Why not shoot lead?

[johniac7078]

I am in the never ending quest to find the right bullet. Not the best, the right bullet. By that I mean the best trade off in terms of price and accuracy. It seems that most people, or at least a lot, go with jacketed of coated. I started to use lead for my .38 revolver. I like think I like it. Looking online for bullets, it seems that lead is most available and priced the lowest by quite a bit. I am wondering if I am missing anything? Why not use lead 230gr RN with W231 for my 1911s for IDPA? Is there a real advantage for FMJ JHP, Moly etc? Thanks.

[juan]

I shoot molys for this reason.

I dont like the wax lube in lead bullets, smokes to much.

not a problem with molys.

[BlueOvalBandit]

I switch to coated only because of the leading I was getting. YMMV on that but my 1911 leaded up for what ever reason, it was easier to go to moly then diagnose why. Smoke doesn't bother me since I shoot outdoors.

[SNSCaster2]

There are tens of thousands of people around the country shooting lead bullets with no problems. Don't be afraid of them, they won't give you lead poisoning unless you decide to eat them or lick your fingers. The money saved on lead bullets, especially larger ones, pays off significantly in the long run.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

I shoot lead for practice and have lead loads with me at matches. If the weather is damp so the smoke stays on the range, I shoot coated. If there is a little breeze, I shoot the lead. Still have 2500 160gr lead bullets to use up so I save the jacketed and coated for when needed.

[buckaroo45]

I use lead in my 625 45 ACP for local matches and practice but use plated w Clays at bigger matches because they run cleaner and I can shoot the entire match without having to, or feeling the need to, clean the gun. Just a simple wipe off with a silicon cloth and put it back to work. I have a load of Bayou moly's on order so that may change.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I believe it will come to a point where we as gun owners and constitutionalists will need to use our guns in defense of our country, constitution, personal liberties and our lives. May God have mercy on the souls of those that try to take any of these things from me.

Edited May 12, 2012 by buckaroo45

[Seeker]

I shoot 200 Lead SWC over 4.8gr of WST in my .45 1911's for USPSA and IDPA and I shoot 125 gr Lead Round nose over 3.9 grains of 231 in my 9mm 1911 for IDPA and Steel. I only shoot jacketed in my Glocks. Properly sized, loaded and crimped lead bullets should not produce meaningful leading. Smoke is another issue. On a still humid day smoke can be annoying.

[Bshooter]

Since moving to Florida and shooting most of my matches outside, I use only lead. I just picked up 29,000 from S&S Casting when I went to the Single Stack Nationals. They smoke a little but the price savings is tremendous when shooting as much as I do.

[S391]

I shoot lead bullets in the summer when we are shooting outdoors. With the exception of having to clean the gun more often I haven't noticed a problem. That said, I prefer to shoot molly's but I don't have a good source at the moment.

Edited May 14, 2012 by S391

[Rynnäkökivääri 62]

Lead bullets can be more finnicky and if you cast your own like I do, it can be a lot more work depending on your gun and such. But I can get nearly cost-free bullets now. Digging the lead back out of the berm, reusing my cases and scrounging for free ones on the range, etc etc, I can shoot .45ACP for the same cost as .22lr...

Accuracy wise they are as accurate as jacketed and I get higher speeds at lower pressures being able to produce large amounts of H&G #68 SWCHP bullets for cheap is great. It does smoke more (I make my own lube) but I shoot outside 100% of the time. I use vihtavuori powders too which burn very clean.

I am even planning to try cast in my AR, waiting for a .22 NATO specific mold from a cast boolits group buy.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Rynnäkökivääri 62

[6cylinder]

I pefer lead for the 625 also. Just ordered some Bayou bullets from Donnie and will try them out for both the 625 and the 610.

[shooter57]

I use Darda cast bullets and get very little smoke, very accurate.

