Coated bullet options

[stickboy44]

Ibeji heads...nice bullets

Been using them for 2 seasons now and I'm really happy with them

[njl]

I wanted to try something new, and B&B offers a light .45 bullet in a profile I've not seen anyone else offering. It's meant for .45LC, but I'm going to try loading it in .45acp and hope it feeds in Glocks. It didn't hurt that in small quantities, B&B is slightly cheaper than the other options.

I just loaded a few of these 180gr .45 bullets, and I'm calling them a failure even before getting to the range. They had to be loaded real short (<=1.165") to not jam up into the rifling. They don't like to seat squarely no matter how careful/deliberate I am with the placement. Because of this, most have a side bulge at the bullet base and don't come close to gauging. This is one of the few bullets they don't offer a range of sizings of...and they're fat. I mic'd them at .45275. The Precision coated bullets I load in .45 are sold as .451 and mic just a fraction over that. I'll test fire and chronograph these "just for the record", but I think the rest of the box is going to go to the next range swap meet and hopefully end up with someone who loads .45LC. It's disappointing, because there was a review on their site from someone saying he'd loaded them for a light load in an M&P .45acp.

I've got more hope for the 147s. They mic identically to the Bayous that I have and I didn't have any trouble loading them.

Edited April 12, 2014 by njl

[njl]

I just loaded some more B&B bullets, this time 105gr .38spl...and this is a first for me. I found 2 "wrong bullets" in the box of bullets as I was counting out a small number from the box to the bullet tray to load my samples. Luckily, these were obvious (147gr 9mm vs 105gr .38). I've dealt with PD, MG, Zero, Xtreme, and never had (that I've noticed) wrong bullets in a box. I guess it must happen from time to time? Seems like it could really foul things up if not caught.

[mwx40x40]

I just loaded some more B&B bullets, this time 105gr .38spl...and this is a first for me. I found 2 "wrong bullets" in the box of bullets as I was counting out a small number from the box to the bullet tray to load my samples. Luckily, these were obvious (147gr 9mm vs 105gr .38). I've dealt with PD, MG, Zero, Xtreme, and never had (that I've noticed) wrong bullets in a box. I guess it must happen from time to time? Seems like it could really foul things up if not caught.

Let us know the results of your 105 38 loads. I was thinking these would be great for steel challenge if accuracy and POI did not change much.

[njl]

The 105s were tricky because I couldn't find any data for them with powders I have/wanted to use. Previously, all my .38spl has been done with WST (which is my preferred powder for lead). I figured, these being coated, I could give Universal Clays a try. I did 18 each at 4.8gr Universal (761fps) and 5gr Universal (781fps). 4.8 left lots of unburned powder. 5 left only a little. I plan to try these again with WST...probably 3.8-4gr based on what I've done with 125gr bullets.

The 147s shot indistinguishably from Bayou. Each did 900fps with 3.4gr Universal at 1.130-1.135" OAL.

The real surprise was the 180gr .45s. I was expecting feeding issues, but there were none. They all fired just fine, but it's still not a load I plan to do any more of. I'll leave the .45275 bullets for LC shooters. With 4.8gr WST, I got 837fps from a Glock 21, and 778fps from a G30S.

Edited April 14, 2014 by njl

[rtp]

Thanks for the reports, njl.

I'm not sure of your ultimate decision here, though - are you calling BnB worth buying, or just stick w/Bayou, everything considered?

[njl]

I'll have to shoot some more of each to be sure...last outing was really just to chronograph all the loads. Assuming no accuracy or fouling/leading issues show up with either, I think they could be used interchangeably. Black and Blue is slightly cheaper and easier to order.

I may try the 105gr .38's with around 3gr of regular Clays and see what that does.

[mwx40x40]

Love the Bayou's. I've been set with the 135's. You get best of both the 125 and the 147 as it's in the middle. I have 6k of he 125's that I'll be posting up for sale soon.

I tried the BBI's in 45 when Donnie had a backlog and I needed some quick for a match. At the time the coating was not as good as the one's Donnie from Bayou uses. I would get the gray coating on my fingers as I loaded. Recently though BBI has changed the coating and I think it's the same as what Donnie uses but I'm not sure.

Another one that has recently hit the scene is Blue Bullets. I just received some samples in 9 and 40 but haven't had a chance to shoot them yet. Nice coating. Looks a little thicker than Donnie's but I believe they use a different brand of coating. Hope to shoot some this weekend.

So far I have tried Bayou, Blue Bullet , and BBI all 180 TC in 40 cal.. Hands were the cleanest when handling Bayous, However, I have had good range results with all out of G34,M&P and Custom STI by Triangle Sports.

[njl]

Love the Bayou's. I've been set with the 135's. You get best of both the 125 and the 147 as it's in the middle. I have 6k of he 125's that I'll be posting up for sale soon.

My order from Black and Blue actually included a few free samples, one of which was 135gr .356. I tried one load with these, 4.0gr Universal Clays @ 1.135" and maybe it's not a fair comparison, but I thought they were much snappier than the 147s. They averaged 1019fps though, which puts them a bit higher PF (137 vs 133).

I tried the BBI's in 45 when Donnie had a backlog and I needed some quick for a match. At the time the coating was not as good as the one's Donnie from Bayou uses. I would get the gray coating on my fingers as I loaded. Recently though BBI has changed the coating and I think it's the same as what Donnie uses but I'm not sure.

There's really no comparison between the old moly/dry lube/whatever it actually is coatings BBI used to use and Precision still uses and the Hi-Tek coating Bayou made popular in the US.

I wish someone made a 200gr .45 bullet the shape Precision makes, but in the Hi-Tek coating.

Edited April 16, 2014 by njl

[Gooldylocks]

So just to bring this thread back for air, how have you been liking the Black and Blue bullets so far njl? I was thinking about getting one of their 2500 boxes of 40. I haven't ever shot coated bullets before but I really need to make a change, since the lead bullets I am shooting currently smoke so bad I have to wait on the smoke when I am shooting. These ones seemed to be the cheapest I could find.

Thanks!

Love the Bayou's. I've been set with the 135's. You get best of both the 125 and the 147 as it's in the middle. I have 6k of he 125's that I'll be posting up for sale soon.

My order from Black and Blue actually included a few free samples, one of which was 135gr .356. I tried one load with these, 4.0gr Universal Clays @ 1.135" and maybe it's not a fair comparison, but I thought they were much snappier than the 147s. They averaged 1019fps though, which puts them a bit higher PF (137 vs 133).

I tried the BBI's in 45 when Donnie had a backlog and I needed some quick for a match. At the time the coating was not as good as the one's Donnie from Bayou uses. I would get the gray coating on my fingers as I loaded. Recently though BBI has changed the coating and I think it's the same as what Donnie uses but I'm not sure.

There's really no comparison between the old moly/dry lube/whatever it actually is coatings BBI used to use and Precision still uses and the Hi-Tek coating Bayou made popular in the US.

I wish someone made a 200gr .45 bullet the shape Precision makes, but in the Hi-Tek coating.

[njl]

If you haven't tried any of their product yet, I'd start smaller. I haven't shot enough of them yet to have a strong opinion about them. All I can say is, Bayou appears do a better job with the coating, resulting in a glossy finish. Black and Blue's coated bullets are not as glossy. I don't know if it's the coating application technique, the colors involved, or the fact that Black and Blue does runs of different colors, but the Bayou's seem to be much more consistent in color.