Bullets

[engineermike]

Anyone got a favorite brand of hand gun bullet they use, or maybe the question is; Is there a brand of hand gun bullet you won't use. I was at a gun show the other day and a lot of bullets available but no one could tell me who manufactured them so I am thinking about ordering on line. Anyone got a suggestion?

[Sevens]

I've got a number of bullets that I'm fond of, but not because they are the best thing out there... simply because I liked the price and the performance made me come back again.

For cast lead, I stick to Dardas bullets out of Essexville, Mich.
http://www.dardascastbullets.com/
I use these in .38 Special, 9mm and .45 Auto and when I run out of the cast lead I have in 10mm, I will probably try their .40 cal bullets, too.

For plated bullets, I pretty much stick to Berry's and order them direct from their website. I only use plated in certain situations. I like them in .380 because the speeds are low and they are MUCH cheaper than jacketed. Berry's 100gr Pl-RN flat base is a great bullet. I also use them in .30 Carb because they are built to withstand rifle velocities in .30 Carb and I use them from a handgun. Again, I use these because they give decent results with regards to accuracy and they cost me less than comparable jacketed slugs.

For jacketed bullets, I use whatever I come across that is affordable. I've used quite a number of .40 cal Nosler slugs in 10mm, but I'm transitioning away from those as the price keeps climbing. Terrific bullets, though. In rifle, I don't do a lot (yet) but I've been using Remington Core-Lokt .323 slugs for 8mm Mauser because they seem to work and I can't find anything cheaper. These are 185gr SP's.

In .223, I've used Hornady V-Max bullets from 40 to 60 grain and they seem to work pretty well, but I will admit that I haven't work with them enough to be sure.

[kraigwy]

It isnt me, its that my guns have a favorite bullet they like. Guns are like people, they have differant likes and dislikes. Regardless of what you like, you have to pick the bullet that works in your gun.

Same with other components.

[cwok]

Since I'm shooting strictly automatics now-a-days, I've switched to plated bullets.
I use both Berrys and Rainier -- they both seem fairly good in my pistols.

I did note that the plating was showing visible shiny spots on some Rainer that I loaded last week --- BUT they were the last 50 or so from a container that I dumped 1000 bullets into about six months ago.
It could be that the josteling they got when I moved the container around was a little hard on the plating.
There wasn't any impact on accuracy or any evidence of leading in the barrell.
.

[BigJimP]

Montana Gold makes a true "jacketed" bullet - and they're very high quality. They have a good website - and you can order direct / they pay the shipping. I think its a 3 or 4 case maximum right now - they're so busy.

Plated bullets are the next step down in quality - and I use Rainier and Berry's. The plating on Rainier's is thinner than Berry's - and Rainiers are more inconsistent in terms of grains ( if you weigh 8 or 10 of a batch ). Nothing really wrong with either bullet for practice / but for a match ammo I would stay with Montana Gold.

I don't shoot any lead or cast bullets. I reload 9mm, .40S&W, .45 acp, .38spl, .357 mag and .44 mag ...and I'm running 5,000 9mm rounds right now ( for the boys and the grandkids to shoot ...) they happen to be all Rainiers 124gr RN plated bullets - and they've been testing just fine. ( I use Hodgdon TiteGroup powder and CCI primers / 4.2 gr of TiteGroup ). I ran 1,000 in a couple of hours yesterday and got them all inspected and boxed up ...and I'll do the other 4,000 in the next couple of evenings ...

[Dave R]

I'm pretty much a Berry's plated bullets guy. They work well in all my handguns. I just buy 'em at a local store. Seems like breakeven vs. ordering them from Berry's with shipping. Maybe in the big quantities...

[uncyboo]

99.5% of all my handloading is for rifles, and I don't shoot any lead bullets. I'll try most any brand as long as there is some track record of performance. One brand I haven't tried and really need to is Berger.

[iblong]

For my 1911's 99% lead bullets from S&S casting or Red river
for my 9's mostly Montana gold.

[That'll Do]

For lead, I use my own bullets.
As far as jacketed, I usually buy direct from Montana Gold, but I also like Hornady, Sierra, and Nosler.

