SA Friday
12-06-2009, 17:24
How do you select which type of handgun bullet to use to reload with? What will work? What's the best choice?
Well, I choose bullets based on the following:
1. Use
2. Function
3. Accuracy
4. Price
5. Availability
These are not necessarily in exact order as the order can change depending on the circumstances. If you can't find the bullets to buy, it doesn't matter if they are the best, magical bullet on the market. Then again, all things being the same, availability is my last concern.
USE
Don't go trying to stop a bear with a plated POS bullet. It just isn't going to turn out well for you. Then again, paper doesn't matter if shot with a Gold Dot or a POS plated bullet as long as it's accurate. This one's pretty obvious; but sometimes shooters think they need a higher quality bullet than they really need. Some of the most accurate handgun ammo I've reloaded was with really cheap bullets.
FUNCTION
If the bullet doesn't work in the gun, you might as well be throwing the bullets at the target. It has to run in the gun. It also has to work as it's designed to from the gun. Shooting a 200gr JHP 40 cal bullet out of a 3" barrel is an act of futility. The chances the point will open up is pretty low. Then again, a 155gr bullet of same design from the same gun will more than likely open up in the target. Pushing a handgun bullet too slow or too fast can basically cause the bullet selected to be ineffectual. Researching this is the cheapest way to figure it out, but 18" of wet phone books is the funnest way.
ACCURACY
You gotta test the bullets and loads. No getting around it. You have to invest a little to try out different combinations to find out what works. If you are shooting bullseye, your accuracy limitations will be different than shooting USPSA or IDPA. The A scoring zone on USPSA/IDPA targets are much larger than the X for bullseye. Realize what is good enough for the shooting you are reloading for.
PRICE
If you shoot a couple of hundred rounds a year (blasphomy), then cost is less important, but if you shoot a lot the price of bullets can be huge. Once again, you have to test different bullets to see what works, but if I have a choice between an accurate FMJ and an accurate lead bullet for target and sports shooting, I'm going with the cheap fodder every time. My only caveat to this is for newly learning reloaders. Lead and Moly bullets are a bit harder to reload. I recommend new reloaders learn with FMJ's and then play around with the lead and moly bullets after they get some experience under their belts.
AVAILABILITY
This is the wild card of reloading right now. I love Zero bullets. Their JHP's a couple of years back were readily available, cheap, and accurate as anything I've shot. Well, they dried up when Atlantic Arms contracted them to make bullets for them. I mean fricken practically disappeared for reloaders.[Bang] If you can't buy them, they might as well not exist. If multiple types of bullets are available, the other factors impact my selection much more.
So, what about the different types? In a perfect world, lead and copper are uber cheap and available and bullet prices are so low it just doesn't impact the wallet to buy decent jacketed bullets or plated or whatever. Dream on. We won't be seeing that for some time IMO, if ever again. It's at times come down to literally shooting what you can scrape up. Here's some info on what's out there to help decide what to shoot and the limitations.
JACKETED
Jacketed bullets are typically the best made, easiest to load, and the most expensive. Hunting and defensive loads, I prefer jacketed bullets. The exception is really hard cast flat pointed lead hunting bullets with a gas check to be shot in revolvers. In a semi-auto, I would stick to jacketed for any hunting. For target shooting and sports shooting in bulk, there are cheaper options for your wallet, but there are a few companies making decent target fodder at a fairly cheap price. Montana Golds and Zeros are fairly cheap for jacketed bullets. I've seen some of their JHP's tested for expansion and they are what I would consider at the very bottom end of the spectrum for defense and hunting.
PLATED
I'll admit it, I hate plated bullets. I have had little to no success with these. They are harder to reload than lead/moly IMO, and tend to tumble. If you can get them to shoot for you, they are a good compromise between jacketed and lead bullets. IF is such a huge word sometimes. Test these bullets a lot before spending any considerable amount of money on them. The biggest problem with them is the lead used is almost always pure lead instead of more hardened alloys.
LEAD
Lead bullets are NOT lead. They are alloys. The more tin and antimony are the most common additives to lead to harden it. Too soft, you get leading in the barrel, too hard and you are wasting material. If you get bullets too soft, you will know it really fast. Lead will build up faster than you can get rid of it. It can also cause a dangerous obstruction issue resulting in a ka-boom. Most reputable bullet manufacturers will not screw you here, but it lead bullets are so cheap it's hard to believe, don't buy them. Linotype mixture of lead, tin, and antimony I've found is about perfect for lead bullets in a semi-auto. Harder for hunting rounds, but for anything else, this mixture works really well. Also, crappy lube equals crappy ammo, leading, and coal train billowing smoke. Good rule of thumb is if the lube is so soft it feels like grease or it's so hard it can be chipped out of the lube ring, it's bad lube. You want the lube to be in the middle of these two consistancies. If in doubt ask the manufacturer his lead alloy mix and what lube he uses. If he won't tell you or it's a soft mix or bad lube then don't buy them. There are no trade secrets in making lead alloy bullets or the lube either IMO. If they refuse the basic ingredients to the lube or the %'s of the bullet alloy, they can piss off. There are those out there that make good stuff. Caveat; polygonal rifling may or may not work well with lead bullets. If the bullets are hard enough to not spin in the rifling they may work for you. I have seen Glocks shoot bucket loads of lead and not have any problems, but I can't recommend this for anyone starting out. You better have some serious experience under your belt before attempting this.
