2aHawaii
Tools and Uses => Reloading => Topic started by: sager on March 31, 2013, 10:42:03 PM
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So I haven't been able to find much information regarding the accuracy of hard cast lead bullets vs jacketed soft lead bullets. Anyone have any experience or information regarding this?
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So I haven't been able to find much information regarding the accuracy of hard cast lead bullets vs jacketed soft lead bullets. Anyone have any experience or information regarding this?
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huh??? "jacketed soft lead bullets"??
1-Are you talking about pistol bullet heads?
2- Are you asking about traditional jacketed pistol heads or plated bullets?
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Pistol and Rifle.
Hard Cast Bullet
(http://www.cjncasting.com/images/bullets/9MM_135RN.jpg)
vs.
Jacketed Bullet with Soft Lead Core
(http://www.gunsandammo.info/wp-content/uploads/slug_tn.jpg)
And this is basically the only information I've been able to find: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aQpVKiCN8#ws (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aQpVKiCN8#ws)
But this video is more like 12 minutes of a guy hammering bullets rather than comparing the benefits of using one over the other.
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Where you pick your lead up from. I might have some for sale.
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OK, I understand your question now.
There are a kazillion different factors that determine accuracy.
“Lead vs. jacketed” is only a small part of the equation.
I could write a long essay about the topic and only scratch the surface.
So here is my advice in a nutshell:
If you want the greatest chance of accurate ammo, go with a truncated cone style bullet.
Either lead or jacketed would be ok. But the jacketed bullet is more forgiving and versatile.
I am guessing you are interested in 9mm bullets because the pictures look like 9mm.
In the world of 9mm bullets here would be my best choices:
Montana Gold hollow points
Hornady HAP or XTP
Speer hollow pts.
Sierra hollow pts.
Winchester or Remington hollow points
Remington FMJ
Winchester hollow (concave) base FMJ
Hard cast truncated cone lead bullets.
I have had poor results with copper plated bullets so I cannot personally recommend those.
Truncated cone lead bullets can be made to shoot very well, but you would have to make sure they are sized to fit your barrel. Then you have to play with the powder charge to get it just right.
In all cases, LOA, crimp, powder type and weight, and velocity are all factors that will determine your success. 9mm is a somewhat finicky cartridge to load.
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I just used the 9mm pictures to show. I'm more interested in .308. But I do reload 9mm also. I appreciate the information!
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.308.... you're best bet for accuracy is going to be jacketed.
You can certainly make accurate cast lead bullets but the ballistics are going to be more like a .30-30 than your typical .308. Its just gets difficult to push lead bullets that fast. You run into leading issues if you don't the right hardness of bullet for the load. Jacketed bullets make that a non-issue.
If you haven't been to cast boolits (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php) you should probably head over there soon and poke around. Its pretty much the 'net clearinghouse of cast loads of all types, including .308.
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Oh that's a good point, I didn't even think about leading in the barrel. So looks like jacketed bullets are optimal for accurate loads. Thanks!
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The one thing that I would recommend with hard cast bullets is to push them fast enough. It has been my experience that if you don't they won't seal right which gives uneven gas distribution. This results in lousy accuracy. The real nice thing about hard cast bullets is that there usually isn't any problem with leading. I run a 300 gr FN in my elk load in my 44 Mag and a 240 gr SWC for my practice loads in it. Slim