YOUR Open Projectile of Choice

[BSComp]

Back Ground Info: I am new(er) to open and am building an open glock in .40. I have shot glocks for several years and am familiar with the platform and am very comfortable with it. I started reloading earlier this year and basically have always used lead from missouri bullet, and sometimes I would use xtreme cmj(rnfp).

I figure not to use lead because of the inherent build up in the comp.

I checked out precision bullets, and their FAQ's page says not to use in open. So I am guessing that would apply to all molly projectiles.

I have seen on the board that some guys are also using xtreme cmj. But it is not consistent across the board.

Do you have to use jhp or at least jacketed to run through a comp?

I see a lot of open shooters using jhp projectiles, WHY?

So, no molly, no lead, which leaves me with either jacketed or cmj, and hollow point or round nose flat point.

SO, WHICH ONE IS THE QUESTION?

I want to use the 'right' projectile, or at least not the wrong one. I like xtremes and I see a benefit to using a cmj projectile since it seems to me that it would minimize comp crud. I understand that I want a light projectile with a slow burning powder, and the lightest xtreme has is a 155gr in .40. Is that light enough? or should I look somewhere else.

Problem: what is the proper or recommended projectile to use in open? Or at least what are guys using that has worked consistently for you? (jacketed round nose flat point, jacketed hollow point, round nose flat point complete metal jacket, hollow point complete metal jacket?)

IN RESPONSE TO THIS THREAD, PLEASE STATE WHAT YOUR ANSWER WAS TO THE POLL. THANKS.

Edited August 28, 2012 by BSComp

[UW Mitch]

Not sure about an Open 40 cal gun, but I run Montana Gold CMJs in my 9Major (124 grain) and my 6" 40S&W limited gun (180 and 165 gr). You're right that you probably don't want to go straight lead. Plated didn't run great for me in a 10mm Glock, but presumably you're going aftermarket barrel, so maybe doesn't matter. You probably just don't want the exposed lead base.

~Mitch

[BSComp]

Mitch,

what's the difference in Montana Gold's CMJs and Xtreme's Plated CMJs. I thought Montana Golds were plated?

Yes, I am using a KKM bbl

[Hi-Power Jack]

BSC, some people do shoot lead in their open guns, but

I shot a few thousand fmj (exposed lead on the base) &

clogged up my comp - took a lot of work to clear it out

(I'm lazy - some people don't mind cleaning their comp,

and Sarge said last week that he doesn't see any clogging

in his comp shooting fmj??)

Any bullet that is completely encased in a jacket is what

I swear by.

You'd probably get more action from your comp if you ran

as light a bullet as you can find - I believe someone told

me they were running 135 grain bullets - lots of gas - lots

of action on the comp.

I don't shoot .40 open - I'm shooting 9mm major -

[BSComp]

HP Jack,

I've heard about the 135s for .40, who makes 'em?

[ChuckS]

HP Jack,

I've heard about the 135s for .40, who makes 'em?

Berrys and Rainier both make a 135 plated bullet. I have used Rainier for years with good results. If you have got extra cash, you can get Nosler 135 JHP.

Later,

Chuck

PS: Do a search for the "Open 40" thread. A ton of info there.

[Sarge]

(I'm lazy - some people don't mind cleaning their comp,

and Sarge said last week that he doesn't see any clogging

in his comp shooting fmj??)

Sarge? Me?

I have never ran an FMJ through my gun. I have only used MG 121 IFP's.

[Sarge]

what's the difference in Montana Gold's CMJs and Xtreme's Plated CMJs. I thought Montana Golds were plated?

Montana Golds are Jacketed, not plated like the extremes. Plating is typically thinner than an actual Jacket and will not hold up at Open velocities. The plating will shed and accumulate in all the wrong places such as the comp.

I have heard though that Bayou bullets reportedly hold up at Open velocities and they are definitely not Jacketed or plated. Might be worth checking out especially in .40.

[Pat Miles]

Mitch,

what's the difference in Montana Gold's CMJs and Xtreme's Plated CMJs. I thought Montana Golds were plated?

Yes, I am using a KKM bbl

Montana Gold bullets are jacketed not plated. Plating is a much thinner covering.

Pat

[Hammar]

what's the difference in Montana Gold's CMJs and Xtreme's Plated CMJs. I thought Montana Golds were plated?

Montana Golds are Jacketed, not plated like the extremes. Plating is typically thinner than an actual Jacket and will not hold up at Open velocities. The plating will shed and accumulate in all the wrong places such as the comp.

I have heard though that Bayou bullets reportedly hold up at Open velocities and they are definitely not Jacketed or plated. Might be worth checking out especially in .40.

Yep, Donnie's green bullets will hold up in open guns.

I use MG 124 JHP's in my 9 major and 38 super.

[Jaxshooter]

Montana Gold 124 gr CMJ and JHPs.

[ChuckS]

HP Jack,

I've heard about the 135s for .40, who makes 'em?

Berrys and Rainier both make a 135 plated bullet. I have used Rainier for years with good results. If you have got extra cash, you can get Nosler 135 JHP.

Later,

Chuck

PS: Do a search for the "Open 40" thread. A ton of info there.

I have been running these Rainier plated bullets in open at velocities ranging from 1250 to 1300 fps without any issues. Hell, I know guys who used to shoot open with West Coast (Prior to becoming Xtreme) plated bullets in 38 Super when the major PF was 175. Try 'em and see if they work in you gun.

