Lead For Practice

[Ronnie j]

Anyone using lead for outdoor practice and plated for indoor and match use.

I ask because I can save approx $38.00 per 1000. I'm buying rainer plated for $65.00 and like them. Anything I need to be aware of beside the barrel and seating die cleaning issues. This is a 180 grn bullet over 4.8 titegroup in a para barrel loaded at 1.175. I've also never loaded lead before only jacketed/plated.

[Ironman]

Ronnie, it sounds like you are shooting 40 cal. I have a glock and due to the rifling I do not shoot lead in 40 cal. But I do know shooters that have shoot lead without a problem in their glocks. In my 45 I shoot a lot of lead 200 grain bullets because our range requires it on the plate rack due to the liability of having the jacket fly back and hitting someone. I have to clean my seating die often. I usually catch it when the rounds start getting a little short. The lead and wax will build up in the seating die and cause the rounds to get shorter. I get my practice rounds for the 40 in 180 grain FMJ for about $42 per thousand. The difference in cost between that and lead does not seem like it is worth it for the glock. I have gotten plated bullets for the 45 but other than making the pistol easier to clean I did not see a lot of difference in shooting steel and paper at the yardage that we shoot at. Hope this helps.

Jim

[Paul B]

I shoot a lot of lead for practice in my Para .40. Back off the load you use for jacket or plated bullets at least 10% as the lead will seal better and produce more pressure at the same powder levels. You will get more smoke, but if you use them outdoors it shouldn't be a problem.

[Guest bulm5]

Or just buy moly coated bullets from precisions , depending on where you are it is usually about 54 per thousand delivered.

[Fireant]

Ironman,

What brand of jacketted 40 cal bullet are you getting for about $42 per 1000?

[Skywalker]

Ronnie,

for me and my teammates shooting Standard or Production Division, the one you are referring is common practice (at least I learned it the hard way in Vienna, A33435 can relate about that).

Lead for training (I only train outdor) and plated bullets (same style and weight) for matches: I'm not able to tell the difference when they are loaded at the same PF, even if there are some shooters that advocate the lead bullets recoil is somewhat more progressive, when compared to the sharper recoil of plated ones.

The main advantage, for me, is that plated bullets don't "smoke" a lot like lead ones (BTW, it is not the lead that produces smoke, it's the wax ring for bullet lubrication), and this really helps in those situations where you are shooting in front of the sun (typically early in the morning or at sunset). On the other hand, if you shoot lead in training, you'll save a lot of money (here in Italy too lead bullets are approx 1/2 the cost of plated ones).

If you will need loading data to compare powder load differences between lead and plated bullets have a look here.

[Rufus The Bum]

Ditto on the Precision lead bullets. I've shot as many as 700 rounds through my 6" in one day without ANY lead buildup. Tell me where there is an advantage in using jacketed? I've shot 1" groups at 40 yards with the 185grn lead bullets from Precision, what more can we ask for? As far as the smoke is concerned, I don't even notice it when I shoot, so it's not a factor for me.

[Liota]

I will just third the mention of the Precision Bullets. I started using those when a friend pointed out that I wouldn't have lead build-up in my barrel if I did. Didn't look back after that. Load David's 200grn SWC with 6.2 grains of Winchester Super Field. Great load! At home it makes major with just a squeak. At Area 4 last year it made 175PF. Between David Long's bullets and the WSF, my gun was a whole lot cleaner when I got done.

L

[Quixote]

I'll gladly add a fourth recommendation for Precision Bullets. Have run over 1000 through my Kimber Gold Combat and over 500 through my Springfield V10 (which recommends against lead bullets due to build up on the compensator holes) without any leading.

[Ironman]

Fireant, I use armscor RNFP. A group of us buy in bulk to keep the price down.

Jim

[Guest bulm5]

Ditto on the Precision lead bullets. I've shot as many as 700 rounds through my 6" in one day without ANY lead buildup. Tell me where there is an advantage in using jacketed? I've shot 1" groups at 40 yards with the 185grn lead bullets from Precision, what more can we ask for? As far as the smoke is concerned, I don't even notice it when I shoot, so it's not a factor for me.

What powder are you using Rufus??Currently using V V 320 with 200 gr .40 cal. I like the dull recoli of the 200s but may try the 185s or 170s this winter.

[Rufus The Bum]

I'm using 185 grain precisions over 4.6-4.7 grains of Titegroup with an OAL of 1.190 and a crimp of .416, it comes to about a 165-170pf. I used VVN320 and I didn't quite like the feel of it. Titegroup snaps when you shoot it, N320 is more of a dull thud. Hope this helps. This might sound strange, but I often have prior notice of what classifiers we will be shooting at our club and if I know we have one that has some long shots, I go with the 165's just for the classifier for accuracy. That's where I get my 1" groups at 40yds.