FLORIDA KEVIN
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Have any of you used Billy Bullets ?
billy bullets
- Thread starter FLORIDA KEVIN
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Grandpa Shooter
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Billy bullets were originally marketed in Phx at the gun shows. They came about as one man's desired for better cast bullets for competition shooting. They are hard swaged and then coated with molybdenum to lower friction and leading. I used to buy them from him and still have a ton of them. Work really well for steel target shooting.
Only drawback is the black you end up with on your fingers and thumb while reloading. I was buying them back in 95-96. Where are you getting them?
Only drawback is the black you end up with on your fingers and thumb while reloading. I was buying them back in 95-96. Where are you getting them?
I am wondering how the moly coating performs with respect to barrel leading. Once upon a time I bought some .45ACP 200gr LSWC reloads from "a well known vendor" which were without a doubt the most horrendously lead-generating rounds I have ever used. (BTW this wasn't my typical experience from this vendor, hence I'm not naming names.)
I pulled a couple of bullets, which were more or less of a H&G #68 type design, but totally without the usual lube, and instead seemed to be unevenly coated with a thin coating some black substance. Don't know if it was moly, but whatever it was did not work well at all. These things were only going at about 850 ft/sec, so it is not like a normal lube should not have performed well.
So, whenever I see these "black bullets" advertised, I wonder. I hated to use up the 100 rounds I purchased. God forbid I should buy 1000 bullets and hate them too.
What say ye?
Albert
I pulled a couple of bullets, which were more or less of a H&G #68 type design, but totally without the usual lube, and instead seemed to be unevenly coated with a thin coating some black substance. Don't know if it was moly, but whatever it was did not work well at all. These things were only going at about 850 ft/sec, so it is not like a normal lube should not have performed well.
So, whenever I see these "black bullets" advertised, I wonder. I hated to use up the 100 rounds I purchased. God forbid I should buy 1000 bullets and hate them too.
What say ye?
Albert
sargenv
Member
Actually Back about 20 years or so, Billy Bullets were local to me.. Richmond, California.. and they then moved to Phoenix as a lot of people have. I bought and loaded a few thousand of their moly coated semi-wadcutters.. 158's I believe and pushed them as fast as a max charge of Blue Dot would push them.. I never had any leading problems. Master Blaster (WA state) (out of business now), Bear creek (California), and I think Precision (back east somewhere) all make a moly coated lead bullet. You can push them pretty fast and not have the issue of leading like straight lead bullets and you also don't get as much smoke as lead bullets with lube. I've been using the Bear creeks for years.. pushing some of the 140 gr round nosed 40 cal bullets to approx 1350 fps in my 6.5" 610.. never with any leading problems. I generally shoot them loaded to minor.. about 900 fps for shooting IPSC and ICORE competitions.. Again no leading at all.. If I were you, I'd get a hundred and try them out.
Note that you need to flare the brass a bit more so that it doesn't scrape the moly coating off, but you don't need to go crazy in that vein either.
Note that you need to flare the brass a bit more so that it doesn't scrape the moly coating off, but you don't need to go crazy in that vein either.
buenhec
Member
I tried 100 that I bought at the last Crossroads. Performed pretty good but yes you do have to flare the brass a bit. I like the Raineer lead free, they dont get your hands black after you are done reloading.
FLORIDA KEVIN
Member
i found them online
http://www.billybullets.com/Index.aspx This is the website ! i havent ordered them yet ! i still have a supply of masterblaster bullets to shoot but i cant reorder because they went out of business ! I am seeking a similar alternative ! Kevin
http://www.billybullets.com/Index.aspx This is the website ! i havent ordered them yet ! i still have a supply of masterblaster bullets to shoot but i cant reorder because they went out of business ! I am seeking a similar alternative ! Kevin
Grandpa Shooter
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I recommend them. The only issue I have is the semi wad cutter in .45. That configuration does not feed well in my .45. I have yet to try straight lead bullets in SWC to compare, so it may be my loading technique, although they all pass the barrel/case gauge test. Every once in awhile it will feed them in and then not close up. Even doing the slide slap doesn't work. They mic out to be good, so at this point I don't have an answer.
All the other calibers (not in SWC) work great!
All the other calibers (not in SWC) work great!
FLORIDA KEVIN
Member
Thanks Granpa ! they should work fine in a revolver !
sargenv
Member
FL Kev, you may want to see about getting Precision Moly coated bullets. Also Bear creek is another good seller but they are offline these days revamping their web site and trying to keep up with the orders they already have. Billy bullets will be just as good as the rest though. I use 140 gr RN bear creeks in my 610 since I can get them locally for a pretty good price.
FLORIDA KEVIN
Member
Precision has a very limited line of bullets ! if you don't shoot 9mm .45 acp or .40sw they dont have much !
I've used Billy Bullets for a year now and love them. Inexpensive and shoot as well as any other bullets i've used. I use them in my .38 specials, .357 at mid-range loads and my .45's as well. I used to run them in my .38 super but for some reason that guns would lead up the barrel no matter what powder or lead bullet I put thru it. No leading problems in any other calibers or guns.
You do have to flare the case a little more than usual, but it's not really a hassle. Rudy (owner and operator of Billy Bullets) is just a ten minute drive from me so I've never "ordered" his bullets, so I'm not sure how long it would take to ship them around the country. But he is a freindly guy give him a call and ask him the details on shipping.
Opps, I just noticed how old this thread was.
You do have to flare the case a little more than usual, but it's not really a hassle. Rudy (owner and operator of Billy Bullets) is just a ten minute drive from me so I've never "ordered" his bullets, so I'm not sure how long it would take to ship them around the country. But he is a freindly guy give him a call and ask him the details on shipping.
Opps, I just noticed how old this thread was.
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LiveLife
Member
+1 for extra flaring and careful seating of bullet to not shave or rub moly coating off during seating.
Main difference with Precision Bullets from other moly coated lead bullets is that they bake the moly coating which results in a much harder coating than just the tumbled on coating.
They actually melt the bullet til lead drains out of the bullet, but the moly coating remains: http://www.precisionbullets.com/products.html
Main difference with Precision Bullets from other moly coated lead bullets is that they bake the moly coating which results in a much harder coating than just the tumbled on coating.
They actually melt the bullet til lead drains out of the bullet, but the moly coating remains: http://www.precisionbullets.com/products.html
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