Help with bullets

[edcowden69]

I want to shoot a handgun that will not change accuracy or totally quit functioning in 50 or 100 rounds. I don't want leading or firing residue to change or shut down the firearm. So my question , will any cast or swedged,lubed or coated bullet compete with a jacketed bullet. Other than cost, what advantages do non jacketed bullets have.

[potatojudge]

You'd be hard pressed to find a load that disables a gun that quick, no matter how dirty. Possible, but uncommon.

More details would help a ton. What gun? What chambering? What type of load are you looking for?

To answer your other question, there's tons of ways to make a lead bullet and a few ways to make jacketed ones. There's lots of ways to compare the two. But generally, absolutely there's cast bullets that'll compete with jacketed bullets.

[lar4570]

There are many different kinds of handguns and cartridges associated with them.
So I guess details are important?
I shoot mostly cast bullets and don't have any problems at all.
I do shoot mostly revolvers, but also shoot cast in my 45acp 1911 longslide. I don't have any leading or fouling at all.
Your bullet's alloy hardness needs to be appropriate for the pressure and velocity you are wanting. I shoot lubed bullets, the kind of lube can make a big difference.
A popular thing now is powder coated cast bullets. They work, some people like them, others don't.
I have talked to guys running cast in 9mm smg matches with good results. But the alloy and lube can make a big difference...
Some guns like the Desert Eagle recommend to never use cast.
Some guns like the Glock have polygonal rifling, so shooting cast can be tricky...
Cast bullets can be a whole new category of reloading that you will need to research and learn about.
You might Google Glen Fryxell's book from ingot to target for a start.
If you need a simple one sentence answer, then probably stick with jacketed bullets.

[bigbrowndog]

hunt365.gunsamerica.com/blogs/hunting-handgun-bullet-alternative

Rarely do my guns go 100 rounds without cleaning, I just prefer them to be that way and lead does create residue but shut one down and make it non functioning??? I find that hard to believe unless you’re using a soft cast bullet and pushing it really hard. Then only with an auto, maybe. As has been said more parameters need to be listed to give an accurate suggestion. Desired speed, gun, desired animal, performance level…exit or no exit, etc. Some of these are discussed in the above attached article. One instance is on a particular gun that shoots very well but after 12-15 rounds accuracy goes to crap. This is resolved by use of a gas check on the bullet instead of just a plain base bullet. Most of the time a quick wipe down with an oily rag is all I do to my guns after shooting, when accuracy starts to dissipate then I’ll give them a good scrubbing and cleaning.

Trapr

[foxtrapper]

Every custom tight chamber revolver I own requires cylinder cleaning after 40-50 rounds or u have to fight to seat the cartridge. Cylinder removal a pass in each chamber with a bore snake and your back in business. Recessed cylinder sometimes need extra attention too

[weiler]

Ditto on Glen Fryxell’s book

Also checkout David Bradshaw’s photo essays on powdercoat bullets, and anything that Dick “Sixshot” Thompson posts on singleactions. There’s a wealth of knowledge here!

[bigbore5]

I run hard cast and powder coated bullets in my MP5PDW. Up to 1000 in a session, full auto, often suppressed with no problems.

I also shoot them at 1800fps from the 357 maximum. No problem.

[handgunhuntingafield]

The new coated bullets are the way to go in my eyes with lead bullets.

I pretty much just use lead for cheap range ammo and action pistol matches.

My hunting guns generally see just mono or jacketed bullets. I clean those right before my last range trip before hunting season.

[gnappi]

During our "winter" I powder coat most everything I shoot, .357, .40/10mm, .45, and .480. I'm gonna try PC'd bullets in my Beowulf soon.

For reloading I treat powder coated bullets like TMJ and it works, no bore fouling as long as it passes the hammer smash test.

[sixshot]

I'm one of those that seldom clean a barrel, I'll clean it if necessary but with powder coating & correct velocity/alloy it just isn't necessary except with the rare gun. Now I do remove the cylinder, clean the base pin, lube the cylinder ratchet & wipe the cylinder down good, but for the most part that's about it for me. I can usually go by feel as to how my gun is running & if something feels a little bit sluggish I'll dig a little deeper but what I've described about is my usual cleaning. I do take the time to check all of the screw & make sure everything is tight, it's easy for recoil to work frame screws loose after 50-100 rounds if you're pushing them pretty hard & you don't want that ejector rod flying off in the grass when you're out in the field, swear words can carry a long ways over flat ground.
Again though it comes down to the gun, a tight FA gun might need a little more TLC on that cylinder because of the tight tolerances, so if your fresh loads start to hesitate a bit it's time for a good cleaning, at least for the cylinder & the base pin. Your gun will like you for it.
When I was shooting my S&W's in USPSA matches I watched those cylinders really close because I always used a S&W 610 which is a 10mm & I shot 40 caliber ammo which gave me a faster reload & yet I could still make major PF with a 205 gr cast bullet & 3.7 grs of WST. My cylinder needed a little more attention during a long match. Very few people shot 610's but for many years it was a winner.

Dick

[edcowden69]

I asked this question kind of knowing the answer from my past experiences. Each gun is different. Each barrel has its own different ways. You have to shoot and see.
I did see a video with Jerry Micalik and he said he uses jacketed bullets for match shooting now. Many reasons for the jacketed bullets and now even the copper no lead for hunting, self defense and even match.
I still have about 10,000 lubed lead bullets that I need to get rid of

[magpouch]

Oct 30, 2024 21:58:03 GMT -5 edcowden69 said:

I still have about 10,000 lubed lead bullets that I need to get rid of 
That sounds like a pretty good problem to have! 

[ChiefTJS]

Shot 105 powder coated lead 9mm through a gen 5 Glock 19 today. 115, 125 and 147 grain mixed. every one fed through the mag and every one went to point of aim at 15yds into a 6" circle. While it wasn't speed shooting, I shot them fairly quickly as a function test since I changed the light that was on it. I usually shoot jacketed through this gun but all I had was powder coated that normally is reserved for my Blackhawk, nice to know it runs them.