Uncoated Lead vs Powder Coated

I have seen slightly better accuracy with the lubed lead over powder coated in my 45's. Not enough difference with my shooting ability to not use the powder coated and keep from having a little lead build up when shooting volume. Most places they are so close in price it is easy to buy the coated.

 

I tend to pick up the powder coated 200 gr. SWC, and find they are approx. $1.00 more per hundred. In reality - the low velocities I’m shooting, regular lead would work fine with minimal leading.

 

Not badmouthing the new coated bullet philosophy but it is interesting to note that very few or virtually none of the BullsEye shooters use the coated bullets. They seem to pretty much believe that coated bullets are a tad behind the accuracy game compared to FMJ or lead. IMHO.

 

Lubed lead is smokey, dirty, sooty, etc. If you're OK with that, no need to pay even a penny more. If that bothers you, it goes away with powder coating and copper plating for another 1-2 cents apiece.

Notwithstanding individual recipes in individual guns, I submit that you won't see a generic difference in accuracy among the three. And we each should have a load or two that shoots better than we can take advantage of.

I've recently ransom rest tested a 1911 45ACP. The best load will dump 10 rounds into 2" @ 50yd. The #2 load will dump 10 into 2.5" all day long .... but not 2". Without the ransom test at 50 yds, I'd never know they were different....because without it I can't do better than 4" with either one.

I have a buddy who is a high master, 2600 club, bullseye shooter. He has no idea how a powdered or plated bullet would shoot in his wad guns. That's because he's never tested them and never will. Once a gun is built and it's favorite load is determined (with a ransom test) the testing is over. After that it's all about fundamentals and technique.

And I'm pretty sure the winning 50yd bullseye loads these days are using the Nosler 185JHP. Lead 200SWC's are reserved for the short line.

 

I shoot lead , chase it with 5 jacketed to get the lead out .

 

Bullet caster for 20 years. Had to give it up in 06 due to lead levels high. Now I buy coated so I don't mess with the lead. I don't think it shoots quite as well as my home cast, BUT jacketed are close to the same price, so ...
For example, my local store carried 9mm 115 HAP for $52.99 for 500. Paying forty something plus shipping for 500 coated lead.

I personally have had no luck with plated in 38 or 9mm. Have not tried them in the 45. Probably will not. $135 for 1,000 Zero 185 JHP shipped to my door. $215 for 2250 swaged coated 200 swc to my door. For the 50 yard accuracy, I will use the JHP.

David

 

I have reloaded thousands of 45acp and 9mm both lubed lead and coated. I switched to coated because I got tired of cleaning bullet lube out of my guns and mags. I can't see that the coated are any less accurate than the cast lead. Bore cleaning with either the cast lead or coated takes the same effort.

 

That has been my experience as well. Since I switched to coated, I have not cleaned seating or crimp dies in years. Coated have much less smoke too, a plus for me as I often shoot indoors.

I am not a Bullseye shooter.....if I was then JHP would be the way to go.

 

I have competed on several indoor ranges over the years that do not allow jacketed bullets.

 

Not doubting what you've said, but I'm curious about the rationale used by indoor ranges that don't allow jacketed bullets. Most indoor ranges I've used don't allow the use of unjacketed bullets because of (supposedly) higher levels of lead dust in the air.

 

The range I used to belong to only allowed standard velocity ammo. They had a 900 fps limit. High Velocity 22 was NOT allowed. NO jacketed. Only lead in center fire pistol, so 9mm was basically outy. Coated was not allowed because it looked like jacketed on the cameras. I switched to coated due to high lead levels. Now if I occasionally shoot lead, WOW what a bunch of smoke. Most is from the lube, but still don't need that either. Every range I have been to has its own rules.
David

 

I use coated for all my firearms except for an SAA (45 colt) that I use lubed lead (Oregon Trails). More authentic that way .

Lots more smoke and a bit more cleanup - can't really put it off - from the lube.

 

Mastercast 200gr lswc with 4.8grs 0f bullseye, seated at 1.250 oal. My go to load, very accurate for me in all my 1911's.

 

OK. Thanks, David. You're right. Every range has different rules - and levels of enforcement.

 

One range is indoor range I shoot at will not allow ANY type of human or silhouette type target. Some say NO rapid fire even though we shoot bullseye there.

The public 25 yard indoor range has a 4,000 FPS limit. The backstop is ground tires.

David

 

I shoot at an LGS/indoor range where you might be shooting a .22LR when the guy on the other side of the plywood next to you touches of a string of .308's. or 12gauge. That can ruin your underwear.

 

Yep. There's a very nice range in Richmond, VA(Colonial Shooting Academy) that has that problem. I took my daughters there for basic pistol instruction and I had a guy on our right shooting an AK-47 and another two lanes down on our left shooting a 12 ga. Both of my daughters had a very hard time concentrating and were flinching very badly every time those guys fired a shot. It's not a good place to "coach" anybody.

 

I cast and coat practically everything I load and shoot (HiTek and Powder Coat) the only jacketed bullets I've loaded were 7.62 x 25 for a full auto and 223. I currently have 80 different color combinations of PC (powder coating) I use. I use different colors to designate different loads (hot/mild/soft) plus women like shooting pretty




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300 AAC BO 155 grn powder coated