Who Here Shoots Lead?

[Nick_C_S]

I shoot a lot of lead.

I shoot a lot of plated.

I shoot a lot of jacketed.

I like lead. The main reason why I like lead: It's accurate. Lead is accurate. Plain and simple. My 148 DEWC's in 38 Special, and 200 LSWC's in 45 ACP are second to none in terms of accuracy.

[gwpercle]

I got my first reloading setup in 1968 for 357 magnum and in about two weeks realized I was going to have to start casting bullets to meet my needs. Factory bullets cost way too much and back then the dealer didn't stock much in the way of already cast bullets.
If you wanted to shoot a cast Lead SWC you had to mould them yourself...next purchase was a Lyman mould. Two weeks later a Lyman 450 lube/sizer.
Trying to get them sized then getting lubed in a pan of melted lube was a mess.

The main reason I like lead is I can make what I want when I want and how I want...being the master of your own bullet supply rocks !
Gary

[huntinaz]

I get the attempt at humor, let the record reflect that I'm not offended, and it is lame. I've been all over many forums and I hold this forum in the highest regard for handloading/reloading and this attempt at humor seems more at home at Taurusarmed or maybe the KelTec forums. I'm sure nobody will be offended at my opinion either

Ouch, some cold pricklies there buddy. Can I call you buddy?

Pretty sure there is plenty of room for all kinds

Except fun you mean?

Oh, lead, plated, jacketed! Blushing.

I agree. I shoot more lead than the latter, but I wouldn't give up my jacketed offerings either for a number of cartridges I load/shoot.



We're at over 20 to 1. Almost all handloaders shoot lead, at least to some extent. I find it interesting that the commercial ammunition market, even handgun, is completely dominated by jacketed and plated. We handloaders know it's nothing to be afraid of and is often preferred by us for a myriad of reasons. Accuracy. Affordability. Versatility. Etc.

I appreciate Buffalo Bore and Underwood and Grizzly etc for offering the public stuff that a lot of us make by ourselves because it's awesome.

I stopped shooting plain lead about twenty years ago.
After loading three or four brands in as many calibers, I decided the amount of lead and lube residue left in the gun, and in the press, was something I just didn't want to deal with.
I shoot mostly polymer-coated or plated pistol bullets, and jacketed rifle bullets.

And of course there are drawbacks. It is nice to run a brush once or twice after a session of jacketed or plated and it's done and shiny.

Lead exposure indoors, I know there are mixed research on this but hey, piece of mind is also worth something sometimes. And cost isn't everything. Many can afford to shoot jacketed and there are great things about jacketed as well.

For modern rifles hunting and target rifles, especially small-medium bore, jacketed is usually the way to go.

The main reason I like lead is I can make what I want when I want and how I want...being the master of your own bullet supply rocks !

There is something about being able to make your own bullets. If you have a supply of primers, the proper powder and the metal to cast, this bring about a certain feeling of independence. it's a good feeling.

I'd love to get into casting one day. You guys know what's up

[rclark]

I shoot handguns mostly. Lead is what I shoot. Cheap (er) and accurate. What else do you need? Load from 700fps to 1300fps. No discernible leading. As far as I can see from history, lead has worked just fine in the field from ball to bullet. Just not as 'pretty' when sitting in the case as a 'shiny' jacketed bullet, that's about it ...

[44 AMP]

Generally speaking, the smaller the caliber, the less inclined I am to shoot cast bullets. I don't shoot them in .22 Hornet, .221 Fireball, .222 Rem, .223 Rem, .243 Win, 6mm Rem, or .25-06. Have used them in .30-30, .308 Win, .303 Brit, 7.7mm Jap, and 8mm Mauser. Never bothered to use them in 7.62x54R. Also don't bother with them in .350 Rem Mag or .375 H&H.

I do use lead bullets extensively, but not exclusively in .45-70 and .458 Win Mag.

I don't use lead in .32ACP, but do use some in 9mm Luger, though most is jacketed. Lead is all I use in .38 Special. .357 mostly gets jacketed bullets. I use both in .44 Magnum, but only jacketed in .44AMP. .45ACP gets both, lead for general use, jacketed for JHP loads or GI ball duplication. .45 Colt, have used jacketed but have only shot lead for the past 30 some years. .45Win Mag, I load jacketed.

There is one situation where I will only shoot jacketed, and it has nothing to do with being a sissy, it has to do with being smart. Shooting the Desert Eagle in .357 & .44 Magnum. Jacketed bullets only for them!!

[Mike Irwin]

I've shot primarily lead bullets in handguns since I started loading in the early 1980s.

I've also loaded lead bullets in some rifle rounds like my .300 Savage and .30-06 using light loads of Red Dot.

[mikld]

Just like everything reloading; it's just personal choice. Folks can "discuss" the pluses and minuses of lead bullets/bullet casting all day long. I have experienced terrible barrel leading but I found out why and how to correct it. I have been warned "keep the velocity below 1,000 fps, and went out and shot my 357 with air cooled, wheel weight alloy plain based bullets to 1300 fps, and got very little barrel leading. Every jacketed bullet I have loaded did as it was intended and I still have a place in some of my handloads/uses, but for me casting adds to the fun.

