ACME bullets with Hi Tek coatings - 9mm

[DLrocket89]

Hi everyone,

Don't know how much attention everyone pays to these things, but the price of metals is going to be going up quite a bit in the near future. Lead, copper, brass all included. My company does a lot of work with steel (I'm a metallurgist) and prices could be going up 25-35% in the near future.

Knowing that, I was going to use some of my next paycheck to buy metallic reloading components in bulk and try to "lock in" current costs for a year or two. Could mean buying 5k 9mm bullets, maybe 2.5k 45s. So, looking to buy soon and don't have 6 months to trial a bunch of things.

My question is about the tradeoffs between Berry's (or anyone's) plated bullets vrs ACME (or anyone's) polymer coated bullets. What do people prefer and why?

The primary use is plinking and USPSA. Looking for 140-150 grain 9mm and 230-250 grain .45.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you can provide!

Dustin
Wisconsin

 

[WestKentucky]

I have used a bunch of different types of bullets, and realistically I think the HiTek coating is probably the best cost efficient of the bunch. Plated are nice but are too expensive when compared to coated lead.

 

[Walkalong]

prices could be going up 25-35% in the near future.

Why?

 

[DLrocket89]

Why?

My understanding is a) economy doing well, so higher demand mixed with b) the threat of tariffs from DC on things coming into the States. Raw material costs going up because of those.

I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge base on this is limited.

The part that got me thinking about this in terms of ammo is SGAmmo's latest email flier, they said that the ammo manufacturers at SHOT all agreed prices were going up due to raw materials...since it has been so sleepy recently, prices are presently rock bottom so any increase in material costs goes direct to the end consumer. Either way, the general trend is real, we had a meeting to deal with it at work today.

D

 

[DLrocket89]

Also - that 25-35% was directed at steel, not ammo components.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I use both plated and coated. My preference is whatever is cheaper. It used to always be coated but recently there have been some great buys on plated.
You may be correct about the metal market but it is very hard to predict, lots of factors involved.

 

[Walkalong]

Also - that 25-35% was directed at steel, not ammo components.

Steel is definitely going up, my quote for a metal building from November is no longer good. Bummer.

 

[IlikeSA]

I prefer the polymer coated lead for my reloads, but I don't reload 9mm. I like that it costs about a dollar more per 500 than plain lead, thus is cheaper than plated, and doesn't lead up my bore. The reason I don't like plated is because you are limited by speed, about 1200 fps if I recall. It may not make a difference for plinking or use in an auto pistol, but I like to range between 6-1500 fps with my revolvers.

 

[LiveLife]

If you shoot matches, ultimately it will be holes on target that matters.

I have MBC Hi-Tek coated and Berry's/HSM/PowerBond/RMR/X-Treme plated in 9mm (124/147 gr) and 45ACP (200/230 gr).

PM me your address and I can PIF bullet samples so you can see which bullets shoot better in your pistol.

I don't like plated is because you are limited by speed, about 1200 fps

I like to range between 6-1500 fps with my revolvers.

Regular plated bullets with around .004" thick copper plating are usually rated to around 1200 fps.

Thicker plated bullets from .010" to .015" copper plating are rated to 1300-1500 fps - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ng-at-25-50-yards.808446/page-3#post-10470195

I load RMR Hardcore Match bullets with .012" - .014" thickness copper plating to almost 1500 fps out of my carbines with no loss of accuracy (2" groups at 50 yards and 3" groups at 100 yards with mixed range brass).

Jacketed bullets have .015" -.030" thickness gilding metal.

Speer TMJ and Gold Dot HP bullets have around .015" thickness copper plating.

 

[kidneyboy]

I use Berry's (124gr) and Acme (124 and 147) bullets in 9mm. The Berry's likes the barrel in my G34 and the Acme 147 shoots well in both the 19 and 34. So the gun barrels sort of made the decision for me.

 

[DLrocket89]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to order up a bunch of the ACME Hi-tek coated stuff. I have the confidence that it'll work now at least...just didn't want to get burned by a gimmick really.

Thanks again!

Dustin

 

[DLrocket89]

Just ordered 1k starline brass and 2.5k of the ACME hi-tek bullets. Thanks for the replies again!

 

[Dudedog]

ACME makes nice coated bullets.$70/k + shipping for 122gr
I have shot lots of lubed lead lead bullets and coated lead bullets in 9mm. (no leading issues with the lubed lead ones in my guns)
I feel the coating is worth the few extra $ if you want to shoot lead bullets.

If you wanted to, you could get 124gr FMJs from RMR for $82/k (-5% THR discount) about $78/k shipped, so about the same price as coated. (Rn of FN profile)
Or if you order 3k you can get the RMR 124gr MPR Jacket HPs for a little over $80/K with the discount shipped.
All of the above have shot well for me.