Hard cast vs: fmj/plated

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Steve H

Steve H

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Over all my years of shooting and reloading I have really never used much, if any, hard cast bullets. I have always loaded either jacketed or plated ammo (9mm, 38 & 45). Now that I am going to step up to more shooting and more reloading I started looking a bullet prices and cannot believe what I am seeing i the cost of 230gr fmj (~.18/ea) and plated (~.14 ea) vs hard cast (Berrys @ ~.12 ea.) So my question is is I start loading Berrys Hard Cast 230 gr .45 do I have do do anything different that what I have done loading fmj or plated? Do I need any "lube" or a gas check for this bullet? I drive by the Berry's plant weekly so it's easy to call and order direct. The Berry's bullet I'm looking at is their #00154, it has what I think is a "lube ring" in it. Am I missing anything?
 
yeah, the blue ring is lube. you'll have to clean your barrel more than you would with jacketed, but lead works real well in a 45, as it's a nice slow low pressure round. (I'm having a devil of a time with a lead 9mm, but that is a different tale of woe altogether......)

Lubed lead bullets are more slippery than jacketed ones are, and zip down the barrel a little faster. You might have to adjust your load down just a touch to keep the same velocity.
 
Hardcast bullets won't be as dirty as plain lead bullets however, I shoot a lot of lswc it is not much dirtier than fmj after 100 rounds and hard cast is cleaner yet.
 
Steve H said:
I started looking a bullet prices and cannot believe what I am seeing i the cost of 230gr fmj (~.18/ea) and plated (~.14 ea) vs hard cast (Berrys @ ~.12 ea.)
Click to expand...

Berry's hard cast are $122.45 per thousand...Precision Delta's 230gr FMJ are $130
And since you're in Utah, you'll pay sales tax on the Berry bullets, so your savings would be zero.
My choice would be Precision's FMJ
 
I'm loading Rimrock presently in 45 auto, plus 158gr SWC and the Keith 170/W296 bullet. Barnes CR 10 isn't a bad bore cleaner, but I like what I'm seeing with Kroil for bore cleanup. I'm also thinking about an order to Penn bullets for a comparison, both companies offer USPS flat rate shipping ($15.00) for up to 70#s, ie, 4 500 round boxes.
 
Missouri Bullet has a good product and good pricing. Lots of happy customers.

It is pretty hard to get leading in .45 ACP. It loves lead bullets.
 
I agree with Walkalong, the 45acp is very well suited for cast bullets. I never could get my TRP to group any better than 2" at 25yards. I ordered a box of MBC 230gr LRN. Worked up a load and my TRP will now consistently hold 1" at 25 yards. I have found that cast bullets, if sized properly, are more accurate than jacketed and plated. YMMV.
 
+1 to lead bullets!

do the "plunk" test when first setting up your load. the lead bullet ogive will be different than an fmj one. so, make sure the bullet is not hitting the end of the chamber.

lead is good.

murf
 
Now you guys really have me thinking about lead. One question. Taper crimp or roll crimp? Looking at the Barnes & the Missouri 230gr it looks like MAYBE a roll crimp is what it needed.
 
A very light taper crimp is all you need. Just remove the bell, or a hair more. Well, less than a hair, say .001 more.
 
I agree just a light taper crimp for the .45, sometimes with new brass you will not have to taper crimp as the brass seems to contract after bullet seating at least this has happened to me, belled the case and after seating it was good and tight and .002" under .473". Shot very well also.:)
 
I like lead OK but since I don't have a .45 prefer plated in my 9s, .38s, .380s and .357. I really noticed a lot of smut from the wax all around my stainless .357 that I didn't notice with my blued guns but I'm sure is there.

The following a batch of rounds with a jacketed bullet or two does seem to make cleaning a leaded barrel easier.
 
I load for a .32acp beretta that actually groups tighter w/lead slugs from mike a/mastercast.
a .380 and 9makarov both do as well as jacketed the mak a bit better actually.
as a feller above my 9mm Luger doesn't like them much
my .357 does well w/light 'target loads' 158gr swc over RD
so far have'nt loaded any .45 acp
 
In spite of the increases in price i still go with either plated or jacketed bullets.
Remember it's still cheaper than golf.
 
Since the first 150 rounds of ball ammo, I have shot nothing but MBC 200 RNFP in my Colt 45 ACP. I use the softer ones listed for 45 Colt, rather than the harder ones listed for 45 ACP. They come out to 7.9¢ each. I have never had any leading. VERY accurate.
 
45 Lead

All the above is good advice. I use lead for plinking and pistol competition to save $$. The exception is silhouette where I used jacketed. As for cleaning the barrel, there will certainly be lea fouling. My remedy is to send a mag of +P lead through the thing and no more lead fouling. NOTE I use this in a low pressure pistol like the 45 or 38 but not hot cartridges that are in the upper heat range.
 
Missouri Bullet Company lead is great.

I use the 185 and 200 grain LSWC in 45
The 125 round and 147 Flat Points for 9mm
and the 125 for 38 special
 
Otto said:
Berry's hard cast are $122.45 per thousand...Precision Delta's 230gr FMJ are $130
And since you're in Utah, you'll pay sales tax on the Berry bullets, so your savings would be zero.
My choice would be Precision's FMJ
Click to expand...
I am sure Berry's hard cast are very good, but there are cheaper options in hard cast. Last week I bought 1000 rounds of Tennessee Valley 230 RN from my local shop for $112 OTD.

Others I have used that are less expensive

Mastercast
CBBullets
 
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