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Whats your favorite coated bullet


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Favorite coated bullet?   

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I prefer grooveless coated for these folks...

ACME: 230RN-45, 200SWC-45, 180FP-NLG-40, 124RN-9

Bayou: 225TC-45, 180TCG-40, 165TCG-40, 124TCG-9

BBI: 230RN-45, 180-40, 165-40, 147-9, 125-9

SNS: 230RN-45, 200SWC-45, 180RN-FP-40, 165RN-FP-40, 125RN-9

 

 

 

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For the CZ and Tanfo's the blue bullet 135TC is the best bullet I have found and I have shot Bayous, SNS, and Black Bullets. The blue bullet 135TC profile allows you to load the OAL at a much longer length without having to ream the chamber. I load at 1.145oal and can run that round in any gun I have. It's also very accurate and clean. Fast shipping and great customer service as well.  

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15 hours ago, Yeti said:

I prefer grooveless coated for these folks...

ACME: 230RN-45, 200SWC-45, 180FP-NLG-40, 124RN-9

Those are what I shoot right there.

Fast shipping and a good product.

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19 hours ago, hcore44 said:

Why grooveless?  More bearing surface?  Just curious

 

19 hours ago, JLeeCZ said:

That and a shorter bullet.

And the ability to seat them exactly (and smoothly) where I want them, which comes most into play with 40

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19 hours ago, wav3rhythm said:

 

 


I have a lot of problems with foreign debris getting in the line groove. Once I lost my keys into a lube groove and had to pull 250 bullets before I found them.


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I no longer have that problem. ;).   

:D

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Why grooveless?  More bearing surface?  Just curious



I like the Acme "no lube groove" variants because I seem shave the bullet MUCH more often with the grooved ones.

With NLG, if I shave a bullet, it was because I misaligned it and they seem to seat straighter when I don't misalign them.

I may have just described the same thing multiple ways, too :)

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Just ordered sample packs of the ACME 124gr NLG and the 147gr NLG. I'm interested to see if ACME NLG bullets will have less weight variation than The Blue Bullets does. Typically I shoot the 147gr FP from BBI for my IDPA match loads and usually see a weight variation of any where between 143gr and 150gr for the 147gr flat points. Ran into undersized rounds at .351 - .353 as well. Not too thrilled about either of those problems. But forget than that the majority of BBIs bullets have been stellar. The 147gr RN usually Weight closer to 150gr


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I've only tried Acme and BBI, but have been mostly happy with both.  I lean towards groove-less for coated which is how I chose these two, although I'm sure Bayou, SNS, MB, etc all have fine products...  I'm leaning towards BBI at the moment...

ACME 200 coated LWC have a slightly wider (shallower?) angle on the ogive than the BBI's, so my R&R SWC seating stem leaves a light ring just above the shoulder on then - I'm sure it's cosmetic only, but have changed to BBI's which have a steeper ogive so no marking occurs.  ACME also offers the 148 LWC coated which BBI does not currently offer.

A minor complaint about BBI is their packaging - they fill boxes by count, ie if 800 bullets fit in their box, they put 800 in, vs. most other companies who standardize on 500.  So if you ordered 1k rounds of 9mm you get one box with 800 and one with 200, or something like that.  It's a minor thing, but with other companies ie  Xtreme, Zero, etc I look on the shelf, if I see 8 Xtreme boxes I know I have 4k rounds.  If I see 8 BBI boxes I have to pay attention to the handwritten count on the label to know what I have.  Not a big deal, but prefer they would standardize like everyone else.

 

 

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I just picked up 30k 135gr bullets from Jim Bodkin in Texas. So far they've been outstanding and the coating is awesome and doesn't rub off on my fingers.

http://www.shooterready.biz/site/2532ddf19dd641629761270d1cd69525/default?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shooterready.biz%2FCast_Bullets.html#2570

He doesn't have pics of the coated bullets up yet, but I've been very satisfied and I couldn't beat the price.


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ACME 200 coated LWC have a slightly wider (shallower?) angle on the ogive than the BBI's, so my R&R SWC seating stem leaves a light ring just above the shoulder on then - I'm sure it's cosmetic only, but have changed to BBI's which have a steeper ogive so no marking occurs.  ACME also offers the 148 LWC coated which BBI does not currently offer.


I get that with the narrow side of the Dillon seating stem using Acme's lipstick 180's. Flipped it over to the wide side and no more groove.
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On 11/7/2016 at 0:19 AM, candiru said:

 


I get that with the narrow side of the Dillon seating stem using Acme's lipstick 180's. Flipped it over to the wide side and no more groove.

 

 

Actually yes you are correct I didn't have the issue with Dillon's stem, which seats on the nose, but using the R&R custom Wadcutter seating stem that seats on the shoulder I did see it.  Just a mis-match in ogive angles slightly.  With's BBI's version no issues though.

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On 11/01/2016 at 7:04 AM, bandw1dth said:

Just ordered sample packs of the ACME 124gr NLG and the 147gr NLG. I'm interested to see if ACME NLG bullets will have less weight variation than The Blue Bullets does. Typically I shoot the 147gr FP from BBI for my IDPA match loads and usually see a weight variation of any where between 143gr and 150gr for the 147gr flat points. Ran into undersized rounds at .351 - .353 as well. Not too thrilled about either of those problems. But forget than that the majority of BBIs bullets have been stellar. The 147gr RN usually Weight closer to 150gr


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I weighed 100 acme 124gr bullets and the weight went from 121 up to 127gr.  been using bayou 135 and they are more consistent. 

 

Anyone weigh blue bullets for variation?

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  • 3 weeks later...
42 minutes ago, fireman1776 said:

How did you guys arrive at your "favorite"? Blue bullets and bayou seem the most popular. Does price play a role? With a discount code it seems blue bullets are among the cheapest.

For me it was cost. Blue bullets are just as accurate as plated bullets if not more accurate. My redneck math told me that if I bought 3000 147gr at a time for the free shipping and used the discount code, I essentially got 1000 extra bullets compared to what I was paying for 2000 of the Berry's 147gr.  Only downside to them is the brass will shave a little of the coating off the bullet from time to time. After you have loaded several thousand, the press gets a little messy from all those shavings.

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54 minutes ago, fireman1776 said:

How did you guys arrive at your "favorite"? Blue bullets and bayou seem the most popular. Does price play a role? With a discount code it seems blue bullets are among the cheapest.

I just tried what other folks had mentioned. My choice came down to what is popular and what is cheap. I've tried Bayou, Black Bullets, and got some SNS on the way.

Only thing I don't like about Blues is the .355 diameter. I'd rather run a .356 even if it is a little larger than needed and prevent blow-by "leading".

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I think bullet choice comes down to a few things. 

Number one is quality control, accuracy, etc.

Then price and customer service.

Finally, I think location plays a part in it.

If quality, price and customer service are generally in the ball park among coated bullets I will get mine from the company who makes deliveries to regional matches, at a discount, where the owner shoots those same matches, sponsors regional matches etc.

Around here that is Black Bullets International. BBI customer service is exceptional. I have emailed the owner for load info and Chandler responds immediately with loads he ACTUALLY shoots.

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BB, SNS, and ACME so far have provided exceptional customer service.

ACME and BB are quick is responding to email. ACME has those nice wooden boxes and added a personal touch with a small box of candy for Halloween.

I emailed SNS and within 20 min I received a call answering my question about diameter.

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