Decided to bite the coated lead bullet

[vaalpens]

In February this year I started reloading 38/357 after purchasing a Ruger SP101. Several THR members have been very helpful with guidance and components to get me started. A big help to get started was the bullet PIF from Dudedog which contained some MBC coated bullets and also some plated bullets.

For the last couple of months I have working up loads for both coated and plated bullets, and was happy with the accuracy for both. One thing I realized was the difference in POI, depending on the weight of the bullet. The difference in POI obviously figured into my decision regarding my first purchase of 38/357 bullets.

A few days ago made my final decision and went with the coated bullets from MBC in the 140's and 150's weight range. I also decided that I will probably look into the "FBI load" at some time, and maybe try out some 158gr LSWC HB bullets.

The first bullet I picked was a no brainer. It is the 158gr HiTek coated SWC with a hardness of Brinell 18. This bullet tested well and I will load it in both 38special and 357mag.



The second bullet I picked is the 148gr HiTek coated DEWC bullet with a hardness of Brinell 12. I have not tested this bullet, but decided on it to have something specific for 38special. It is something new for me, and should be fun to load and shoot. I have mostly 38special brass, so the DEWC will be a nice fit.



I have already received the bullets from MBC and is now planning my next loads, and next range trip.

I am just starting with a normal Bullseye load for the DEWC's, but would appreciate it if anybody with MBC 148gr coated DEWC experience can share any information regarding loading these bullets, and also other powders that works well with this bullet.

As always all comments and suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[anothernewb]

You won't regret it. they rock.

I have found I can reduce my charges about .01 to .02 when switching to coated bullets, with respect to velocity, but that was purely for the purpose of testing. I just use my established loads with plain lead with excellent results.

jsut give the 148's the classic bullseye load, and load them like any wadcuter. I also use 2.3 of trail boss under them.

 

[TfflHndn]

I have used TiteGroup, Red Dot and Bullseye with the 148 DEWCs with good results. I usually use TG with plated bullets because it burns so hot it smokes a lot with lead, but I have had no problems using it with coated bullets. I do prefer Red Dot or Bullseye wiht .38 and .45 target loads. Clays and Clay Dot work well too if you can find them. I just picked up some Vectan AS and am looking forward to trying it with these bullets. It seems to be in the same burn rate range as Red Dot and Bullseye.

 

[Reloadron]

Funny you should post the coated DEWC bullets. I just got 1,000 delivered yesterday from MBC also. I got 500 EA of the 148 grain DEWC in .357 and .358 diameters. While I have brass I also should see 500 EA .38 Special from Starline Brass tomorrow. Planning to likely go with Bullseye but have a few other powder options.

Ron

 

[vaalpens]

You won't regret it. they rock.

I have found I can reduce my charges about .01 to .02 when switching to coated bullets, with respect to velocity, but that was purely for the purpose of testing. I just use my established loads with plain lead with excellent results.

jsut give the 148's the classic bullseye load, and load them like any wadcuter. I also use 2.3 of trail boss under them.

anothernewb, thanks for the comments. My plan is to stick with the classic Bullseye load and maybe 700-X for the DEWC. This is the first time I will be loading a WC outside of the SWC's.

 

[vaalpens]

I have used TiteGroup, Red Dot and Bullseye with the 148 DEWCs with good results. I usually use TG with plated bullets because it burns so hot it smokes a lot with lead, but I have had no problems using it with coated bullets. I do prefer Red Dot or Bullseye wiht .38 and .45 target loads. Clays and Clay Dot work well too if you can find them. I just picked up some Vectan AS and am looking forward to trying it with these bullets. It seems to be in the same burn rate range as Red Dot and Bullseye.

TfflHndn, thanks for the advice. The only fast powders I have are Bullseye and 700-X, so i will probably stay with them for now. I bought a few ponds ob Bullseye when I started reloading, but never had much use for it. Looks like now is the time.

I shoot enough plated bullets through my other handguns, so I am happy to go with lead and use some classic loads.

 

[vaalpens]

Funny you should post the coated DEWC bullets. I just got 1,000 delivered yesterday from MBC also. I got 500 EA of the 148 grain DEWC in .357 and .358 diameters. While I have brass I also should see 500 EA .38 Special from Starline Brass tomorrow. Planning to likely go with Bullseye but have a few other powder options.

Ron

Reloadron, thanks for sharing and have fun with all the new components.

With my 3" SP101, I definitely don't have a match barrel, and the .358 SWC's work well, so I just went with the .358 DEWC's.

Keep us updated regarding the results you see with the DEWC's.

 

[springer99]

I also just started to give the MBC coated bullets a try. In the past, I settled on HP-38/W231 for my loads with cast bullets and have had good success with 3.5gr with the 148gr DEWC(for general range use) and 4.9gr with the 158gr SWC's(for more serious work). My notes show the 148gr. running at 800fps and the 158gr. running around 950fps.

Right now I'm using MBC coated PPC#2 148gr and their 38Match coated 158gr SWC using the same powder charges. Seems to shoot just as well and of course no smoke from any lube. I stuck with 12BHN hardness for both, as I don't think that extra hardness is really required at 38Spl velocities. I haven't shot enough of either one yet to see what, if any, fouling builds up but so far they look promising. As soon as the weather gets a bit warmer, I'll break out the chrono to compare them against my cast loads. I hear that coated tend to run either the same or a bit faster than cast/lubed. We shall see.

 

[mdi]

Did you measure the diameter of your bullets? With coated bullets they should be "over size", same as nekkid lead, for accuracy reasons...

