I recently bought some 125 & 158 Gr .38 caliber Powerbond bullets from RMR. He (longdayjake) is a poster here on THR.
They were shipped promptly and are very nice looking well formed bullets. I promised a report, so here are my initial findings.
They are touted to have very thick plating and that they can be roll crimped and shot at magnum velocities.
My first test of that theory was to use a heavy taper crimp some of the 125's with 9.1 Grs of N340. That is a proven load with 125 Gr jacketed bullets with either a medium roll or a heavy taper crimp. Those shot very well at an average 1336 FPS with no signs of tumbling or losing any plating. I don't have the target.
Today I loaded some of the 125's with 8.1 Grs of N330. (Out of N340)(Unique is next) I need to bump it to 8.2 and try again, but again those 125's shot pretty well with no signs of damage. This time at an average 1267 FPS. I shot a 6 shot group through the chrono at 7 yards. I am sure they will shoot better than this group. My first group of the day (today it was the only group) is never my best.
I also shot the 125's with 4.0 Grs Clays with a light taper crimp and they shot well with that proven load, but I am not looking for a bullet to replace my light load bullet. My interest in these is to see if they can be used for my midrange .357 loads and so far so good.
The next step will be to shoot them at even higher velocities. They do not seem to mind, accuracy wise, a heavy taper crimp at high pressure, but do not seem to like a heavy crimp at low pressure, but that is no big deal since a heavy crimp at those low velocity target/plinking loads is not needed anyway. Just something I noticed.
I yanked the trigger on the shot down, and was just careless with the shot up. Probably should have used glasses.
6" Trooper Mk III - Powder bond 125 HP at 1267 FPS - 7 yards
They were shipped promptly and are very nice looking well formed bullets. I promised a report, so here are my initial findings.
They are touted to have very thick plating and that they can be roll crimped and shot at magnum velocities.
My first test of that theory was to use a heavy taper crimp some of the 125's with 9.1 Grs of N340. That is a proven load with 125 Gr jacketed bullets with either a medium roll or a heavy taper crimp. Those shot very well at an average 1336 FPS with no signs of tumbling or losing any plating. I don't have the target.
Today I loaded some of the 125's with 8.1 Grs of N330. (Out of N340)(Unique is next) I need to bump it to 8.2 and try again, but again those 125's shot pretty well with no signs of damage. This time at an average 1267 FPS. I shot a 6 shot group through the chrono at 7 yards. I am sure they will shoot better than this group. My first group of the day (today it was the only group) is never my best.
I also shot the 125's with 4.0 Grs Clays with a light taper crimp and they shot well with that proven load, but I am not looking for a bullet to replace my light load bullet. My interest in these is to see if they can be used for my midrange .357 loads and so far so good.
The next step will be to shoot them at even higher velocities. They do not seem to mind, accuracy wise, a heavy taper crimp at high pressure, but do not seem to like a heavy crimp at low pressure, but that is no big deal since a heavy crimp at those low velocity target/plinking loads is not needed anyway. Just something I noticed.
I yanked the trigger on the shot down, and was just careless with the shot up. Probably should have used glasses.
6" Trooper Mk III - Powder bond 125 HP at 1267 FPS - 7 yards
