Powder coated soft lead bullets

[Brickman301]

It also depends on the pressure/acceleration.

If the bullet tries to accelerate too quickly, a softer bullet could strip out in the rifling.

I have seen this happen with hard case, shallow rifling, and a fast powder.

This!

 

[Brickman301]

I had cast soft lead 9mm bullets a few months ago and powder coated them.
I had shot them before and chrono'd them and did not notice much difference and did not pay much mind to it.
For the sake of information gathering, I tried them today along with other bullets I had.
I loaded them for a typical 1150fps and shot from my Glock 17 today at steel and 25 yards.
I alternated mags of bullets between the soft (5Brinell) and those that were harder lead (12-15Brinell)
I definitely had more flyers on the soft lead.
I hit the steel about 95% of the time with the harder lead and about 60% with the soft lead.
So that gun, those bullets, that powder, it made a difference. Keep in mind the G17 is polygonal rifling so "maybe" that makes a difference.
Next time out, I'll bring another target gun that is standard rifling

Hmm, it could be the polygonal rifling? Not sure, as I’ve never tried cast in one of those barrels. I know, a lot of people dislike the marlin micro grove barrels for cast bullets. I have found that they like a fat softer bullet, using slower powders. Use a standard sized hard cast bullet, with a fast powder, and you’ll lead up your barrel.

 

[Melnic]

I had cast soft lead 9mm bullets a few months ago and powder coated them.
I had shot them before and chrono'd them and did not notice much difference and did not pay much mind to it.
For the sake of information gathering, I tried them today along with other bullets I had.
I loaded them for a typical 1150fps and shot from my Glock 17 today at steel and 25 yards.
I alternated mags of bullets between the soft (5Brinell) and those that were harder lead (12-15Brinell)
I definitely had more flyers on the soft lead.
I hit the steel about 95% of the time with the harder lead and about 60% with the soft lead.
So that gun, those bullets, that powder, it made a difference. Keep in mind the G17 is polygonal rifling so "maybe" that makes a difference.
Next time out, I'll bring another target gun that is standard rifling

Looked back over my notes, Velocity I posted was incorrect.
This load of PC is 124gr Hard lead with 4.1gr of Bullseye powder at 1060fps
I had loaded up soft lead which and 4.1gr bullseye but never chrono'd it. Just weighed a couple of the soft lead that I had not loaded up and they are 130gr. I"m pretty happy with the hard lead. Today the first mag on a fresh painted torso target was pretty much centered in a 4-5" group @ 25 yards taking my time.

 

[lim144]

Hmm, it could be the polygonal rifling? Not sure, as I’ve never tried cast in one of those barrels. I know, a lot of people dislike the marlin micro grove barrels for cast bullets. I have found that they like a fat softer bullet, using slower powders. Use a standard sized hard cast bullet, with a fast powder, and you’ll lead up your barrel.

Happen to have a dreaded microgroove .444 Marlin. Shoots fine with .431 sized bullets instead of .429. Love the thing, but it is an odd rifle

 

[GunBum]

Happen to have a dreaded microgroove .444 Marlin. Shoots fine with .431 sized bullets instead of .429. Love the thing, but it is an odd rifle

Another example of properly sized bullets shooting well while improperly sized bullets don’t...

 

[lim144]

Another example of properly sized bullets shooting well while improperly sized bullets don’t...

It's much worse. Microgroove barrel will slug .429.

 

[Melnic]

So, as I mentioned, my Factory G17 Gen 3 does NOT like Powder coated soft lead bullets (33% will be flyers). It also does not like the HiTek coated Bayou bullets. It does FINE with with FMJ, Copper washed and Hard Lead Powder coated bullets.
I took out my FMJ reloads, Soft lead Powder coated and HiTek coated Bayou bullets out to the range with 2 different standard rifling 9mm Pistols and tried them.
Both pistols shot 20/20 hits at 12" torso target @ 25 yards
Pistol 1 was 19/20 with Soft lead PC and Pistol 2 was 18/20 with soft lead PC
Pistol 1 was 20/20 with the HiTek Bayou Bullets and Pistol 2 was 18/20 with HiTek Bayou Bullets.

I shot another 30 rounds of FMJ and hit 100% time w/ Pistol 1

I still have about 200 rounds of Soft PC bullets and 300 Rounds of HiTek, looks like I"ll have to shoot out of pistols other than the G17.
It is said (don't recall if its just interwebs or written somewhere in a Glock Manual NOT to shoot cast lead bullets from a Glock with polygonal rifling. I can see why).

My 9mm sizer is .356" so I'll just be using up all the harder lead for my 9mm for now (which I have plenty of).

EDIT: 356, not 309!

 

[GunBum]

Shooting .309” sized bullets out of a 9mm is not conducive to accuracy of any type.

 

[Melnic]

Shooting .309” sized bullets out of a 9mm is not conducive to accuracy of any type.

HAHAHA, got mixed up there. Fixed

 

[babalou]

Curses

3% antimony?

Damnit you beat me to it. Lolol