Heavy vs. Light bullets, your thoughts?

[Peter M. Eick]

I was blasting away at the range yesterday and I got into a discussion with a fellow reloader as we picked up brass. We were talking about light vs. heavy for caliber bullets. He was going for light for caliber bullets while at the same time I am starting to load generally medium to heavy for caliber bullets. I found this interesting.

About 30 years ago when I started reloading, I went with the medium weight bullets most of the time. I then went through a period about 15 years ago to say 5 years ago where I tended to go light for caliber (mostly because they tended to be cheaper). This was back in the day of jacketed bullets so I was shooting a lot of say 88 grn JHP's out of a 357 Sig or 90 grn JHP's out of a 9mm.

Now today, I tend to buy heavy for caliber bullets as I tend to find them to be more accurate since I now shoot mostly lead. Say for example 173 grn for 38 special or 180 grn lead for 357 Magnum and 147 grn for 38 super.

I am just punching paper so I am not really interested in penetration or the like. I am just after practical accuracy. Yes I still do 158's and 148's for 38 special and 230's for 45 acp so some things won't change.

So what do you all tend to do? Go heavy, or go light or do you have a theme at all?

 

[USSR]

I cast heavy SWC's. Longer bearing surface for accuracy, and cuts nice holes.

Don

 

[LiveLife]

For 9mm, I tend to prefer 124/125 gr over 115 gr bullets as I have easier time cycling the slide on my Glocks with mid - high range loads. I usually need to push the 115 gr jacketed bullets to high+ range load to reliably cycle the slides.

For 40S&W, I prefer the lighter 155/165 gr jacketed bullets for match shooting. The heavier 180 gr plated/lead bullets can be loaded mild while still maintaining accuracy. I use light but very accurate 180 gr loads with 3.8-4.1 gr of W231/HP38 as training load for female/new/transitioning shooters from 9mm.

For 45ACP, I have always liked the 200 gr SWC as it shoots very accurate without the heavier "thump" of the 230 gr load and costs much less.

 

[Water-Man]

I use heavy for caliber ammo because I'm a proponent of the importance of penetration. I also usually get better accuracy from doing so.

 

[LiveLife]

OP: "I am just punching paper so I am not really interested in penetration or the like. I am just after practical accuracy."

I posted for paper punching match shooting loads.

If we were to talk about defensive JHP loads for penetration, my loads would be different.

 

[68wj]

OP: "I am just punching paper so I am not really interested in penetration or the like. I am just after practical accuracy."

I posted for paper punching match shooting loads.

If we were to talk about defensive JHP loads for penetration, my loads would be different.

This.

If paper is your enemy, go with the bullet that gives you the most accuracy (primary) and shooting comfort. For long distance rifle that may mean going heavier, but you will know what your firearm likes.

 

[orionengnr]

All of my handguns get carried. That said:

For my handloads, I try to duplicate the POA/POI of my carry ammo at 25-45 feet. For the most part, that ends up being a fairly heavy-for-caliber lead SWC.

 

[TooTaxed]

I prefer light bullets for punching paper...heavy loads are for punching Bad Guys!

I shoot mostly 185-gr SWC light loads, just heavy enough to work the slide reliably, in .45 ACP...also 200-gr SWC. These are highly accurate, and I like the neat "paper punch" clean holes and I can shoot a lot without either the gun or myself getting beat up. Also good for training new woman and children shooters.

Similarly, I prefer light .38-Spl loads using 148-gr wadcutters.

 

[Seedtick]

I do the most of my paper punching with handguns.

Since the lighter bullets tend to be cheaper I shoot more of them.

Seedtick

 

[1SOW]

For range/competition light loads, 9mm 124/125 shoots with less muzzle flip which makes the shooter more accurate and faster. Many use 147 gr to get even softer shooting loads.

I don't know which weight bullet is more "accurate", but I do believe the heavier weight bullet is "easier" to shoot accurately.

 

[esheato]

I like the middle in most calibers.

115-124 9mm, 200 45 ACP

I do go heavy in others, 405 in 45-70, 250 in 45 Colt...but I also load those down a bit more than normal.

It's really a trade off for me..

 

[SoulLessGinger]

I reload for accuracy, less so for economy.

It seems to me, that people often do not factor in the most important part of the accuracy equation (mechanical accuracy, anyways) when selecting the proper weight bullet: Their Barrel.

I select the bullet weight that corresponds to the twist rate of the rifling and which allows me to adjust my COAL the proper distance to the rifling.

For example, the factory barrel in 9mm Glocks is 1: 9.84". This twist is optimized for shooting the NATO 124gr FMJ. Same with the chamber lead specs. Thus, a 124gr seated with the same COAL as the NATO will usually be the most accurate.

The aftermarket Glock barrels (Storm Lake, KKM, etc) are cut with a twist rate of 1: 16", ideal for stabilizing a 115gr bullet and I believe they also have a chamber lead corresponding to the shorter COALs required by those shorter bullets. This is because those barrels are popular with reloaders (who buy them for their increased chamber support and non-polygonal rifling) wanting to be able to shoot a less expensive 115gr bullet.

Now, with a handgun, you are way less likely to notice bullet-related accuracy problems, so there is a lot more flexibility in selecting bullet weights than in rifles. But for me, with range ammo, where terminal ballistics are not a factor, I want the most accuracy I can get for my money.