New Reloader, question on Rainier Leadsafe Bullets

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

M1ke10191

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
12
Hey guys, quick question. I just bought a set of dies off Midway for 9mm and 100 (just to test them out) Rainier LeadSafe bullets, 115gr. I have only reloaded ONCE for my Mosin Nagant so far, and have no experience at all with pistol loading. I haven't been down to the gun store yet, but I have my powder choices narrowed down to Power Pistol and Bullseye. Hopefully they have one of those two in stock. I figured those two would be my best bet since both my Lyman and Hornady manuals list them as powders for 115 gr rounds.

This is where my question really comes in: are these bullets essentially glorified lead rounds or do I treat them as regular FMJ 115gr bullets? I hear things, and even Midway states, that you should use lead based loads when using these. I couldn't find much info in either manual (still new at this), so I wanted to ask here for a general guide on powder charges.

If it matters, I'm using a Beretta M9 as my pistol. My father has a Glock 26 which will also see these bullets chambered.

If you guys need any more info let me know, I just wanted some experienced opinions before I started throwing charges.

Thanks a lot,

-Mike
 
They are soft lead bullets with copper electroplating that covers the soft lead bullet in a very thin layer of copper.

From Rainier:

Loading Data
We, at Rainier Ballistics, recommend using lead bullet load data when loading our bullets. There is no need for adjustment when using lead bullet load data. Our bullets are jacketed using an electroplating process and are softer than traditionally jacketed bullets; hence the recommendation to use lead bullet load data.

If you only have access to traditionally jacketed load data, we recommend a starting powder charge directly between the listed minimum and maximum load, and you may use published load data found in reputable reloading manuals.

A slight roll or taper crimp may be used with our bullets;

Overcrimping plated bullets may result in decreased accuracy, and fragmentation of copper plating.

http://www.rainierballistics.com/loaddata.php
 
I shoot ranier plated all the time. I have polygonal rifling in pistols. I use mid range load and never have a problem. Accuracy has been great as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I have shot a few thousand rounds of Rainier plated bullets, in .40 and 9mm. I usually use Tite Group for my powder, and fire the 9mm out of a Beretta M9A1, and the .40 out of a Glock 23 (with a KKM barrel) and a Sig Sauer P226 Elite.

I have had good luck with Rainier bullets in the Beretta, and haven't had any failures with this round. I've used 115 and 124 for the 9mm, and found the 124 to be slightly more accurate in my pistol.

I put a precision barrel in my Glock after reading too many posts about people having kabooms with the factory barrel and their reloads. I have found it to be more accurate with the new barrel, and while the Rainier bullets work well (no problems) I have found the 180 grain jacketed bullets (.40 S&W) from Precision Delta to be more affordable and more accurate in the Glock and the Sig Sauer.

In all of these cases for Rainier bullets, i have used the lead loading data from the Lee manual, and haven't had any problems. I don't load them too hot, and primarily use them for target shooting at the range, and for IDPA. Have fun with the reloading, look at Precision Delta for some good bullets at good prices, and have fun shooting what you loaded.
 
If you only have access to traditionally jacketed load data, we recommend a starting powder charge directly between the listed minimum and maximum load, and you may use published load data found in reputable reloading manuals.
Click to expand...

That won't be a lead load with a lot of powders. Most of the powders I have seen for 9mm the max lead load is equal to or less that the starting jacketed load.
 
I feel like this is still being skirted around. I picked up some Power Pistol today so if anyone has a good load for the rainier bullets that would be cool. I'm not home ATM so I can't check the manuals. If the recommended load is anything under 1200 fps or simply the mid range loading, that's easy to figure out. I have a feeling it's more complicated though.
 
I feel like this is still being skirted around.
Click to expand...

I don't think it has. You probably didn't get load data because nobody has loaded them with those two powders. I have only used Titegroup with them, 4.2 grains was a nice load.
 
I don't want to come off as arrogant or anything, it's just hard being a new reloader lol.
 
I don't want to come off as arrogant or anything, it's just hard being a new reloader lol.
Click to expand...

No problem. I remember those days. The learning curve seemed fairly short, it should get a lot easier soon.
 
Yep, we all had to start somewhere and learn how ta' roll em up. I usually don't go over the mid point jacketed data with plated because I never have had to. You should start low and work up your load till the pistols function then go for accuracy. The trap new reloaders fall into is using "someones" pet load and having problems that a work up of the load would have avoided. We just want you to be safe and happy when reloading.:)
 
I load Rainier 9mm 115gr plated bullets over 7.0gr of HS6.

These loads are shot from my Beretta 92FS, S&W 6906 and Glock 26.
 
we all had to start somewhere and learn how ta' roll em up. You should start low and work up your load till the pistols function then go for accuracy. The trap new reloaders fall into is using "someones" pet load and having problems that a work up of the load would have avoided.
Click to expand...
That's right. Get out your reloading manual or go to the Alliant website, pick a starting charge, load 20 @ 1.130 to 1.135 OAL, and test fire them. They should cycle the gun, but do make sure all the bullets exit the barrel before shooting another round, just to be safe. It will most likely be lighter than you want. Assuming the rounds all fed fired and ejected properly, make up some more with .2 Grs more powder and shoot them. Somewhere between the starting load and before you get to the max load, there will be a load that feels good, shoots good, is good. You'll be all smiles and confidence then. I promise you it will instill more pride than if we just throw out a load and you copy it. (Besides, I don't use either powder in 9MM, so I couldn't anyway)

We just want you to be safe and happy when reloading.
Click to expand...
Absolutely.
 
Sounds good. Turns out I forgot to get the smaller rotor for my Hornady powder measuer, so I won't be loading for a few days. I made some dummy rounds, since the dies came today, which brings me to one more question.

A dumb question, but still...

The brass I'm using is once fired (I assume) brass pickups off the ground, which I tumbled and look like new. I noticed that for nearly all of them I was able to start the bullet and seat it w/o expanding the case mouth. I thought about it and figured that makes sense since this brass has already had a bullet seated it in once before, so I shouldn't have to re-expand the mouth. Am I right in my assumption? If so, is the only use for the expanding die for unfired, purchased brass?
 
It doesn't matter if you use new brass, or sized once fired brass, you should use the expander and bell the case slightly. Jacketed bullets can often times be seated in sized brass without expanding it, but lead cannot be, and many plated bullets cannot be without damage. The die set came with an expander for a reason.

Size it, expand/bell it, seat a bullet/crimp, or seat a bullet and then crimp.
 
I was looking to see what others had done with these bullets since they area great deal. I didn't find info matching a specific recipe but I did find a lot of experienced folks that had used them, which is what convinced me to try them. have a p99 and a sw99 9mm and I found the sw99 likes 6.8gr hs6 and the p99 likes 6.4gr hs6. Kinda funny as they are the same barrel and lowers. I started with a the hodgdon load data for 115gr lrn bullets 6.4 gr hs6 powder then progressed up. I use a pro1000 with the auto powder disk set up with the .46 hole which gives me a 6. 5 grain load for 1 gun and the next size up for the other. If I was to use one of the loads as a general load for my guns it would be the 6.5 grains loads using the .46 disk. I base that on general accuracy since I'm not trying to keyhole every shot. Take the advise that each weapon has its own preferences and find YOUR weapons best load. As for the case, always run through the sized, the. Flare, then seat,crimp.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top