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Open reloading question


Broski

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So I have tried to read and understand the pros and cons of shooting FMJ, JHP, and coated bullets through open guns but it still isn't clicking for me. Can someone help me understand this whole prospect. Please.

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Don't know if this helps, but, FMJ have an exposed lead base.  Hot gas melts a bit and that fouls the compensator.  JHP, have covered bases. so that's not a problem .  Don't know about coated bullets, sorry.  There's also CMJ (complete metal jacket), it also eliminates leading the comp.

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Coated

  • Pros: Cheap, accurate (generally)
  • Cons: dirty, distractingly smoky depending on powder choice, will lead the comp the most 

FMJ

  • Pros: Round nose bullets generally feed better than JHP, accurate
  • Cons: Lead the comp more than the same weight of JHP because the bullet base is exposed, more expensive than coated

CMJ

  • Pros: Round nose bullets generally feed better than JHP, accurate, no leading issues 
  • Cons: Can be more expensive than FMJ, fewer choices than FMJ or JHP

JHP

  • Pros: Most accurate (in my experience), no leading, many choices of manufacturer
  • Cons: certain profiles don't feed as well, can be the most expensive

 

There you go. I shoot Everglades 115gr JHP V2s, which are stupidly accurate and with the essentially round nose profile feed great at all lengths I have tried. 

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Many coated bullets are flame cut in an Open gun.  That exposes lead, which the heat vaporizes and it gets deposited in the comp.  Not all coated bullets do this, but why take the chance.  CMJ bullets, such as used by Blaser, are okay, but the plate covering the base of the bullet sometimes comes loose.  Then you have the same problem as FMJ.

 

The best bullets to use for Open are either jacketed hollow points or copper plated bullets.  There are lots of HPs that work.  For plated, I prefer Rainier.  They are consistent, sized properly, and do not tumble.

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8 minutes ago, mro111lland said:

Only thing u need to know is Montana gold only way to go

More expensive, for the same performance with a less than ideal profile? No thanks. They are very accurate though, I'll give them that. 

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1 minute ago, Broski said:

I have heard a lot of people shooting blue bullets in their open gun... good idea or no?

 

I tried them when I was shooting 38SC and I just couldn't get close to the accuracy I got with JHP's.  I haven't tried them again since I went to 9 major.  A lot of people swear by them, but I think JHP's are the safest bet.

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1 hour ago, Broski said:

  pros and cons of FMJ, JHP, and coated bullets through open guns

 

FMJ & Coated are BAD.    :( 

 

JHP are good    :) 

 

Actually, that's true if you're as lazy as me - I shoot and wipe the gun.

 

If you're willing to clean the lead out of your comp every time you shoot,

you can even shoot plain lead bullets (I've me people who do just that).

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I began with some 124 gr montana gold, no issues what so ever,  precision deltas are cheaper but not a huge fan, only based on looks, dumb I know.   Reading of the forum I bought a case of 124 gr jhp v2 everglades.  Only lasted and shot a couple hundred but can say I am completely satisfied.  Look like a mg just not as much gold (zinc)  in color,  bought in bulk they were 9.2 cents each compared to 9.7 for mg and 8.9 for pd.

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2 hours ago, Acsr said:

Look like a mg just not as much gold (zinc)  in color,  bought in bulk they were 9.2 cents each compared to 9.7 for mg and 8.9 for pd.

 

How are you getting them for 8.9... I can't find them anywhere near that price

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5 hours ago, Broski said:

I have heard a lot of people shooting blue bullets in their open gun... good idea or no?

I shoot for Blue Bullets and I can attest to the fact there are no issues with these bullets running in open guns. None of the other guys on the team are having any issues with them with them either. 

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5 minutes ago, Lilmick said:

I shoot for Blue Bullets and I can attest to the fact there are no issues with these bullets running in open guns. None of the other guys on the team are having any issues with them with them either. 

 

So what, sir, would be your recommendation for a load in my G17?

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9 minutes ago, Broski said:

 

How are you getting them for 8.9... I can't find them anywhere near that price

 

If you buy 2 or more boxes of 1000 the price drops. 9mm 124 JHP are $89.00 per box if you buy 2 or more and they have free shipping too. I just got 2000 in the mail today. 

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1 minute ago, Broski said:

 

So what, sir, would be your recommendation for a load in my G17?

I do not know right off hand as I shoot a 38sc, but I will get with the guys that shoot 9 and get you a couple different load options. I will pm you when I get them. 

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I've shot 2200 blue bullets through my fancy dancy atlas open gun at major pf so far and haven't touched the comp yet. Still waiting for it to lead up like Im told it should. At 30 yards and out I'm sure a jhp would be more accurate. I'm going to shoot these for locals and practice and go to a jhp for any majors.

 

If you want to shoot twice as many rounds for the same money, get some coated bullets and run them through whatever you're shooting. If you're a baller, ball out $ like a mad man go shoot bill drills with your jacketed hollow point of choice. I'm a cheap ass and every time I compare how many rounds more I can get with a coated vs a jhp For the same money, I end up buying more coated bullets. 

Edited by Shmella
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8 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

Are you cleaning the comp frequently?

 

Or spraying it with lube prior to shooting?

Neither. I sprayed the comp the first hundred rounds and honestly have forgotten to do it much if at all since then. I havent cleaned the comp at all yet.

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I think we all agree that JHP in either 115,121 or 124-5gn are THE ideal projie. 

 

Coated lead will give very near jhp accuracy providing the load works and the projies are sized correctly to your barrel. They are definitely the cheapest but also the dirtiest to load and shoot. 

 

Plated rn Cmj feed the best. Are super clean to load and shoot and price out between coated and jhp. However accuracy with plated varies massively from near as good as jhp (for good ones in a suitable load that works in your gun)  to the worst of the bunch for some of them. So plated can be a lottery accuracy wise. Even at their best they are not as good as a jhp. 

 

I think plated are good for practice (as long as there's a cost saving) and jhp for matches is a no brainer. :)

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44 minutes ago, Xanatos903 said:

I shoot RMR 124gr Hardcore Match RN plated bullets. They are completely plated, and I have minimal buildup in my comp after ~10k rounds. 

 

8.1 cpr, and free shipping on bullet orders. 

 

In my experience, accuracy at 15 yards + is horrible with plated bullets, how do your groups look at longer distances?

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17 hours ago, Broski said:

I have heard a lot of people shooting blue bullets in their open gun... good idea or no?

 

I have been shooting them out of my major gun with no issues. There are many shooters that use them. 

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I've only shot blue bullets for the past 3 years in all my pistols, open, limited, production and in my PCC

in the past I've used Montana gold, zeros, Winchester, Remington and precision delta fmj and jhp and I've found blue bullets

works just as well and in one case better than those

In addition to lower cost, I also use less powder to make PF in the same bullet weight, and I found I could use the 115 gr blues bullets loaded to same powder charge for my 124 jhp which in theory should make switching between fairly easy

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