Maybe because I have way more time in my reloading room than I have at the range, I cast and lube my own bullets because I want to (I mix my alloys, I make up my own lube, I size my bullets to fit a particular gun. Mebbe just to keep my busy with my gun stuff), but my shooting is no more nor any less fun/satisfying than the reloader that prefers jacketed bullets...

[44 AMP]

I will say one thing for shooting lead, it's old school, its dirty, and it smokes!!

JUST LIKE ME!!!

[USSR]

Shoot only lead. Here is why.


Don

[OldNick]

Almost all home-cast lead. Including in my 1931 Mosin Nagant hex Izzy that I shoot in the monthly bolt gun match at the club.
As for residue in the barrel, I've got about 300 rounds through the 91/30, without so much as running a patch down the bore. If the projectile fits, it won't give you problems.

Revolvers from 600 - 1300+ fps, 9mm semi-autos, whatever; they get lead.

Except a couple .32 Autos that showed up recently. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to keep them....

[armoredman]

I cast for 9mm and 7.62x39mm, shoot them powder coated. I also load cast in .223 with good results in my BREN 805. I used to cast for 38Spl and 40SW, but do not own those handguns any more.

[jetinteriorguy]

I generally shoot paper, lead targets would be way too heavy to carry around.

[1MoreFord]

Back when I shot IPSC with .45acp I shot lead exclusively. Unfortunately the guy I bought bullets from got shut down by the EPA so now I'm SOL for inexpensive cast lead bullets. Thankfully I still have a few left.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

My shooting lead? Don't recall the actual start date. Late 60s maybe? Although cast lead back then was for pistol use.
Today? I'm still casting. Still shooting lead.
Only difference between then and now? __Now: I'm Paper Patching cast lead for my Rifle's use. (30 wcf & 32-40 win)

[Brutus]

Been shooting lead since forever but I switched to plated in my semi-autos.
Stayed with lead in my revolvers because you can't roll crimp plated very well.
Recently bought some coated bullets to try out in my wheelguns, hope they work out. I don't need to be breathing lead and I hate cleaning leaded barrels.

[USSR]

I don't need to be breathing lead...

If you're shooting in an indoor range with poor ventilation, you'll be getting your lead from the lead styphnate in your primers irregardless of the bullet's composition. Outdoors, no problem with whatever bullet.

Don

[458winshooter]

I cast and reload for almost all my pistols and for my 45-70 and 458 win mag. The 458 I use 45-90 load data and cast a 500 gr bullet for it.

[Brutus]

Yeah that's the problem with indoor ranges, still and all cleaning out leaded barrels and forcing cones is a pain.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I shoot a whole lot of lead. I cast it myself. I load for all handgun calibers except for 9mm Mak, and my wife's .32 auto. (Both are too hard to find the brass afterwards.) The Mak gets steel case stuff. I do not shoot it that much. My wife shoots her pistol about 3 times a year. I pick up a box of ammo for her gun every other pay day. So there is a large supply of ammo for her gun.

I am in the process of deciding on which mold to get for my 10mm Long Slide, and Browning .380 1911 Black Label.

[gwpercle]

I am really surprised at the number of reloaders who shoot lead bullets .
I see so many who believe firing one lead bullet will ruin their gun and coat the barrel and chambers 1/4 inch deep in lead.
First thing I did , after buying a Ruger Blackhawk 357 magnum , was buy a Lyman mould and hit up the local tire shop for a bucket of wheel weights ... that was 1968 .

Awesome guy's !
Gary

[M88]

I shoot lead in my 1902 Iver 38 S&W revolver, as well as lead 45 Colt I cast and reload for a Vaquero, an Italian 1873 SA clone and a Winchester 1892 lever gun, all three 45 Colt. Thats it... but when I get more into reloading I will probably expand that to other weapons.

[Wendyj]

I love to cast and shoot lead. Casting is about as a relaxing hobby as I could have. I cast and load for 44mag-45 colt-45acp-357 mag-30-30 win-9mm-10mm-and going to start on a 7-08. Cast in my rifles and handguns are proven to be more accurate to me in rifle or pistol. Can't find wheel weights so I hit the cast boolit forum and order a 100 lbs at a time. molds are from Lee to NOE to Accurate. Lyman 450 and RCBS2 lube sizers. And I thought reloading was going to break my bank first.

[J.G. Terry]

I have a number revolvers that have never had a jacketed bullet shot in them on my watch. The BP breech loaders are kept running with cast bullets. I can cast HP bullets in 38/357, 40 S&W, 45 ACP and 44 Special/44 Magnum, Also, working on making a Ruger American 308 a dedicated cast bullet firearm.

[Chainsaw.]

Im up to a dozen molds now, just got a lee 401 Tc mold for my wife 40. So far the results are really good, sized to .402 they are quite accurate in her glock 27, this has been a really easy work up with the bullets this mold throws. Digging it.

Now Im really wondering if I should buy a mold for my 32acp use. Accurate hasa nice 87 grain mold for 32 acp but for near doublethe lee molds price.....hmm....

[huntinaz]

Nice!

I just bought a used Glock 23 for $100 You shoot lead through your Glock? I feel like I’ve researched it before and decided I didn’t need a new barrel and would just shoot lead thru the hexagonal rifling... I need to research it again.