 

[springer99]

Did you measure the diameter of your bullets? With coated bullets they should be "over size", same as nekkid lead, for accuracy reasons...

The MBC bullets I'm using measure .358 dia. My older cast bullets were .357 so I'm expecting they will work fine in the long run.

 

[rsrocket1]

Love those PC bullets. I've got it down to about 1 hour to coat 1000 bullets and another hour to size them. Not as fast as 3 minutes to tumble lube and shoot without sizing so I still do that with 45 ACP and 38/357, but for 9 and 40, TL'ing was causing light leading. PC got rid of that completely.

 

[Reloadron]

Did you measure the diameter of your bullets? With coated bullets they should be "over size", same as nekkid lead, for accuracy reasons...

0.35725 and 0.35845 respectively for the .357 and .358 DEWC bullets is what I have.

Ron

 

[ericuda]

I think you will be happy. I have even loaded some 158 swc up with h110 with good luck.

 

[vaalpens]

I also just started to give the MBC coated bullets a try. In the past, I settled on HP-38/W231 for my loads with cast bullets and have had good success with 3.5gr with the 148gr DEWC(for general range use) and 4.9gr with the 158gr SWC's(for more serious work). My notes show the 148gr. running at 800fps and the 158gr. running around 950fps.

Right now I'm using MBC coated PPC#2 148gr and their 38Match coated 158gr SWC using the same powder charges. Seems to shoot just as well and of course no smoke from any lube. I stuck with 12BHN hardness for both, as I don't think that extra hardness is really required at 38Spl velocities. I haven't shot enough of either one yet to see what, if any, fouling builds up but so far they look promising. As soon as the weather gets a bit warmer, I'll break out the chrono to compare them against my cast loads. I hear that coated tend to run either the same or a bit faster than cast/lubed. We shall see.

springer99, thanks for the information. It seems HP-38/W231 is used a lot, but I have never used it before. Maybe it is one of the the powders I need to start looking at.

I just went with the 18 Brinell SWC's because I know I will be loading them in 357mag also. or most of my load the 12 Brinell should be good enough.

PPC#2 is also what I bought. I am really looking forward shooting them and see how they feel with the lower charge. I'm not going to do any Bullseye shooting, but it is nice to try and squeeze the maximum accuracy out of a gun, even a 3" SP101 with standard sights.

I actually did see some lead fouling after I shot some MBC bullets, but the last one's i shot were actually .356 and I just wanted to see what it does to accuracy. I think that is where my lead fouling came from.

 

[styles]

Can a coating let you use say a 6bhn without a gas check? That would be interesting. I don't have leading. Never experienced it. I stay at power levels in the books and 12-15bhn never fails.

My hp's are 5bhn and GC.

 

[vaalpens]

I think you will be happy. I have even loaded some 158 swc up with h110 with good luck.

Thanks. Yes, the 158 SWC's will get the full powder variety workup, where with the 148gr WC, I will probably just fine tune some of the more classic loads.

 

[mgmorden]

You'll like them. I haven't tried MBC's coated bullets yet (I've tried their plain cast), but I have shot Bayou Bullets and The Blue Bullets and for target and competition use I've pretty much switched over to them exclusively. I get about 33% more bullets for the same money as jacketed and they are clean, accurate, and don't smoke like plain lead.

For the type of shooting I do, I don't forsee myself shooting much of anything else in handguns, and I'm kinda curious to try some coated rifle bullets in a .30-30.

 

[vaalpens]

You'll like them. I haven't tried MBC's coated bullets yet (I've tried their plain cast), but I have shot Bayou Bullets and The Blue Bullets and for target and competition use I've pretty much switched over to them exclusively. I get about 33% more bullets for the same money as jacketed and they are clean, accurate, and don't smoke like plain lead.

For the type of shooting I do, I don't forsee myself shooting much of anything else in handguns, and I'm kinda curious to try some coated rifle bullets in a .30-30.

mgmorden, thanks for the comments. I have shot a few of them with bullets I received in a PIF and really liked them. I don't see any reason why I shoot plated or jacketed bullets in my revolver since with plated and jacketed you need more powder to make velocity, they probably put more wear on the forcing cone, and they are more expensive.

 

[Dudedog]

vaalpens,
THANKS for the sample of the wad cutters. (and the .380 JHPs)
I appreciate it.

Looking forward to loading them and testing.

 

[Reloadron]

I should have the first 100 wad cutters loaded tomorrow. Likely over Bullseye and 231.

Ron

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I love MBC coated bullets. I have shot over 3k Zingers out of a .357 in the past year. They averaged 1284 fps....I have not cleaned the gun...The barrel has absolutely no leading.

 

[vaalpens]

vaalpens,
THANKS for the sample of the wad cutters. (and the .380 JHPs)
I appreciate it.

Looking forward to loading them and testing.

Dudedog, it is the least I could do with everything you have done for THR.

It would be nice if you could post the results of your 90gr JHP's evaluation since they are an original PIF from Artofgolf, and he would probably appreciate seeing the results. I just never had the time to test them out, and they would probably shine in your new 380.

 

[vaalpens]

I should have the first 100 wad cutters loaded arrowroot. Likely over Bullseye and 231.

Ron

I have them loaded over a pinch of Bullseye and 700-X. Hopefully I can get a feel of them over the weekend.

 

[vaalpens]

I love MBC coated bullets. I have shot over 3k Zingers out of a .357 in the past year. They averaged 1284 fps....I have not cleaned the gun...The barrel has absolutely no leading.

ColtPythonElite, thanks for the information. What powder are you using?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

7.5 gr of BE-86 with the 140gr Zingers.