Blue Bullets 9mm 147 Weight am I crazy

[kmaultsby]

Hello all, First off I want to say this is not a bash on Blue Bullets and I am not any kind of expert on reloading.  I was working on loads for my Sig P320 X5 and was trying out different projectiles Xstrem, AMC, etc.  I ordered 250 each of the 125 9mm from Blue Bullets work very well but wanted to go to 147 so I ordered the 147's. Long store but I had to send in the X5 for repair and make some changes to my dillion 750.  I shoot IDPA carry optics and I like to run around 130 PF for 147 9mm.  I started weighing my different projectiles all were around the correct weight even the Blue Bullets 125's but when I got to the 147's the weight was from 148 to 152gr.  So create a load thinking a projectile is 147gr and  Chronograph on average or 890 fps that will give me a power factor of 130.830 but then have projectiles weighing in at 152gr  thinking it is close to 147 without Chronograph again using the same power weight will give a power factor of 135280.  Now this is the question and all of you can tell me that I am crazy \ or wrong wouldn't this hurt my accuracy \ consistency? 

Below is a quote from Blue Bullets from my email because I was going to send photos.  They did offer to take the unopened boxes back.

 

"No photos are needed.  As with any casted product, there will be variations, and these are within the acceptable parameters although they are on the outer limit when you get the higher range.  This is normal and have not negatively impacted other shooters, or at least not according to feedback we have received."

[Joe4d]

I have found Hitek in that range to weigh a gr heavy or so.. Do you have calibration weights for your scale ? using a balance beam or digital ?  fans or ventilation cycling ? 
I turn off fan and use a beam scale.. I have found blue 147 .358's to average 148 grs,, and really all the ones I have weighed pretty much come out right at that.

[392heminut]

My question is, can you actually tell the difference between a 130 PF round and a 135 PF round when shooting a stage? I personally don't believe a 5 point difference in PF will have any effect on accuracy/consistency in our game. I think you're splitting hairs!

[IVC]

BB 147 are actually 150 when doing special order of .356" sized bullets. The .355"s that are 148+ are about right. It gives you a margin of error at the chrono, but otherwise we are talking about 1%-2% variability which is expected for coated lead bullets. 

[kmaultsby]

1 hour ago, 392heminut said:

My question is, can you actually tell the difference between a 130 PF round and a 135 PF round when shooting a stage? I personally don't believe a 5 point difference in PF will have any effect on accuracy/consistency in our game. I think you're splitting hairs!

In my XD five inch yes  I can not wth the  X5

1 hour ago, Joe4d said:

I have found Hitek in that range to weigh a gr heavy or so.. Do you have calibration weights for your scale ? using a balance beam or digital ?  fans or ventilation cycling ? 
I turn off fan and use a beam scale.. I have found blue 147 .358's to average 148 grs,, and really all the ones I have weighed pretty much come out right at that.

In the Xtreme 147 , BBI 147 and AMCE 135, and even Blue Bullet 125gr were on the money within +/—0.8. What happened with Blue's 147?

1 hour ago, 392heminut said:

My question is, can you actually tell the difference between a 130 PF round and a 135 PF round when shooting a stage? I personally don't believe a 5 point difference in PF will have any effect on accuracy/consistency in our game. I think you're splitting hairs!

 

[IVC]

And no, you won't be able to tell a difference or have consistency issues. If anything, the shape consistency of the bullet and not the weight would be a concern because pistol slugs are only spin-stabilized and do not rely on being aerodynamic. 

 

With coated lead, if you go .001" larger than the bore, they get slightly swaged as they travel through the barrel and you get more than decent accuracy. Coated and plated generally don't mix well with compensators anyways, so slightly oversized in traditional barrels is where they shine. 

[kmaultsby]

If I didn't have anything to compare, I probably would not be asking, but because I had other projectiles to compare with, I was concerned.

[Joe4d]

What happened with blues 147 ? cant say..
I buy 147 round nose .358 as I am loading them in 38 short colt revolver.. If I was a betting man, they are using the same molds for .358 to .355 and just runnign them through different sizers,, which might shave a bit.. your other 9mm only weights maybe are only being sized to one size

Had a long thread about these a while ago,, and several folks were getting same weight I was.. 148..
So basically I load to 125 pf assuming 147gr,,,  but declare 148 at chrono.  ( ICORE rule is 120) When I shot Bayou those bullets were advertised as 145 and my average was 146 with them. Running blues now since they sponsor the matches I shoot.

Edited September 13 by Joe4d

[kmaultsby]

Thanks, everyone. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't have any issues at matches and accuracy issues.

[m700]

Results are what matter, but I think a 4 grain swing is significant especially since its not +/- 2 gr its +1 GR - +5 GR. I have had no issues with the 125s which Ive run 20k of and with the exception of 20 or so 160gr that ended up in 1 box the variation has been limited. I would think +/- 1 gr would be "accurate enough". Theres too many variables to introduce more.