[AlaskaMike]

I don't know of any that I won't use, but the ones I primarily use are those that I make myself.

In handguns I shoot about 90% cast lead, and I've used commercially cast bullets from Cast Performance, Leadhead, Lasercast, and Mastercast. They were all good and some were better for certain purposes than others. For example, Lasercast are extremely hard bullets that only do so-so in my guns chambered for low pressure cartridges, like .38 spl. and .45 Auto. They worked just fine in my magnum revolvers though.

For jacketed bullets I tend to prefer Speer Gold Dots or Hornady XTPs. The only plated bullets I have experience with are those that were given to me by a friend who got out of reloading, and I guess they're okay. If I'm not going to load an expensive bullet, it's because I want to load an economical bullet. Even commercial cast bullets are significantly cheaper than plated, and frequently better quality as well.

Mike

[R.Lynn]

+1 for Montana Gold. I like them.......Postman...... not so much! 70 lb. box is small but heavy.

[Sevens]

I'm pretty much a Berry's plated bullets guy. They work well in all my handguns. I just buy 'em at a local store. Seems like breakeven vs. ordering them from Berry's with shipping. Maybe in the big quantities...

C'mon now, Dave! Berry's gives you free shipping when you spend *gulp* fifty bucks or more. I'm guessing you can come up with enough bullet needs to spend fifty bucks!

[Dave R]

I had no idea. Thanks, Sevens. Learn something every day here...

[mrawesome22]

Is there a brand of hand gun bullet you won't use.

Barnes. Are their bullets made of platinum? Give me a break. There are lots of suckers on this earth that think that because the price is the most expensive, they must be the best, but I am not one of them. Barnes.:barf:

[Shane Tuttle]

Sierras have been my go-to brand for target accuracy in my rifles. Kraigwy is right in the firearm will most likely choose which bullet it fires best rather than the loader. But I haven't found any rifle bullets that perfrom better than Sierra.

For pistol I've come to love Precision Delta's. They're FMJ and they're CHEAPER than Berry's plated bullets. Haven't found any need to use plated anymore. Berry's plated bullets are of good quality and I have had good experience.

I won't use Rainiers anymore unless they were given to me. Too many problems with weight variations and AWEFUL plating. They're not worth my time nor headache.

Soon, I'm going to be set up for casting my own pistol bullets. But that's another story...

[SatCong]

Mostly Berry's , some Sierra, Hornady, Remington, and Winchester .

SatCong

[Sevens]

Haven't found any need to use plated anymore.

Ahhh, I have a couple.

I made an order with Precision Delta a month ago. I knew full well that it takes some time -- in fact, I clearly remember your experience with them so I haven't been worried about it. The other day I did send them an inquiry, some kind of update and they told me that the 9's are running behind, another week or two. (quick reply in e-mail but otherwise, haven't heard a peep from them)

Not a big deal and the price is terrific. I haven't gotten the bullets yet but I'm guessing I'll be happy.

But if I want 'em now? If I want some .30-cal 110 grainers? If I need some 100gr .380 slugs? Or those killer ammo boxes I use so much? Or if I need some plated (jacketed) .38 Special slugs?

These are all things I can't get from Precision Delta, so Berry's is going to continue to be a go-to place for me. Those folks are VERY easy to deal with and have always treated me well. I'm a pretty satisfied customer.

[Shane Tuttle]

Valid point, Sevens. Many reloaders don't have the luxury of waiting around for a few months to receive bullets. They sometimes go through thousands of rounds in just a few short months and need to rely on a company that can satisfy their demands. Unfortunately, laws of supply/demand can favor companies that can produce like Berry's. So, they can get away with upping their price a bit.

[jhansman]

I'm a fan of Bear Ck. molys, but when I can't get them I always go to Missouri Bullet Co. http://www.missouribullet.com/

Fair prices and a quality bullet.

[WESHOOT2]

Lead: Meister
Penn
Cast Performance
Beartooth

Plated: Rainier

Jacketed: Zero
Montana Gold
Winchester
Remington
Federal
Hornady
Sierra