Brazo's Precision Bullets Video:
Brazos Bullet Company Link: https://bit.ly/brazosprecision
DISCLAIMER #1:This is going to be lengthy! So stick with me and try not to judge too much!
I will do my best to upload this thread with further testing/write ups/videos/reviews of other products tested in an attempt to limit the number of threads created. Unless it is worthy of its own thread!
Channel info:
I created the channel (TacReload Response) for the purpose of being able to upload videos for reviews and testing of various products related to the shooting and reloading community.
Also as a way to share results, knowledge and ideas. Mainly for educational and performance testing purposes. With this I hope to help my fellow members in the reloading community and
fellow shooters (both new and seasoned). It is my hope to be able to connect people with products/companies that return a high amount of value to them and in the process help promote a company and the products they offer. Including the smaller/less well known companies producing quality products at a reasonable price!
Purpose:
Searching online I did not find A LOT of data and reviews on Brazo's bullets and wanted to share my experiences while providing what I hope is helpful information and a review of the company's product offerings. Reloading is a hobby for me, however I am always in search of products/components/offerings at a good price. So the goal is sometimes to save money and be able to shoot more! And I enjoy testing things (even if sometimes it is not as precise or scientific as some may like.)
Hopefully by the end of this write up/video series it will help others and give some insight into different companies offerings.
About:
Brazo's Precision Bullets is a company out of college station, Texas and offer affordable Hi-Tek coated lead bullets. Instead of selling by quantity (i.e. 500, 1000, etc..) they sell by a weight of 15lbs (what fits in a standard flat rate shipping box from USPS). They do also offer 5lb sample packs that can be bought as well. They state their bullets are a hardness of 13 and currently the only color offering at the time of this write up for 9mm is in their Hi-Tek gold coating.
Bullet offerings:
They offer a wide variety of calibers. I am only going to focus on their 9mm offering as that is the caliber I am testing. Their 9mm offerings consists of 115gr, 125gr, 135gr, and 147gr with multiple profile offerings such as round nose and flat point (all are listed to have a beveled base). They offer different diameters which include .355, .356, and .357 I opted to test their 115gr round nose offering with no grove and a beveled base. At the time of this write up, they offer a 5 lb sample pack of any profile for $14.95 + shipping.
All offerings are priced at $42.00 + shipping for 15 lbs. Quantity varies by weight. In this case, for 115gr you get approximately 914 projectiles which would equal out to approximately 4.6 cents per bullet before shipping.
Initial impressions:
The bullets arrived in adequate packaging with no damage. The coating color varies some from bullet to bullet. Most are a gold color, although some resemble a more brownish color. I did notice some of the bullet coatings did not appear to be uniform as upon closer inspection you can see some grey areas which I suspect to be the led of the bullet (but I could be wrong). Testing
the coating I found it to be rather thin and most notably near the bevel of the base. It could be scrapped off with a finger nail on some of the bullets (but not all) exposing the lead of the bullet. No casting flaws were noted and the bottoms of the bullets were smooth. So far I have found one bullet I have deemed unusable due to an issue with the coating having a hardened and rough textured material on it.
Weight and diameter:
Taking a sample of 10 bullets, the weights varied from 117.2gr to 118.5gr. Diameters were consistent at .356"
Bullet's length was recorded at 0.550".
**DISCLAIMER #2: Always reference published load data by known powder/bullet/ reloading companies and ALWAYS do your own powder work up. What works/is safe for one person in their firearm, may not be safe or work in yours!**
Load Data:
I am using Alliant Sport Pistol with Remington Small Pistol Primers.
Alliant's reloading guide has load data for the ACME RN 115gr Hi-Tek Lead bullets with a MAX charge of 4.7gr at 1.120".
Load Development:
I decided to follow LiveLife's post (on THR forum) on handgun load development (shout out to LiveLife for taking the time to post a detailed guide!) So I took the barrels out of my Glock 19 (stock barrel) and Glock 26 (combat armory barrel) to determine max OAL. I was able to seat the profile of these bullets out to SAMMI max of 1.169"
I took some measurements of the brass cases and got a average length of 0.748" meaning at max OAL of 1.169" there is approximately 0.129" of bulletin the case. With neck tension in mind, I decided to use a working OAL of 1.135"
Being conservative, I decided on a starting charge of 3.7grs and work my way up to 4.5grs in 0.2gr increments.
