Thrifty vs what I like to reload and shoot

Status
Not open for further replies.
nettlle

nettlle

Contributing Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2014
Messages
3,315
Location
Preble County, OH
I am not all that finicky about pistol primers and buy the cheapest. I shoot a lot of 9mm and 45acp and use Bullseye powder for both. It's accurate for both 9mm and 45acp and like only having only one pistol powder on the bench. Thrifty (maybe).

On the other hand I will splurge on bullets. I have tried thousands of plain cast lead and cast coated. I prefer jacketed bullets. Even as range bullets.
 
Sounds like you might want to check out general dynamics CBI, it's a low density single base powder that burns between HP38 and universal speed.
I got mine last year for around $14 a pound delivered.
You might use about 1 more grain compared to bullseye but it's less than half the price.
My only regret is that I didn't buy more.
For me it's the powder for 115gr 9mm and 230gr 45acp, but all I load is 230gr in 45acp.
 
frogfurr said:
I am not all that finicky about pistol primers and buy the cheapest. I shoot a lot of 9mm and 45acp and use Bullseye powder for both. It's accurate for both 9mm and 45acp and like only having only one pistol powder on the bench. Thrifty (maybe).

On the other hand I will splurge on bullets. I have tried thousands of plain cast lead and cast coated. I prefer jacketed bullets. Even as range bullets.
Click to expand...

For cheap jacketed bullets my got source is RMR Bullets. Hard to beat and has an excellent BE class bullet, aka Match Winner.

My powder for choice is WST for 45acp and WSF for 9mm.
 
Jacketed bullets are always more accurate for me. But....I prefer to load and shoot coated bullets because I can run them at a nice slow velocity.
 
frogfurr said:
I prefer jacketed bullets. Even as range bullets.
Click to expand...

I used to be that way, but have pretty much thrown my hat into the cast ring these days. The catalyst was steel targets... you can't shoot them with jacketed bullets, so I switched to cast except for my military rifles. It was a pretty steep learning curve... which surprised me... but I've found loading cast even more rewarding than shooting jacketed, there is more to it than meets the eye. I've been shooting cast in my revolvers for years, but still prefer jacketed or plated for my autos.
 
I have started running cast lead bullets in my revolvers for almost nearly everything I load for them. I have been switching between coated lead and plated 10mm bullets. For my rifles I haven't changed much but finding powder that's not 45$ a pound is getting rough. I may work up a load for .308 with 150 grain bullets as they are more affordable than the 175 gr SMK's
 
I only load jacketed bullets if the application calls for velocities over 1100 fps and even in some cases like .44 Mag I will split the difference and use gas checks. I haven’t found anything in .45 that is more accurate then a 200 SWC. I don’t load 9mm anymore but when I did that was the exception, lead was only good for plinking ammo.
 
I use RMR jacketed in my semi auto pistols, Hornady and Sierra JHP in SD rounds and hard cast in the revolvers at around 1300 fps.
 
Blue68f100 said:
My powder for choice is WST for 45acp and WSF for 9mm.
Click to expand...
WST is great for 9mm - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...er-target-published-load-data-for-9mm.870180/

frogfurr said:
9mm and 45acp and use Bullseye powder for both. It's accurate for both 9mm and 45acp and like only having only one pistol powder on the bench. Thrifty
Click to expand...
Thrifty?

While I like Bullseye for 9mm/45ACP; for economical reloading, hard to beat Promo, lowest priced powder you can get for 9mm/45ACP.

Per Alliant, Promo is same burn rate as Red Dot and I reference Red Dot load data by weight (not by volume). 3.6 gr for 124/125 gr 9mm LRN and 4.0 gr for 200 gr 45ACP LSWC produce accurate/target/range blasting loads. (2" at 25 yards for 45ACP and 1.5" at 50 yards for 9mm using 100 gr bullet).

4.1-4.2 gr for 115 gr 9mm FMJ/RN produces accurate target load and 4.4-4.5 gr is good for blowback action PCC that minimize soot on case - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...for-more-accurate-loads.841097/#post-10919894

index.php


frogfurr said:
I will splurge on bullets. I have tried thousands of plain cast lead and cast coated. I prefer jacketed bullets. Even as range bullets.
Click to expand...
If you want accuracy from your reloads, bullet consistency is likely the biggest contributing factor. And my experience has been similar to many that jacketed bullets produce greater accuracy, particularly in 9mm, compared to plated/coated lead/lead bullets.

And RMR jacketed bullets are "ELEY match grade" while being "economical" - https://www.eleyammunition.com/minor9_competition_pistol_pcc_rounds/

RMR 115 gr FMJ is $91.20/1000 with 5% THR discount - https://www.rmrbullets.com/shop/bul...rmr-full-metal-jacket-round-nose-bullets-new/

And using current pricing, reloading 50 rounds comes out to:
  • $9.14 for 50 using $164 for Promo (Powder Valley price), $80 for primerand $91.20 for bullet
Since I stocked up primers at $20/1000, my cost comes down to $6.14 for 50 using current pricing for powder/bullets.
 
Last edited:
LiveLife said:
WST is great for 9mm - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...er-target-published-load-data-for-9mm.870180/


Thrifty?