Later,

Chuck

[eric nielsen]

Shot 135 gr Noslers in a 10mm comp gun and they worked very well; of course today those are very pricey. Now I shoot 115 JHPs by Zero thru my Super but just ordered some Precision Delta FMJ as they are not backlogged nearly as often as Roze/Zero.

Back when i shot many 1000s of FMJ we kept our comps from building up crud by coating the inside of the comp chambers and baffles with plain gun oil & a Qtip. There was a product called CleanComp or similar, handed out for free at a match, was pretty much a soapy water & sprayer; didn't work near as well as Break-Free & Q-tip. Still a good idea to run a comp reamer once a year or so. Don't shoot exposed lead bullets thru a dry comp it will build up fast & start skipping bullets out into left field.

[gng4life]

Plated are thinner and softer, not the ideal choice for Open velocities. I use either MG JHP or MG CMJ bullets. I have tried lead and plated, it just wasn't worth the hassle.

[Front Man]

Can't help you in .40.

My preference is 115 & 124 XTP's.

Since I am not loaded with $, I use 115 JHP Winchesters in .355.

[warpspeed]

Cost aside, I'd probably run the Nosler 135's that Chuck spoke about. Sierra makes them too.

But I don't think you will see much of a difference with the MG 155gr stuff and it will be much less in cost.

[ChuckS]

This is what I have learned over the years about .40 open:

180 FMJ in an open gun shoots like a limited gun with noise holes in the top of the barrel. No big difference in handling and very blasty. I just tried some major limited loads. I saw no reason to try slower powders since the limited loads were so undesirable.

155 FMJ were better and if you never shot anything lighter, you would probably be satisfied. I tried some with a slower powder and they were better than 180 in the gun handling but not dramatically. I used the rest of the bullets up shooting minor in IDPA ESP. (It was like cheating).

135: That is where I settled. The Rainier plated bullets shot a 0.75" group off the bags at 25 yards so I figured that should do. I once got a deal on some Nosler 135 JHP and I used them for major matches. I decided to do some comparison and I found out, that offhand with my shooting ability and eyesight, there was not a profound difference at the target so I just stayed with the Rainier bullets. I initially also tried Berrys but I think I got better results with the others and the Rainier can be loaded slightly longer due to form factor differences.

125: Yes, you can get 125 (and lighter*) in .40. They are frangibles. The 125 is about the same form factor as a 180 FMJ**. A while ago a guy who shot .40 was sponsored by Sinterfire. He used their 125 because they were free. He gave me some and I thought they worked real well. Shot flat just like an open gun should. Very pricy though. Back then the now defunct West Coast bullets went into frangibles and they came out with some 125 which were similar to the Sinterfires and they worked just as well. then West Coast went out of business and that source dried up. Not too long ago, Widener's offered some 125 frangibles from IMI at $70/K shipped. I got some and tried my old recipe and worked great and chrono'ed at almost the exact velocity as the WC bullets.

So, in conclusion, I still use the Rainier 135s for major open and just chuckle at the people who say it won't work. I have about 40K rounds experience with that load so it works for me. I would change to the 125 frangibles if I knew I had a reliable source. The 135 Noslers are great but not enough for me to double the price of my bullets.

Later,

Chuck

PS: For powder, I am stuck on N340 (about 7.9 gr). I found N350 too slow and Silhouette close but a bit too slow also (unburnt powder). N340 works so that what I use. I shoot Para-framed guns with schuemann or kart barrels. The OAL I use is about 1.155 or so. Can't go much longer with those small bullets.

*Sinterfire also offered a 105 gr bullet. My friend would load them to the same velocity as the major 125 loads (keeps the gun timing the same) and use those loads for steel matches.

** The 125 are great limited minor loads. Just use your 180 gr load with the lighter bullets and you get a very mild minor load.

[Alaskapopo]

Mitch,

what's the difference in Montana Gold's CMJs and Xtreme's Plated CMJs. I thought Montana Golds were plated?

Yes, I am using a KKM bbl

Montana gold are real jacked bullets not plated crap. I much prefer 124 grain Montana gold JHP to the CMJ's because my gun shoots a lot better with them.

[blaster113]

Using 125 grain jhps with my open squirt gun; Hornady HAP for majors and Zero/Precision Delta for everything else. I like N105 for powder

[rooster mcbee]

I've been using Montana Gold 124 JHP's in my .38 supercomp with excellent results. I'm also a fan of 115 gr. projectiles for Steel Challenge type shoots. With todays modern powders, it's relatively easy to make the 165 power factor with either bullet weight in a .38 super.

[splashdown]

+1 to ChuckS. Rainier 135's are good to 1300 fps. Check out the 40 open thread.

[Xdmeister]

Anything that isnt enclosed in a jacket on the back creates more lead in the air which is dangerous especially when shooting indoors. Tha pretty much leaves the cmj and jacketed hollow points. The hollow points are supposedly more accurate because of how the jacket is put on. I would go with montana gold jacketed hollow points.

[BSComp]

+1 to ChuckS. Rainier 135's are good to 1300 fps. Check out the 40 open thread.

+1 for the Rainier 135g 40's. Been running them accurately and flawlessly for a while now, several thousands.

[Racinready300ex]

I run Blue Bullets in my 9 major Glock with great results. And I'm saving something like $120 a case compared to MG CMJ's

[Bkreutz]

I use Rocky mountain thick plated in 9Major, 124gr @ 1400fps, no problems with accuracy or plating separation. Comp doesn't show any buildup except muzzle blast (and that washes off).