So I got to loading rounds at 3.7grs, 3.9grs, 4.1grs, 4.3grs, and 4.5grs with a working OAL of 1.135"
As outlined by LiveLife, we want to find a charge that will reliably cycle the slide and extract the fired cases. While doing this we will monitor the accuracy of each charge weight. The goal is to start with a working OAL and find which powder charge produces the best accuracy/tightest groups. Once we find a charge weight (or two) that produces the best accuracy/smallest groups, we can fine tune the load by decreasing the OAL in small increments (such as .005"). The hope is by decreasing the OAL we will be able to get more accuracy out of the load and decrease group size.
Loading Brazo's bullets:
This is my first venture into loading coated lead bullets. There was not a whole lot to note here expect for a couple minor observations:
-Case mouth expansion:
1) Some adjustment on the expanding die is needed to flare the case mouth slightly more than if using Plated or FMJ bullets. As we know, some plated and FMJ'sare sized to .355" and some .356". The reason for adding slightly more flare is so that when seating a coated lead bullet you do not scrape the coating off or damage the lead. This is especially true if you are use to .355" plated for FMJ bullets and are now using .356" coated lead bullets.
-Seating:
Using Lee dies, no bullet deformation was noted.
-Taper crimp:
1) Slight adjustment of the taper crimp may be needed as well. Again this is to accommodate the extra flare in the case mouth as well as the possibility of using a slightly larger diameter bullet (i.e. .356" as compared to .355")
2) I opt to seat and crimp in different stations and do not do a seat and crimp in the same process. By doing this it negates the risk of damaging the coating or lead. After crimping a diameter of 0.377" was noted. The rounds were then put in the Glock 26 test barrel. All passed the "plunk" test.
Time to hit the range and get some results!
Test gun:
Glock 26 build using the following components:
-OEM frame with OEM internal
-Rocky Precision slide w/ RMR cut and front serrations (OEM internals as well)
-Combat Armory Glock 26 barrel (1:16 twist, conventional rifling)
Range Testing:
-All rounds were shot at a distance of 10 yards (30ft) as verified by a range finder).
-I used a DIY rest I had previous built out of scrap wood and threaded rods to provide a more stable shooting platform and adjust for elevation.
-Using a ProChrono DLX at a distance of approximately 8ft for velocity testing (instructions state to use 5-10ft distance)
-Prior to group testing all charge weights were shot to verify function testing, look for pressure signs, and obtain velocity.
Average Velocities:
-3.7gr = 955fps
-3.9gr = 999fps
-4.1gr = 1050fps
-4.3gr = 1080fps
-4.5gr = 1095fps
**Notes: All charge weights were able to function the slide and extracted cases fine (some more positive then others). No pressure signs observed.
Range Results:
I'll let the pictures do most of the speaking here.
3.7grs - Definitely got us on paper, and produced decent results. However with a avg. velocity of 955fps, that is slower than I want to be at for a 115gr projectile.
3.9grs - Group not noticeably worse as shown below:
4.1grs - Group really start to tighten up as compared to the other charge weights tested - Group size = 3.5 inches:
4.3grs - Another solid performance, not as good as 4.1grs but noticeably better than the others - Group size = 3.5 inches:
4.5grs - These were all over the place. With out a doubt we will not be using this charge weight:
**Before anyone says it, I understand this is only a small representation using one group of 5 rounds to attempt to verify accuracy**
Where to go from here:
-Following the load development guidelines, my plan is to take the charge weight of 4.1grs and possibly 4.3grs and decrease the OAL down to approximately 1.120".
From there we will re-test for velocity and test for accuracy to see if we can get the groups smaller. OR we will find the test guns may prefer the original OAL of 1.135". Only way to find out is to test it! My plan is to create PART 2 to this post. Again with written details/results and another video!
My other thoughts/considerations:
1) I would like to see how these lesser known coated bullets compare to other company's offerings such as bullets from: ACEM, Bayou Bullets, MBC, etc..
--However I am working on a budget and during the current situation (COVID-19 many companies are still backlogged)
2) Since the Glock 26 slide has an RMR cut, I have tossed around the idea of attempting to get a Red Dot Optic that has an RMR footprint to use in testing.
This leaves the option of either a Trijicon RMR or an offering from Holosun. Again as I am working on a budget here, I am not sure when this maybe possible. Keeping value in mind, I wouldn't
mind testing out the Holosun offerings as we all know Trijicon RMR's are known for their reliability!
--With that said this also opens up more testing as far as results using Iron sight vs Red Dot!
I know this is lengthy, but I wanted to outline all the information in the video for those that prefer to be able to read through the information and refer back to it.
Thanks and hope you enjoyed!
As always, constructive criticism and knowledge sharing is always appreciated!
