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SVI Sighttracker bullet preferences


Dale Fusco

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Hi Guys, im getting my new SVI Sighttracker .40 next week and am going to start reloading for it. Will it take the same type of bullet as my STI edge .40 ( Frontier 180gr truncated cone) or is it bullet fussy. Im going to be using Vit320. Thx for any help. Dale

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I have 2 Sighttracker's and they seem to be good with most everything except Rainiers 200g plated bullets. I also use n320, at first thought it was powder creating the problem but it also happened with other powders.(Clays, Universal Clays and American Select) I tried slower powders and the same thing. We did a group buy on thise bullets so I called some of the other shooters and they were having similar problems. Montan180,200 and 155's are no problem and accurate. Zeros are also very good in the gun and I have tried small amounts of some factory(remington 180) with good results. They also handle regular lead bulltes(not plated) very well, there just seems to be a problem with the plated 200g.

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If you are getting it with the AET barrel you have to use jacketed bullets. The plated once as well as lead will damage the barrel. I like 200 gr bullets with 4.5 grains of Clays. very soft shooting. I also have an 8# recoil spring and one shokebuff. 180gr MG with titegorup or n320 will also be a good choice.

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Guys thx for the answers, i live in Northern Ireland (UK) and our bullet selection here is very small, Frontier is one brand i know that i can get, what is the difference between plated and jacketed bullets? BTW it is an AET barrel in my gun.

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Jacketing is a relatively thick layer of copper or copper allow swdged over the bullet. Jackets generally have a very smooth texture and is generally open at the base (FMJ) or tip (JHP)

Plating is a much thinnner layer (I think it's deposited electrochemically) and provides 100% coverage, but is not as durable as copper. If you can see the surface texture of the lead, rather than a smooth surface, don't have an open base or tip, and got your bullets for a price a bit above plain lead but well below the going rate for jacketed, you probably have plated.

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This was discussed at a class that I was at with Chris Tilley. With an AET ( or Gain Twist Barrel ) it is recomended that you use either a JHP ( Jacketed Hollow Point ) or a CMJ ( Complete Metal Jacket ). I have two Sight Trakkers with AET barrels and use the Montana Gold 180 CMJ's in them.

Brian

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A good friend of mine had an AET barrel in one of his SVI's. After several thousand plated bullets went throught it a ring developed just past the chamber. This ring is copper and cannot be removed. It also lost all accuracy. The barrel is destroyed. Expensive lesson.

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Jacketing is a relatively thick layer of copper or copper allow swdged over the bullet. Jackets generally have a very smooth texture and is generally open at the base (FMJ) or tip (JHP)

Plating is a much thinnner layer (I think it's deposited electrochemically) and provides 100% coverage, but is not as durable as copper. If you can see the surface texture of the lead, rather than a smooth surface, don't have an open base or tip, and got your bullets for a price a bit above plain lead but well below the going rate for jacketed, you probably have plated.

Rob, that might have been true 6 months ago but as of now Rainier and Berrys are within 10 bucks/k of good jacketed bullets, at least where 40's are concerned. I bought a case of 200's 6 months ago because they were 62/k the next time we checked back with the same source they were 92/k. We bought the 200's at that time because they were 26/k less than the 180's which we thought odd, but evidently once they depleted their 200's at the old price and reordered they had gone up to the new price which was more than the 180's. Yeah a plated bullet is better to shoot than plain lead, but not at jacketed prices.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Guys i shot my sighttracker today for the first time with around 500rds of factory and reloaded ammo. Feed and function was great with 1 stoppage at around the 450rds mark. Accuracy with the Frontier (plated) 180gr heads was appalling, approx 4inches at 15m freehand. Accuracy with winchester 180gr tmj was great about 1inch at 15m freehand. My sighttracker aet does not like the cheaper bullets. Thx for all of your help in this thread. Dale

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Dale

The plated bullets will destroy that barrel. Use only jacketed bullets.

Carl

I don't buy that. My limited experience is that plated bullets cause no problems with my AET barrel.

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I have first hand info, from shooting plated, and lead, in my AET.

The instruction sheet packed with my AET said lead bullets were ok.

Sheesh, you actually read the instructions? They might take away your man-club membership if they hear about that! :P

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