Comparing FMJ bullets from 3 companies- Montana Gold, Zero Brand and Precision Delta. Has anyone compared bullets from these three companies? Are there any significant differences in quality or how easy they are to reload? Should I just buy the cheapest? Thank you.
Comparing FMJ bullets
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MichiganShootist
Member
I have re-loaded MG and Zeros exclusively for about 6 years. I find their quality to be equal and I change nothing on my Dillon 550 when I change brands.
I load only .45 ACP and run through 4K - 6K rounds a yer.
I just buy which ever one is the least expensive at the time.
I load only .45 ACP and run through 4K - 6K rounds a yer.
I just buy which ever one is the least expensive at the time.
RugerOldArmy
Member
With respect to FMJ Pistol bullets, Montana Gold and Zero make great stuff.
If you talk about (.224") 55 Gr FMJ, I'll run screaming from all three, and get Hornady's.
If you talk about (.224") 55 Gr FMJ, I'll run screaming from all three, and get Hornady's.
skidooman603
Member
Used the MG from (surplus Ammo.com) Great success and great service. Thanks Gary REally Really liked the 230FMJ for the 45
xmanpike
Member
just looked at prices at surplus ammo! Holy smokes! They are absurd. $115/500? I can buy 1000 shipped for $114!
freakshow10mm
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What do you expect from a guy selling 1K rounds of .45 ACP for $500?
JoGusto
Member
Ok, newbie reloader question: how to cook up load with these FMJ's?
Hi all,
My interest in reloading currently is to save money. I target shoot for fun, I don't compete (yet) and so safety and "adequate" ballistic performance and repeatability are "good enough" for me. I plan to acquire a Lee single stage press (eg anniversary edition) and use that to get started.
Just started acquiring components... bought some CCI 500 primers, and Hodgdon Universal powder. Now I need some bullets... I saw the great deals on the Montana 9mm FMJ RN's. Can't find much else in stock currently!
Here's my question: I know there's lots of reloading manuals with various recipes in them. I took a look at Hodgdon's online recipe database. They seem to spec out recipes for just a couple of bullets, namely Speer gold dots and Sierra, and "generic" unjacketed lead round nose or lead conical.
Am I really going to find a recipe somewhere that calls out Montana Gold specifically? Can I use starting loads for some other FMJ of the same diameter, weight, and shape and still be "safe"?
I know too little and I get a stuck bullet, too much and KB... but how does one approach this problem of using an "equivalent" bullet for which no specific recipe exists?
TIA!
Hi all,
My interest in reloading currently is to save money. I target shoot for fun, I don't compete (yet) and so safety and "adequate" ballistic performance and repeatability are "good enough" for me. I plan to acquire a Lee single stage press (eg anniversary edition) and use that to get started.
Just started acquiring components... bought some CCI 500 primers, and Hodgdon Universal powder. Now I need some bullets... I saw the great deals on the Montana 9mm FMJ RN's. Can't find much else in stock currently!
Here's my question: I know there's lots of reloading manuals with various recipes in them. I took a look at Hodgdon's online recipe database. They seem to spec out recipes for just a couple of bullets, namely Speer gold dots and Sierra, and "generic" unjacketed lead round nose or lead conical.
Am I really going to find a recipe somewhere that calls out Montana Gold specifically? Can I use starting loads for some other FMJ of the same diameter, weight, and shape and still be "safe"?
I know too little and I get a stuck bullet, too much and KB... but how does one approach this problem of using an "equivalent" bullet for which no specific recipe exists?
TIA!
atblis
Member
It depends
One issue with substituting a different bullet is that it might reduce the amount of space in the case. This can cause some powders to behave differently (read higher pressures).
I personally have no qualms about substituting similar bullets in loads, but I don't do this with loads that are up against the max. Moderate to light in well behaved catridges (10mm, 45 acp). 40 S&W is sometimes up against the max for the case capacity, so I would be careful substituting bullets in that.
One issue with substituting a different bullet is that it might reduce the amount of space in the case. This can cause some powders to behave differently (read higher pressures).