MOLY
Moly coated bullets are my favorite for target and sports shooting. It's fairly cheap, accurate, a little harder to load, but not so hard that I have to fight them or the press. Moly essentially works as the lube. They are different in as they are totally coated in a moly/wax combo almost like plating. Everything that I said about lead bullets apply to moly coated lead bullets. You just don't have to worry about the lube. BTW, you are not going to get the manufacturer to tell you specifics on their moly coatings. It's proprietary, and they won't share it. As long as it's not a dry moly coating, it will work. The two big dealers in these are Precision Bullets out of TX and Black Bullet International out of MN. They both work well, have good lead alloy mixtures, and great reputations and customer service.
FRANGIBLE
Compressed copper powder, tin powder, rubber powder, all kinds of different types of frangible (mostly all non-toxic) bullet combos out there. Pretty hard to find for reloading as most is for factory use. All in all, I'm not a fan. They all run lighter than average, some are down right inaccurate no matter what you do, and they are more expensive. They also are crappy choices for anything but target shooting. So, why would I pay more for a crappy choice. Some indoor ranges are going to all non-toxic rounds. I have yet to see an indoor range that requires this that will allow you to shoot anything but what they sell. Reminds me of the $4 soda at the movie theatre... I just avoid this whole thing. Too expensive and too frustrating. If you go this route for reloading, expect to have to really zing the bullet out there to get any reliable accuracy. I hear they're great for the enviornment though[Flower].
Ultimately, we are all having to turn into what I call 'junk reloaders' because of shortages of materials available to shoot. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a pain in the ass. Having a lot of different data and bullet, powder, brass, and primer options in your data banks means you can make due with whatever you can find. It also gives you intimate understanding about the materials and guns you are shooting. I see this in working up loads all the time. Watching the groups get tighter or open-up as the charge weights change is great info to have. It really cuts down on the amount of testing you have to do in the future to get other materials to work in your guns. Don't be scared, test stuff out. The reloader that knows how to reload only this specific bullet with this specific powder for this specific gun really isn't learning.
Well, I choose bullets based on the following:
1. Use
2. Function
3. Accuracy
4. Price
5. Availability
These are not necessarily in exact order as the order can change depending on the circumstances. If you can't find the bullets to buy, it doesn't matter if they are the best, magical bullet on the market. Then again, all things being the same, availability is my last concern.
USE
Don't go trying to stop a bear with a plated POS bullet. It just isn't going to turn out well for you. Then again, paper doesn't matter if shot with a Gold Dot or a POS plated bullet as long as it's accurate. This one's pretty obvious; but sometimes shooters think they need a higher quality bullet than they really need. Some of the most accurate handgun ammo I've reloaded was with really cheap bullets.
FUNCTION
If the bullet doesn't work in the gun, you might as well be throwing the bullets at the target. It has to run in the gun. It also has to work as it's designed to from the gun. Shooting a 200gr JHP 40 cal bullet out of a 3" barrel is an act of futility. The chances the point will open up is pretty low. Then again, a 155gr bullet of same design from the same gun will more than likely open up in the target. Pushing a handgun bullet too slow or too fast can basically cause the bullet selected to be ineffectual. Researching this is the cheapest way to figure it out, but 18" of wet phone books is the funnest way.
ACCURACY
You gotta test the bullets and loads. No getting around it. You have to invest a little to try out different combinations to find out what works. If you are shooting bullseye, your accuracy limitations will be different than shooting USPSA or IDPA. The A scoring zone on USPSA/IDPA targets are much larger than the X for bullseye. Realize what is good enough for the shooting you are reloading for.
PRICE
If you shoot a couple of hundred rounds a year (blasphomy), then cost is less important, but if you shoot a lot the price of bullets can be huge. Once again, you have to test different bullets to see what works, but if I have a choice between an accurate FMJ and an accurate lead bullet for target and sports shooting, I'm going with the cheap fodder every time. My only caveat to this is for newly learning reloaders. Lead and Moly bullets are a bit harder to reload. I recommend new reloaders learn with FMJ's and then play around with the lead and moly bullets after they get some experience under their belts.
AVAILABILITY
This is the wild card of reloading right now. I love Zero bullets. Their JHP's a couple of years back were readily available, cheap, and accurate as anything I've shot. Well, they dried up when Atlantic Arms contracted them to make bullets for them. I mean fricken practically disappeared for reloaders.[Bang] If you can't buy them, they might as well not exist. If multiple types of bullets are available, the other factors impact my selection much more.