Brazos Bullet Company Link: https://bit.ly/brazosprecision
DISCLAIMER #1:This is going to be lengthy! So stick with me and try not to judge too much!
I will do my best to upload this thread with further testing/write ups/videos/reviews of other products tested in an attempt to limit the number of threads created. Unless it is worthy of its own thread!
Channel info:
I created the channel (TacReload Response) for the purpose of being able to upload videos for reviews and testing of various products related to the shooting and reloading community.
Also as a way to share results, knowledge and ideas. Mainly for educational and performance testing purposes. With this I hope to help my fellow members in the reloading community and
fellow shooters (both new and seasoned). It is my hope to be able to connect people with products/companies that return a high amount of value to them and in the process help promote a company and the products they offer. Including the smaller/less well known companies producing quality products at a reasonable price!
Purpose:
Searching online I did not find A LOT of data and reviews on Brazo's bullets and wanted to share my experiences while providing what I hope is helpful information and a review of the company's product offerings. Reloading is a hobby for me, however I am always in search of products/components/offerings at a good price. So the goal is sometimes to save money and be able to shoot more! And I enjoy testing things (even if sometimes it is not as precise or scientific as some may like.)
Hopefully by the end of this write up/video series it will help others and give some insight into different companies offerings.
About:
Brazo's Precision Bullets is a company out of college station, Texas and offer affordable Hi-Tek coated lead bullets. Instead of selling by quantity (i.e. 500, 1000, etc..) they sell by a weight of 15lbs (what fits in a standard flat rate shipping box from USPS). They do also offer 5lb sample packs that can be bought as well. They state their bullets are a hardness of 13 and currently the only color offering at the time of this write up for 9mm is in their Hi-Tek gold coating.
Bullet offerings:
They offer a wide variety of calibers. I am only going to focus on their 9mm offering as that is the caliber I am testing. Their 9mm offerings consists of 115gr, 125gr, 135gr, and 147gr with multiple profile offerings such as round nose and flat point (all are listed to have a beveled base). They offer different diameters which include .355, .356, and .357 I opted to test their 115gr round nose offering with no grove and a beveled base. At the time of this write up, they offer a 5 lb sample pack of any profile for $14.95 + shipping.
All offerings are priced at $42.00 + shipping for 15 lbs. Quantity varies by weight. In this case, for 115gr you get approximately 914 projectiles which would equal out to approximately 4.6 cents per bullet before shipping.
Initial impressions:
The bullets arrived in adequate packaging with no damage. The coating color varies some from bullet to bullet. Most are a gold color, although some resemble a more brownish color. I did notice some of the bullet coatings did not appear to be uniform as upon closer inspection you can see some grey areas which I suspect to be the led of the bullet (but I could be wrong). Testing
the coating I found it to be rather thin and most notably near the bevel of the base. It could be scrapped off with a finger nail on some of the bullets (but not all) exposing the lead of the bullet. No casting flaws were noted and the bottoms of the bullets were smooth. So far I have found one bullet I have deemed unusable due to an issue with the coating having a hardened and rough textured material on it.
Weight and diameter:
Taking a sample of 10 bullets, the weights varied from 117.2gr to 118.5gr. Diameters were consistent at .356"
Bullet's length was recorded at 0.550".
**DISCLAIMER #2: Always reference published load data by known powder/bullet/ reloading companies and ALWAYS do your own powder work up. What works/is safe for one person in their firearm, may not be safe or work in yours!**
Load Data:
I am using Alliant Sport Pistol with Remington Small Pistol Primers.
Alliant's reloading guide has load data for the ACME RN 115gr Hi-Tek Lead bullets with a MAX charge of 4.7gr at 1.120".
Load Development:
I decided to follow LiveLife's post (on THR forum) on handgun load development (shout out to LiveLife for taking the time to post a detailed guide!) So I took the barrels out of my Glock 19 (stock barrel) and Glock 26 (combat armory barrel) to determine max OAL. I was able to seat the profile of these bullets out to SAMMI max of 1.169"
I took some measurements of the brass cases and got a average length of 0.748" meaning at max OAL of 1.169" there is approximately 0.129" of bulletin the case. With neck tension in mind, I decided to use a working OAL of 1.135"
Being conservative, I decided on a starting charge of 3.7grs and work my way up to 4.5grs in 0.2gr increments.
