 72 gr would work better with 1/7 twist.