[chevyoneton]

I guess I don't understand the question, is there something other than lead to shoot? Seriously, other than 10mm for my G20 I don't load jacketed bullets anymore. The few jacketed bullets I need for hunting or self defense I bought pre-loaded in factory ammo a long time ago. I volume reload to volume shoot and lead is the only way I can afford to do it.

[shooting for M]

From what I understand, lead bullets are easier on your rifleing as well. Means barrel replacement less often. I used Bear Creek moly bullets for everything for a while, I mean everthing from 40-65 and 45-70 with black powder, 44 mag, 45 acp, 38 special. That moly stuff can be a pain to clean, but the bear creek bullets were less expensive than any other bullets I could get locally. Accuracy was fine for anything I ever used it for. OK, I never loaded them in 25-06 so not everything...

[GlockCanMan]

There is nothing wrong with shooting lead. Everyone has their own opinion and what they want. Driving a used Ford Pinto down the street will get you from point A to point B just as well as driving a new BMW. It is just what the person shooting wants from it. Some people don't like the smoke that it makes with their powder...some people are more concerned about the price...some want jacketed only.

Just shoot what you and your gun likes. Personally I prefer Moly coated bullets first, then plated, Jacketed, and lead last. I hate smoke. I rather spend a little more on a quality powder w/moly bullet.

[gmg]

I strongly recommend Bayou bullets. I believe they are $224/2000 delivered. His bullets are coated with a green coating but doesn't wear off like lead or molybdenum and they have very little smoke. Mr Donnie is a pleasure to work with but he has gotten very. Busy lately.

[wgj3]

It all about the smoke. Coated, plated, and jacketed bullets are more forgiving with a wider variety of powders and velocitys/pressures.There are some who will complain about cleaning as lead is more likely to foul your barrel, but I believe that if lead didn't smoke at all and was still just as cheap compared to jacketed, you would hear far less whining about leading in a barrel. But, that can be mitigated with changes in powder type and charge as well.

[John Wayne]

I shoot 230 gr wax, win primer and win231. I don't get any leading and I haven't noticed any smoke at the matches. I'll have to find out what the caster uses for lube, it's blue. I do focus on the front sight and the targets.

[Inkman]

Lead, lead and more lead. All i shoot and likely all i'll ever shoot. The cost savings is tremendous over the short and long haul.

Smoke? I only notice it when i watch a video or when watching someone else shoot. Never even notice it when i'm shooting.

Al

[Chills1994]

Through my own empirical testing, I have come to the conclusion that the smoke is not from the wax lube.

That is my own opinion.

Until I see proof otherwise, my opinion will still stand.

Hearing somebody at a match commenting so unequivocally on a shooter's smokey loads along the lines of "It's that waxey lube causing all that smoke!" is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me.

[jmorris]

Hard to aim at the target if you can't see it, other than that, no problem with lead.

[Chills1994]

I always recommend to bring along a box of copper jacketed bullets/rounds just in case you have that perfect trifecta against smokey lead bullets:

1. early morning or low sun.... check!

2. no wind.........check!

3. high humidty.....check!

Of course the worst is trying to shoot from inside one of the those blue plastic drums. (but that leads me to comment on the practicality as referred to inside the first few pages of the rulebook under principles, with respect to the real world applications of shooting through blue plastic drums.)

Edited June 18, 2012 by Chills1994

[twodownzero]

I shoot lead and/or moly exclusively and I see no reason to change. Jacketed bullets are unnecessary for target shooting.

[Caffeinated]

My blood lead levels have been high for a while so I avoid lead bullets. I also shoot indoors a fair amount. Even the handling of lead ammo is a source of lead exposure.

Plated bullets don't cost that much more over lead so that's what I run.

[GoinHot]

I shoot lead bullets and have for 30 years. Easy on your barrel, economical, accurate. Living in Arizona I do not experience the problem some talk about with humidity holding the smoke down. Discovered out friends at SNS bullets last year and highly recommend them.