So I got to loading rounds at 3.7grs, 3.9grs, 4.1grs, 4.3grs, and 4.5grs with a working OAL of 1.135"
As outlined by LiveLife, we want to find a charge that will reliably cycle the slide and extract the fired cases. While doing this we will monitor the accuracy of each charge weight. The goal is to start with a working OAL and find which powder charge produces the best accuracy/tightest groups. Once we find a charge weight (or two) that produces the best accuracy/smallest groups, we can fine tune the load by decreasing the OAL in small increments (such as .005"). The hope is by decreasing the OAL we will be able to get more accuracy out of the load and decrease group size.
Loading Brazo's bullets:
This is my first venture into loading coated lead bullets. There was not a whole lot to note here expect for a couple minor observations:
-Case mouth expansion:
1) Some adjustment on the expanding die is needed to flare the case mouth slightly more than if using Plated or FMJ bullets. As we know, some plated and FMJ'sare sized to .355" and some .356". The reason for adding slightly more flare is so that when seating a coated lead bullet you do not scrape the coating off or damage the lead. This is especially true if you are use to .355" plated for FMJ bullets and are now using .356" coated lead bullets.
-Seating:
Using Lee dies, no bullet deformation was noted.
-Taper crimp:
1) Slight adjustment of the taper crimp may be needed as well. Again this is to accommodate the extra flare in the case mouth as well as the possibility of using a slightly larger diameter bullet (i.e. .356" as compared to .355")
2) I opt to seat and crimp in different stations and do not do a seat and crimp in the same process. By doing this it negates the risk of damaging the coating or lead. After crimping a diameter of 0.377" was noted. The rounds were then put in the Glock 26 test barrel. All passed the "plunk" test.
Time to hit the range and get some results!
Test gun:
Glock 26 build using the following components:
-OEM frame with OEM internal
-Rocky Precision slide w/ RMR cut and front serrations (OEM internals as well)
-Combat Armory Glock 26 barrel (1:16 twist, conventional rifling)
Range Testing:
-All rounds were shot at a distance of 10 yards (30ft) as verified by a range finder).
-I used a DIY rest I had previous built out of scrap wood and threaded rods to provide a more stable shooting platform and adjust for elevation.
-Using a ProChrono DLX at a distance of approximately 8ft for velocity testing (instructions state to use 5-10ft distance)
-Prior to group testing all charge weights were shot to verify function testing, look for pressure signs, and obtain velocity.
Average Velocities:
-3.7gr = 955fps
-3.9gr = 999fps
-4.1gr = 1050fps
-4.3gr = 1080fps
-4.5gr = 1095fps
**Notes: All charge weights were able to function the slide and extracted cases fine (some more positive then others). No pressure signs observed.
Range Results:
I'll let the pictures do most of the speaking here.
3.7grs - Definitely got us on paper, and produced decent results. However with a avg. velocity of 955fps, that is slower than I want to be at for a 115gr projectile.
3.9grs - Group not noticeably worse as shown below:
4.1grs - Group really start to tighten up as compared to the other charge weights tested - Group size = 3.5 inches:
4.3grs - Another solid performance, not as good as 4.1grs but noticeably better than the others - Group size = 3.5 inches:
4.5grs - These were all over the place. With out a doubt we will not be using this charge weight:
**Before anyone says it, I understand this is only a small representation using one group of 5 rounds to attempt to verify accuracy**
Where to go from here:
-Following the load development guidelines, my plan is to take the charge weight of 4.1grs and possibly 4.3grs and decrease the OAL down to approximately 1.120".
From there we will re-test for velocity and test for accuracy to see if we can get the groups smaller. OR we will find the test guns may prefer the original OAL of 1.135". Only way to find out is to test it! My plan is to create PART 2 to this post. Again with written details/results and another video!
My other thoughts/considerations:
1) I would like to see how these lesser known coated bullets compare to other company's offerings such as bullets from: ACEM, Bayou Bullets, MBC, etc..
--However I am working on a budget and during the current situation (COVID-19 many companies are still backlogged)
2) Since the Glock 26 slide has an RMR cut, I have tossed around the idea of attempting to get a Red Dot Optic that has an RMR footprint to use in testing.
This leaves the option of either a Trijicon RMR or an offering from Holosun. Again as I am working on a budget here, I am not sure when this maybe possible. Keeping value in mind, I wouldn't
mind testing out the Holosun offerings as we all know Trijicon RMR's are known for their reliability!
--With that said this also opens up more testing as far as results using Iron sight vs Red Dot!
I know this is lengthy, but I wanted to outline all the information in the video for those that prefer to be able to read through the information and refer back to it.
Thanks and hope you enjoyed!
As always, constructive criticism and knowledge sharing is always appreciated!
