Lead vs Coated vs Plated Bullets - Questions

[K9TXS]

I've been shooting 45 Colt lead Missouri Bullets for sometime now and find them to be fairly accurate.  I'm only using these for practice and not for hunting.  I usually shoot around 1000 FPS.  Shooting as much as I do, I clean after each range session.  

I haven't really had any harsh leading issues maybe because I clean so frequently.  I been thinking about switching to a plated or coated bullets but really don't know anything about them other than a few articles I've read.

Is there a benefit to shooting coated or plated bullets over lead?  Would a gas check lead be just as good as a coated or plated bullet?

[45MAN]

MBC HAS POWDER COATED BULLETS IN ALMOST ALL OF THE LUBED BULLETS TYPES THEY MAKE. GO TO POWDER COATED, YOU WON't REGRET IT!

[Encore64]

Another vote for coated bullets. I won't even buy cast bullets that aren't coated anymore...

[needsmostuff]

Plated are affordable, easy to use and make a nice looking reload.
Some guys like them a lot, not me so much.
If I make side by side reloads with a plain cast bullet as similar as I can get, The cast ALWAYS Groups better.
I think the guys that swear by them are shooting fast and close as in CAS completion.

[handgunhuntingafield]

Coated bullets can be pushed pretty hard and lleave near zero lead residue. Easy to clean.

When I run lead I run all coated.

I find plated bullets to have more downs than pluses.

[jensonev]

I don't mind both. I am a little underwhelmed by MO Bullet Co's 44 cal offerings which measured .428" diameter at my house at least.
Even though Xtreme bullets and MBC cost is comparable, I still shoot far more lead.

[jeffh]

I've been powder-coating for a couple years, only because I got a suppressor for a 357 carbine.

As the bullet leaves the muzzle and enters the can, gas blows by and leaves lead deposits on the back of the first baffle. Using the same properly-sized, soft-enough, tumbled-lubed bullets, I get no leading in carbine barrels, shooting at least to 1200 fps. When I shoot un-coated, tumble-lubed bullets WITH A GAS CHECK, I still get no leading at over 1800 fps. Same for 357 carbine, 222 rifle and 30/30 rifle - 1800+fps, no powder-coating, just tumble-lubed and a GC - no leading in the bore.  But, there's that can and the necessary clearance for the bullet to get through it.  That clearance also allows gasses past the bullet, so the can will lead even when the bore don't.

In a revolver, it can be a little trickier. There is more potential for gas getting past the bullet and causing leading if all the stars are not aligned. The "stars" in this case are dimensions. Undersized cylinder throats and a loose bore, over-sized cylinder throats with even a tight bore - you'll get gas blow-by and leading - even with gas checks sometimes.

THIS is where I think PC shines. I've fixed, sold or traded a lot of production revolvers over the years to get proper dimensions and fit. Fussing with moulds for longer bullets, fatter bullets, etc., for this gun or that gun can be time-consuming and expensive. I prefer to maintain fewer guns, moulds, dies, etc. these days and don't enjoy fussing with a "picky eater," so I've settled on a few guns which all work for me with cast. In fact, my 357 revolvers and carbines all use the same bullets and bullet diameter with no PC and no leading.

PC seems to make up for a lot of marginal issues with production guns, which would respond well to some fussing with bullet design and diameter, but there's that fussing again. Ad commercial bullets into the mix, where you don't always get to choose the exact diameter or softness and this is where a lot of folks start seeing some frustration. PC for a decent production revolver and commercially-cast bullets (meaning not tailored exactly to your gun) can be a very handy option.

I personally prefer to tumble-lube and not use gas checks, but I DO PC for the suppressor, but NO GCs in the suppressor. I'm shooting all sub-sonic through the can, so no need anyway. My personal ONLY use for PC is to keep lead from building up on the baffles in the can.

[parallaxbill]

I switched from cast to PC after having recurring leading issues in my 45-70 replica Buffalo rifles. Since I switched, I have no more leading.
Once I start casting my own, I'll probably learn powder coating too.

[jeffh]

Sept 1, 2024 15:43:15 GMT -5 parallaxbill said:

I switched from cast to PC after having recurring leading issues in my 45-70 replica Buffalo rifles. Since I switched, I have no more leading.
Once I start casting my own, I'll probably learn powder coating too.

It's very possible that if you cast your own, you could easily make bullets which won't lead lead - bullets tailored to your gun.

Still, PC does not present a huge investment in learning or cash.  Pretty easy to get going and not expensive.

Either way is a win.

[blackmamba]

I agree with needsmostuff, that cast bullets, whether coated or not, are more accurate than plated bullets. I still sometimes use plated because they are clean and easy to load, but the vast majority of my shooting is with coated bullets. The bottom line: they are less expensive and more accurate.

[bigbore5]

I like to pc because it allows me to use softer lead than traditional lube before I get leading. However I do still use a traditional lubesizer for sizing and lube my pc bullets as well. Seems to give me slightly better groups.

The 357 is notorious for leading. I chased my tail for years dealing with it. Now I use a lubed, pc, plain base check bullet up to the 357max and 353 heavy loads with 14bhn alloy and no leading.

[gnappi]

Another one for powder coated (PC) bullets. Once I shot PC, my Star sizers will never see wax lube again.

[AxeHandle]

Plated bullets are good for noisemakers. I have run them in my 300BO AR Pistol and my 9mm Makarov barreled Glock. Powder coated bullets have much better accuracy reputation. Paper punchers don't care. Properly sized, swaged lead run good, cast bullets run good. If we need powder coating something is wrong with our barrel.

[bigbore5]

I disagree that there's something wrong with the barrel if pc is needed for a properly sized bullet. It allows a much softer bullet to be pushed harder.

In the 357 I have had lots of leading issues over the years. By the time my bullets were hard enough to stop leading, even properly sized, they were too hard to give reliable expansion, especially on smaller varmints like coyotes and ground hogs that I shoot more of than anything. It usually took a bhn of 15-18 depending on bullet design and what gun I used it in.

With pc, I am now using 10bhn in the magnums and 14bhn in the max/353 loads with no leading and great accuracy.

For lower pressure and velocity cartridges like the 32H&R,45 Colt/acp, 500L,etc. plain alloy lubed with LBT blue soft works great even with a plain base using 12bhn range scrap plus 1.5% tin.

[AxeHandle]

Pushed harder? Don't grasp the concept of "Paper Puncher" huh? Hard to get softer than a pure lead swaged lead bullet. Paper punchers believe in "Push Accurate," NOT Push Harder. Have yet to waste any time powder coating for paper punching loads. Do actually like powder coated stuff for stuff I might usually gas check.