Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading Coated Lead Bullets - Pros & Cons

Looking to the collective wisdom of the fire.

I have got a lead on 500 ct boxes of Missouri Bullet Company coated lead bullets.

The cost per bullet averages out to be about 11 cents each including shipping.

So...here is the input I seek:

Any pros and cons in shooting "coated" lead bullets.

And...where can I get load data????

Specifics of the bullets - 125 or 158 gr. Brinell hardness is 12. I will be shooting them in a 357 Magnum at "target velocities" (850 - 950 fps). The bullet diameter is .358". The bullets are grooveless - the coating is advertised as providing excellent lubricity so that lube is not requried.

Thanks in advance for the input.

GB

I've found Missouri bullets to be real good.
I've used a couple of designs for a small 1911 in 45 acp. They functioned well, were accurate, and didn't foul the barrel. I'd still be loading them but Missouri is 12 to 14 weeks out and the ones I used are not in production, they were the grooveless bullets.

use standard cast bullet data.

I had order 1000 Missouri bullets (.357) when they said they were 16 weeks out .I found Brazos bullets that advertised 4-6 weeks.Both came in about those times.I get less fouling with powdered coated ones and they are nicer to work with without the regular sticky bullet lube. Accuracy is great.

One thing you don't have to worry about powder coated bullets getting hot and having the lube migrate down into the powder

Have shot thousands of hitec coated and blue bullets they work great , no reason not to shoot them!

Just got 1k 185gr RN .45acp hard cast coated from Badman bullets.

Shot 200 today, mild BE load in two SA's that are sprung for light loads.

Worked fine in both pistols with accuracy very close to what I get with swaged SWC.

Much cleaner, almost no smoke, did smell a little like an electrical fire though. I can deal with that.

I really don't know any cons to them, except some have a slightly obnoxious odor when fired. Not a big deal at all.

And as has been said, use data for similar cast bullets.

I think that is the softest they offer. Probably work best a 38 special velocities.
I shoot Missouri coated bullets in 9mm, 38 spec, and 45acp. Hasbeen

My understanding is they use load data for cast lead. SnS shipped me coated when I ordered plain cast for .357. They load fine but I don’t really like the ‘burning brake’ smell they generate. They are quite a bit cleaner and less smoky.

You are correct. That's why I chose that particular hardness. I am not looking for penetration. I am just looking for something to knock over steel plates at 15 to 25 yards - and not lead up my barrel and revolver cylinders.

I think I can do it with a 158 gr bullet driven between 850 to 950 fps.

Brazos offers the .358 cast coated bullet and is specified hardness for either 38 Sp or.357 mag.You chose which one you want. I ordered the 38 sp as I shoot 38 sp loads in.357cases

Yeah, the BRAZOS work well for me, although I only use their .44 mag SWC.

That's my plan exactly. Thanks for your input.

Thanks for all your input guys. I ordered a box of 500 last night. Already have a conformation - will be delivered Monday. I'll post back once they arrive. I plan to load and shoot by next weekend.

A lot of good information at the Fire when civil people post.

Again, thank you

GB

Patrick at Badman Bullets talked me in to trying some. I was skeptical. But so far impressed, they don’t lead the barrel and are much cleaner, so far, in my experience. Accuracy is great. The down side is they look odd, red or black, and smell different when shot. 😁 I am a convert.

Shot some more of the Badman and also a short test with Acme coated. Acme's are 200gr SWC, Badman are 185 RN.

So far I'm liking the coated bullets, the Acme coating don't seem as tough as Badman.

Still working on the best case bell, so far I've used a powder through expander made for soft lead bullets, it opens the case up more than most so the soft bullets aren't swaged down by case tension.

I scraped some the coating off setting up for the SWC's from Acme, with same expander setting used with the Badman bullet?


On a side note, tried some E3 shotgun powder, there isn't published data for it in pistols but friends have been using it since its hard to get BE recently. Just a few rounds and no chronograph numbers but I don't really need it. The guns were set up for target loads, the recoil felt softer than BE and the cases were in the same spot. Much cleaner than BE, I know, that's no mean feat as BE is filthy at low pressures.

One pass with a patch and both bores were shiny, zero lead. They are Kart barrels, well broke in.

Gonna go ahead and load up a few hundred for a more extended test.



BTW, Badman shipped quick and USPS actually got them across the country in a week. Took about the same time to get the Acme's on the brown truck.

I shoot their 180 grain in my 10MMs. They shoot great. These bullets are really good for target, woods carry, and hunting. They don't expand in fact barely deform when shot into sand. The only issue I've had with them is seating them without gouging the coating. I have to bell the case more than I normally do, chamfer the inside of the case mouth and adjust the seating die so it does not start to crimp at all before the bullet is fully seated. I also have to make sure when I put the bullet in the case mouth it's as straight as possible. Crimp only enough to make the case wall straight without a taper.
I really liked the Badman bullets as well, but the way my chamber is cut on my CZ 10MM I had to seat too deeply to keep the TC off the lands.

Try the NOE expanders. They work great and you will never scrape again.

Thanks Scott I put one on order

With the powder coat you can shoot them at full 357 mag velocities