LRN vs JHP - Are Lead bullets less accuate?

[paradox998]

Just got back from the range. I just started reloading and shot my first LRN loads. I was shooting a 9mm CZ-75B. Anyway, my JHP reloads seemed a good deal more accurate than my LRN rounds. Is this common? I did notice that when I loaded my lead rounds I often saw a little lead shaved off the round as the bullet was seated. Am I doing some thing wrong or are JHP's just more accurate? The JHP's were 115gr Montana Gold rounds and the LRN's were a local 125gr round.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I've got loads with lead bullets in some handguns that will shoot much tighter groups than jacketed bullets in the same gun.

As for shaving lead when seating the bullet, that means you're not belling the case mouth enough and it's contacting the bearing surface of the bullet as it's seated. Adjust your belling die stem so that when you set a bullet in the case mouth, it will be slightly inside the mouth, with just enough flare to allow the bullet to sit there by itself, before being fully seated. This will make for a more accurate bullet, since the ones you've been loading are probably lopsided from shaving lead off one side..

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[qajaq59]

As for shaving lead when seating the bullet, that means you're not belling the case mouth enough

Yup... Bell the cases and your accuracy will be MUCH better. Ask me how I know!!!

 

[loadedround]

Many years ago when I shot three gun bullseye competion(22-centerfire-45), my centerfire pistol was the S&W Model 52 Materpiece 38 Special Midrange. This pistol was designed only to fire a 148 gr LEAD hollow based wadcutter bullet seated flush with the case mouth. My point is that this particular pistol was designed only for LEAD bullets and was, in my opinion, and still is the most accurate handgun ever made. Yes I believe quality lead bullets are more accurate, simply because you normaly shoot them a lot slower and the bullet will upset to seal the bore and thus give more uniform results. JMHO after 45 years of shooting.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

cast slugs when loaded correctly will match and likely exceed fmj for accuracy. in my experience with .32acp, .380acp, 9mm Para and .45acp.

 

[ranger335v]

"my JHP reloads seemed a good deal more accurate than my LRN rounds. Is this common?"

Yes. Round nose pistol bullets are NOT the best shooting design. Lead wadcutters and semi-wadcutters are typically more accurate but they MUST be the correct diameter to shoot well. A quality lubricant is also helpful; it's hard to match, never mind beat, the old NRA 50:50 Alox/Beeswax bullet lube.

NO bullet will be accurate if/when the heels are damaged by seating.

Jacket or no jacket, the quality of the bullets is what makes the most difference on target.

 

[paradox998]

Probably a dumb newbie question, but... How do you bell a case? Is a special die required or just a chamfering tool?

 

[ReloaderFred]

The second die in a three die set for handgun calibers has the expander in it. You just screw down the expander until you get a slight flare on the case mouth. It usually doesn't take much, just enough to let the bullet start into the case.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[paradox998]

Thanks!

 

[243winxb]

First, there are 2 kinds of Lead alloy bullets. Swaged is more accurate than cast. The reason being that cast can have hidden flaws/air bubbles inside the bullet. Swaged are uses for light target loades. Cast can be pushed to higher velocity without leading the barrel. Overall, jacketed bullets are more accurate because there is less chance of the bullet stripping the rifling when it leaves the muzzle. Also less chance of dammage when loading as you have experenced shaving lead . The jacketed bullet can withstand high velocity much easer as you know.

 

[earplug]

22 lr

Millions of fine Olympic medal quality rounds are swaged and fired from very fine pistols and rifles shooting 22LR.
That said. Swaged is more likely to produce a accurate bullet.
Cast bullets can produce as fine a product if the bullets with small imperfections could be found and eliminated prior to loading.
Jacketed bullets are produced by swaging. They cost more and have no advantage on the target range.
In fact by introducing a two piece bullet, Jacket and core. They introduce more problems in quality control.
At target velocity, A lead bullet is more likely to beat a jacketed bullets accuracy due to its uniform structure. Look at various 38 spl Wadcutters and 32 Wadcutters.
Of course different barrels size and rifling will tend to be more accurate with certain type/brand of bullets.
Ever see the difference in the accuracy of match grade 22 LR bullets in different pistols and rifles.

 

[jfh]

When I was reloading 9mm, I found that the issue for shooting lead bullets successfully was in finding the correct combination of components for that particular handgun. So, I suspect that you simply need to continue your testing, with different components--here, the bullet design and BHN.

Recently I tried some appropriately-sized 135-gr. LRNs ('the 38 Super bullet') in my 38/357 reloads. They were amazingly accurate once my preferred recipe was tweaked a bit--accurate, at least, out to 50'.

Jim H.

 

[armoredman]

I have a 124gr cast LRN target load for my CZ P01 that is wicked accurate. Bell properly, and crimp carefully, then have fun!

 

[ranger335v]

"...wadcutters and semi-wadcutters are typically more accurate..."

Glad your RNs shoot well. Proves there are exceptions to every rule!

For anyone wanting to know, "BHN" means Brinnel Hardness Number. It's based on a relative scale that's largely determined by the alloy of any cast bullet.

Swaged bullets ARE typically more accurate than cast BUT they are almost pure lead - soft - and can't be fired at much velocity without stripping out of the rifling. Meaning poor accuracy and lots of lead in the bore!

So, which to chose depends on what you want. Get swaged for pure accuracy at a target range or a more useful hard cast load that shoots well at higher speeds.

 

[Steve C]

Go back to basics and work your charge up for accuracy for your lead bullets. Use lead bullet data, shoot off the bench testing each incremental charge on paper. Its a mistake to think you can just pick a powder level out of the air somewhere between start and max level and expect it to shoot well. The only cartridge that seems to work with is the .41 mag.