So, what about the different types? In a perfect world, lead and copper are uber cheap and available and bullet prices are so low it just doesn't impact the wallet to buy decent jacketed bullets or plated or whatever. Dream on. We won't be seeing that for some time IMO, if ever again. It's at times come down to literally shooting what you can scrape up. Here's some info on what's out there to help decide what to shoot and the limitations.
JACKETED
Jacketed bullets are typically the best made, easiest to load, and the most expensive. Hunting and defensive loads, I prefer jacketed bullets. The exception is really hard cast flat pointed lead hunting bullets with a gas check to be shot in revolvers. In a semi-auto, I would stick to jacketed for any hunting. For target shooting and sports shooting in bulk, there are cheaper options for your wallet, but there are a few companies making decent target fodder at a fairly cheap price. Montana Golds and Zeros are fairly cheap for jacketed bullets. I've seen some of their JHP's tested for expansion and they are what I would consider at the very bottom end of the spectrum for defense and hunting.
PLATED
I'll admit it, I hate plated bullets. I have had little to no success with these. They are harder to reload than lead/moly IMO, and tend to tumble. If you can get them to shoot for you, they are a good compromise between jacketed and lead bullets. IF is such a huge word sometimes. Test these bullets a lot before spending any considerable amount of money on them. The biggest problem with them is the lead used is almost always pure lead instead of more hardened alloys.
LEAD
Lead bullets are NOT lead. They are alloys. The more tin and antimony are the most common additives to lead to harden it. Too soft, you get leading in the barrel, too hard and you are wasting material. If you get bullets too soft, you will know it really fast. Lead will build up faster than you can get rid of it. It can also cause a dangerous obstruction issue resulting in a ka-boom. Most reputable bullet manufacturers will not screw you here, but it lead bullets are so cheap it's hard to believe, don't buy them. Linotype mixture of lead, tin, and antimony I've found is about perfect for lead bullets in a semi-auto. Harder for hunting rounds, but for anything else, this mixture works really well. Also, crappy lube equals crappy ammo, leading, and coal train billowing smoke. Good rule of thumb is if the lube is so soft it feels like grease or it's so hard it can be chipped out of the lube ring, it's bad lube. You want the lube to be in the middle of these two consistancies. If in doubt ask the manufacturer his lead alloy mix and what lube he uses. If he won't tell you or it's a soft mix or bad lube then don't buy them. There are no trade secrets in making lead alloy bullets or the lube either IMO. If they refuse the basic ingredients to the lube or the %'s of the bullet alloy, they can piss off. There are those out there that make good stuff. Caveat; polygonal rifling may or may not work well with lead bullets. If the bullets are hard enough to not spin in the rifling they may work for you. I have seen Glocks shoot bucket loads of lead and not have any problems, but I can't recommend this for anyone starting out. You better have some serious experience under your belt before attempting this.
MOLY
Moly coated bullets are my favorite for target and sports shooting. It's fairly cheap, accurate, a little harder to load, but not so hard that I have to fight them or the press. Moly essentially works as the lube. They are different in as they are totally coated in a moly/wax combo almost like plating. Everything that I said about lead bullets apply to moly coated lead bullets. You just don't have to worry about the lube. BTW, you are not going to get the manufacturer to tell you specifics on their moly coatings. It's proprietary, and they won't share it. As long as it's not a dry moly coating, it will work. The two big dealers in these are Precision Bullets out of TX and Black Bullet International out of MN. They both work well, have good lead alloy mixtures, and great reputations and customer service.
FRANGIBLE
Compressed copper powder, tin powder, rubber powder, all kinds of different types of frangible (mostly all non-toxic) bullet combos out there. Pretty hard to find for reloading as most is for factory use. All in all, I'm not a fan. They all run lighter than average, some are down right inaccurate no matter what you do, and they are more expensive. They also are crappy choices for anything but target shooting. So, why would I pay more for a crappy choice. Some indoor ranges are going to all non-toxic rounds. I have yet to see an indoor range that requires this that will allow you to shoot anything but what they sell. Reminds me of the $4 soda at the movie theatre... I just avoid this whole thing. Too expensive and too frustrating. If you go this route for reloading, expect to have to really zing the bullet out there to get any reliable accuracy. I hear they're great for the enviornment though[Flower].
Ultimately, we are all having to turn into what I call 'junk reloaders' because of shortages of materials available to shoot. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a pain in the ass. Having a lot of different data and bullet, powder, brass, and primer options in your data banks means you can make due with whatever you can find. It also gives you intimate understanding about the materials and guns you are shooting. I see this in working up loads all the time. Watching the groups get tighter or open-up as the charge weights change is great info to have. It really cuts down on the amount of testing you have to do in the future to get other materials to work in your guns. Don't be scared, test stuff out. The reloader that knows how to reload only this specific bullet with this specific powder for this specific gun really isn't learning.