Coated bullets and revolvers

[9mmepiphany]

Was using Lyman M style expander.

With a M-profile expander, I expand enough so that after a bullet is dropped/placed in the case mouth, I can invert the case and the bullet won't fall out. If I want to pull the bullet out, there is a "pop" as it breaks suction/adhesion.

I do this with both my coated and jacketed bullets in 9mm or .45ACP...I'm only shooting Hi-Tek coated bullets in my .38Spl

My 9mm coated bullets are from BBI and Federal. My .45ACP bullets are from Brazos. My .38Spl bullets are from BBI, B&B, and Bayou

 

[Bearded Phil]

The coated bullets from three different commercial sources have measured about .001" to.002" over the size of jacketed bullets.

Just because they're over nominal diameter doesn't mean they were the correct size for your bore.

All were bevel base style. Most seated without scraping the coating, but too many lost a portion of their coating.

When properly sized a little coating loss isn't a guarantee of leading, even with bevel base bullets.

When using bevel base bullets I'm not going to bell the mouths excessively as a cover-up for coating loss due to poor adhesion, improper application, or incorrect curing.

This is the part you're doing wrong. The expander you use, a stepped style like the Lyman M you said you were using, has to be sized correctly to the bullet, which is sized to the bore.

.002" over and .002" under for each step is the best way to go. NOE makes expanders in many various sizes for this exact function.

Regardless, this was a thread about "can I roll crimp coated bullets?" and you jumped in to say you don't like to use coated bullets. Completely off topic.

 

[BBarn]

Not completely off topic. The OPs first question was a general one about using lubed lead instead of coated in revolver rounds.

I've loaded thousands of coated bullets in 357, 41, 44, and 45 revolver rounds using methods and tools I use for plated, jacketed, and lubed cast bullets. My coated bullet results were somewhat disappointing, and so I shared that. I'm glad others get good results with coated.

 

[Bill M.]

I shoot the commercial coated bullets in 2 calibers in my revolvers. I load light to moderate loads of medium and fast powders and light taper crimp. I have had no problems and the bullets do not creep. And I only use jacketed bullets with a roll crimp in my full house loads.

 

[EricBu]

Hello all,

I recently purchased an sp101 in 327mag and have some questions about loading for it. I have a lot of 32 h&r and 32 s&w long cases and I plan to order a few thousand wadcutter bullets.

I have switched over to coated bullets for all my autoloaders and taper crimp them but was wondering if I should stick to lubed lead for revolvers.

It is my understanding that revolver loads respond better to a firm roll crimp with better ignition. Do I have that right?

Or, have any of you found the coating can handle a good roll crimp without being scraped off?

Thanks,
Monte

All my revolver loads are coated and they handle a roll crimp just fine. If you have an issue, you need to find a new bullet maker or coating product. I use TB Bullets 100 grain coated bullets in 327, and push them 1400 fps out of a SP101 no problem.

 

[DMW1116]

For target work, I've basically switched over to cast and coated bullets in 30-30, 357 Mag, and 9mm. I haven't been able to find a load as accurate in 38 Special using the cast bullets I've tried in 357 Magnum. Acme 135 grain RNFP & MBC 165 Grain Whitetail #4 are what I use in 30-30. I use the Gallant 135 Grain RN for 9mm. They have recently switched to swaged and coated bullets, so I need to try some. For full power 357 Magnum, the MBC 158 Grain SWC (I forget their name) has been as accurate as my full power load with 158 grain XTPs from Hornady. For serious use or social work, jacketed bullets are the go-to, unless I have an urge to hunt small game. These target loads would work great for anything you'd hunt with a 22 LR or 22 Magnum. I just couldn't get any bullets to shoot that well in 38 Special cases until I tried the Berry's DEWC. They're very accurate, just a half step behind the Hornady HBWC. I do have to load the Hornady bullets in 357 Mag cases to get the accuracy the Berry's will deliver from a 38 Special case. Just something weird about my Blackhawk I suppose.

I did pull some of the 135 grain Acme bullets from 30-30 cases and replace a problematic powder with a new one. When I pulled them, they had a little coating scraped off, but I loaded and shot them anyway. I don't know if the coating was removed when I seated them or if it was scraped off by removing bullets from a crimped case. No issues I could find when I shot them. I use a Lee expander die for flaring 30-30 cases. My pistol die sets came with their own Lee Powder Through Expander dies. There is some leading in the Marlin Microgroove barrel, but I think I may still be cleaning out some from a bad case of leading with the problematic powder I tried the first couple of times. It was a mess. I've never seen any evidence of the Hi-Tech coating being left in my barrels.

 

[IWAC]

Hello all,

It is my understanding that revolver loads respond better to a firm roll crimp with better ignition. Do I have that right?

Or, have any of you found the coating can handle a good roll crimp without being scraped off?

Thanks,
Monte

I have found that most cartridges with a cannelure can use a good (not excessive) roll crimp. I figure mine are about medium. It will secure the bullet from "creeping" with recoil. Plated bullets (I have no experience with coated) and cast bullets benefit from a roll crimp, or a taper crimp, if it doesn't have a cannelure. A person can avoid damage to the lead or plating by lightly chamfering the interior and exterior of the cartridge case to remove jagged edges left by the manufacturing process or trimming. Easy does it...just enough to remove the jagggedies. Don't sharpen the case mouth. Flare just enough! Avoid Trumpet shaped case mouths! I goofed one evening while loading plated bullets with no cannelure, and mis adjusted my seat/crimp die. I broke down the rounds (2) and found Wasp-waisted bullets, with no cutting of the plating. Tough bullets, to survive that sort of abuse!

 

[derek45]

Adjust your roll crimp to the crimp groove on the bullet and be happy

I shoot cast & coated all the time, even at 1400 fps magnum velocities

I ROLL Crimp them all, with no leading

. . . just don't over do it

these are clear powder coated

 

[AJC1]

Adjust your roll crimp to the crimp groove on the bullet and be happy

I shoot cast & coated all the time, even at 1400 fps magnum velocities

I ROLL Crimp them all, with no leading

. . . just don't over do it

these are clear powder coated

Love me some 358429 170s... I went from blue to green...

 

[.45Coltguy]

All my handguns use the Hi-Tek coated bullets From Summers, MBC and T & B. Haven't shaved any coating when seating and they do not lead up the bores.
If the handloading equipment is set-up properly, no issues.

 

[41 Mag]

Like Derek45, I'm loading for 30 Carbine, 357s, 10mm, 41,44, and 454. I load most to between 1300fps up to 1600fps and have no issues staying in the crimp groove.

As long as they fit well they will shoot well.

 

[lordpaxman]

I don’t own a .327, at least not yet. But the .357 and .45 revolvers get powder coated at times and there doesn’t seem to be an issue with either a roll or taper crimp.

It is my understanding that revolver loads respond better to a firm roll crimp with better ignition. Do I have that right?

You may want to consider what powder, primer, case volume and bullet are involved. For a .460 with 296 a really good roll crimp will help with a good powder burn and keep the bullet from set forward problems.
For my .45 loads, there’s enough neck tension from the sizing step, and either WST, Titegroup, or Clays to get a good ignition/burn and still prevent set forward. And these aren’t mouse fart loads, they’re clocking a 170 PF for competition.
As part of the load development you should keep track of how much crimp there is and record what kind of burn and movement you have.

 

[jmorris]

If the coating is applied correctly and isn’t scraped off seating, it makes it down and out the barrel fine.

Hi-tek, powder coat and whatever David used at Precision bullets.



You can see the distortion in the lead, from the crimp, in that bottom one.