While I like Bullseye for 9mm/45ACP; for economical reloading, hard to beat Promo, lowest priced powder you can get for 9mm/45ACP. $162.40/8 lbs and $25 flat rate shipping (Free shipping on $500+ orders) - https://tactical-world.net/product/alliant-promo-powder/

Per Alliant, Promo is same burn rate as Red Dot and I reference Red Dot load data by weight (not by volume). 3.6 gr for 124/125 gr 9mm LRN and 4.0 gr for 200 gr 45ACP LSWC produce accurate/target/range blasting loads. (2" at 25 yards for 45ACP and 1.5" at 50 yards for 9mm using 100 gr bullet).

4.1-4.2 gr for 115 gr 9mm FMJ/RN produces accurate target load and 4.4-4.5 gr is good for blowback action PCC that minimize soot on case - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...for-more-accurate-loads.841097/#post-10919894

index.php



If you want accuracy from your reloads, bullet consistency is likely the biggest contributing factor. And my experience has been similar to many that jacketed bullets produce greater accuracy, particularly in 9mm, compared to plated/coated lead/lead bullets.

And RMR jacketed bullets are "ELEY match grade" while being "economical" - https://www.eleyammunition.com/minor9_competition_pistol_pcc_rounds/

RMR 115 gr FMJ is $91.20/1000 with 5% THR discount - https://www.rmrbullets.com/shop/bul...rmr-full-metal-jacket-round-nose-bullets-new/

And using current pricing, reloading 50 rounds comes out to:
  • $9.14 for 50 using $162 for Promo, $80 for primerand $91.20 for bullet
Since I stocked up primers at $20/1000, my cost comes down to $6.14 for 50 using current pricing for powder/bullets.
Click to expand...
Good luck finding promo in stock anywhere.
 
I prefer cast bullets for anything under 2000 fps. I've found good savings and excellent performance from cast but I don't load many over 2000 fps . I use jacketed in 30-30 and also in 357 magnum carbine loads, the rest is cast & coated. I use hi tek but pc works too
 
LiveLife said:
WST is great for 9mm - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...er-target-published-load-data-for-9mm.870180/


Thrifty?

While I like Bullseye for 9mm/45ACP; for economical reloading, hard to beat Promo, lowest priced powder you can get for 9mm/45ACP.

Per Alliant, Promo is same burn rate as Red Dot and I reference Red Dot load data by weight (not by volume). 3.6 gr for 124/125 gr 9mm LRN and 4.0 gr for 200 gr 45ACP LSWC produce accurate/target/range blasting loads. (2" at 25 yards for 45ACP and 1.5" at 50 yards for 9mm using 100 gr bullet).

4.1-4.2 gr for 115 gr 9mm FMJ/RN produces accurate target load and 4.4-4.5 gr is good for blowback action PCC that minimize soot on case - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...for-more-accurate-loads.841097/#post-10919894

index.php



If you want accuracy from your reloads, bullet consistency is likely the biggest contributing factor. And my experience has been similar to many that jacketed bullets produce greater accuracy, particularly in 9mm, compared to plated/coated lead/lead bullets.

And RMR jacketed bullets are "ELEY match grade" while being "economical" - https://www.eleyammunition.com/minor9_competition_pistol_pcc_rounds/

RMR 115 gr FMJ is $91.20/1000 with 5% THR discount - https://www.rmrbullets.com/shop/bul...rmr-full-metal-jacket-round-nose-bullets-new/

And using current pricing, reloading 50 rounds comes out to:
  • $9.14 for 50 using $164 for Promo (Powder Valley price), $80 for primerand $91.20 for bullet
Since I stocked up primers at $20/1000, my cost comes down to $6.14 for 50 using current pricing for powder/bullets.
Click to expand...
Wow I had no idea RMR had free shipping, wow this is a good price for FMJ.
 
LiveLife said:
But unless pricing is significantly less, with RMR in-house bullets, you are getting "ELEY match grade" bullets along with free shipping.

But for "thrifty", any decent plated, coated or even lead bullets are OK buy me.
Click to expand...
Yeah I've got about 10 months of plated bullets, but I broke down reading this, and ordered 1k to test in my PCC. :rofl:
LiveLife said:
But unless pricing is significantly less, with RMR in-house bullets, you are getting "ELEY match grade" bullets along with free shipping.

But for "thrifty", any decent plated, coated or even lead bullets are OK buy me.
Click to expand...
 
I try to spend the least for my shooting sport and reloading hobby. I first eliminated the need to buy handgun bullets again. I bought Lee 6 cavity molds and an MP 2 cavity hollow point molds for every handgun caliber I own. I get free range lead and acquired a lifetime supply of powder paint to coat the bullets. I have enough smokeless powder but the money saved from buying bullets will allow me to afford more primers and powder when they become available at a reasonable price. I've begun buying one mold for each rifle caliber I own so I can plink with them. The more I practice with the rifles, the better I'll shoot. Besides that, I will buy rifle bullets I need for high velocity use.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

bullseyebob47
  • Locked
your opinion on glock 19 and reloads.
Replies
15
Views
1K
cdk8
C
BuckWildM9
  • Locked
Reloads with bullseye and 45acp lead
Replies
13
Views
1K
gotboostvr
gotboostvr
P
  • Locked
just starting to reload
Replies
23
Views
881
Potatohead
Potatohead
K
  • Locked
  • Poll
Why do or why would you reload?
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
P-32
P
Wildbillz
  • Locked
45acp reloading powder chooises?
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
Magnum Shooter
M
Back
Top