I personally have no qualms about substituting similar bullets in loads, but I don't do this with loads that are up against the max. Moderate to light in well behaved catridges (10mm, 45 acp). 40 S&W is sometimes up against the max for the case capacity, so I would be careful substituting bullets in that.
mongoose33
Member
Starting loads for unknown bullet
I started reloading last September, so I've had to deal with this question myself. Take the following for what it's worth, with a grain of salt, and as a place to start. Make your own determination as to how to proceed. Buyer beware.
One thing I did was to look online for loads (and OAL!) from people who had used the bullet, or something similar. I don't ever take that as gospel, but as a starting point, and then compare that to what the manuals say for a similar bullet to confirm it's not crazy.
Using that data, I'll start working loads up. I'll extend the OAL a bit from what was said for that load, and start low, though usually not at the very bottom. The low starting load, plus a bit more OAL, I feel gives me a margin of safety as I work up the load.
Even though you may think two bullets look the same, they may not have the same bearing surface (the part of the bullet which contacts the barrel). More bearing surface, more pressure. So starting low and long mitigates that possibility, IMO.
As I work up loads, I either increase the powder load, decrease OAL to the level suggested by my research online and in reloading manuals. Or both.
But I do one other thing: I run those worked up rounds through a chronograph. Paid about $100 for it. It lets me monitor velocity from my guns, and chart the changes in velocity for the different loads and OAL.
Ever since I started, I have thought it important for me to evaluate the actual performance of the rounds I produce. If you're working up a load, how do you decide where to stop? How much is too much?
I've compared my own handloads to commercial ammunition as a basis against which to compare. There's no way to evaluate my handloads objectively unless I have that chronograph data.
For instance, I have a good load for Hornady's XTP bullet in 230gr .45. It tops out at about 850fps, just where I want it to be. It's very accurate out of my XD. So for me, that's a production load. But I would not have confidence knowing what it is without that chronograph.
Buy a chronograph or borrow one, but IMO you'll find that you can make much better decisions about how you produce ammo if you use one.
I started reloading last September, so I've had to deal with this question myself. Take the following for what it's worth, with a grain of salt, and as a place to start. Make your own determination as to how to proceed. Buyer beware.
One thing I did was to look online for loads (and OAL!) from people who had used the bullet, or something similar. I don't ever take that as gospel, but as a starting point, and then compare that to what the manuals say for a similar bullet to confirm it's not crazy.
Using that data, I'll start working loads up. I'll extend the OAL a bit from what was said for that load, and start low, though usually not at the very bottom. The low starting load, plus a bit more OAL, I feel gives me a margin of safety as I work up the load.
Even though you may think two bullets look the same, they may not have the same bearing surface (the part of the bullet which contacts the barrel). More bearing surface, more pressure. So starting low and long mitigates that possibility, IMO.
As I work up loads, I either increase the powder load, decrease OAL to the level suggested by my research online and in reloading manuals. Or both.
But I do one other thing: I run those worked up rounds through a chronograph. Paid about $100 for it. It lets me monitor velocity from my guns, and chart the changes in velocity for the different loads and OAL.
Ever since I started, I have thought it important for me to evaluate the actual performance of the rounds I produce. If you're working up a load, how do you decide where to stop? How much is too much?
I've compared my own handloads to commercial ammunition as a basis against which to compare. There's no way to evaluate my handloads objectively unless I have that chronograph data.
For instance, I have a good load for Hornady's XTP bullet in 230gr .45. It tops out at about 850fps, just where I want it to be. It's very accurate out of my XD. So for me, that's a production load. But I would not have confidence knowing what it is without that chronograph.
Buy a chronograph or borrow one, but IMO you'll find that you can make much better decisions about how you produce ammo if you use one.
1SOW
Member
I'm just switching from Precision Delta 124 FMJs to Montana Gold 124 FMJs because of availability. The MG are about .0015 longer than PD. I expect it to be almost an even load swap. I'll check 'em soon.
Borrow, buy or rent a chrono. It'll save you a lot of wasted test rds and guesswork. It will also help you make load corrections faster.
With the chrono you can check both speed and accuracy with the same rounds.
Just don't shoot your chrono! They aren't in season and hard to tenderize.
Borrow, buy or rent a chrono. It'll save you a lot of wasted test rds and guesswork. It will also help you make load corrections faster.
With the chrono you can check both speed and accuracy with the same rounds.
Just don't shoot your chrono! They aren't in season and hard to tenderize.
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