Looking for advice re: bullets

30 May 2004, 16:44

I gather from my reading here that most of you are riflemen, but in the event there are some handgunners here, I could use your input. I'm going to be buying some .44mag. jacketed bullets, and wonder if you could make a recommendation or two. I want them to be consistent for the sake of accuracy, but most will be used for range practice, and so don't have to be premium bullets. In other words, I'm looking for an accurate but relatively inexpensive bullet. Right now Midway has Remingtons on sale, and I'm considering the SJHP. Any opinions on this one? I know that it has a considerable amount of exposed lead -does it ever get in the bore? Does Remington also make a JHP, or is that one and the same as the SJHP? Was has been your experience re: the accuracy of these?

Can you recommend any others, point me to their websites, etc.?

Thank you very much for your assistance.

30 May 2004, 17:24

Reloader

Deutschlander,

The Hdy. XTPs seem to be a pretty accurate pistol bullet but, they may cost a little more than what you want.

I have had good results w/ the Win. JHPs in .357, they should be good in .430 also.

Midway is a good place to shop.

Good Luck!

Reloader

31 May 2004, 02:01

Hot Core

Quote:

... I'm looking for an accurate but relatively inexpensive bullet.

Hey Deutschlander, We are all looking for that. If your Range practice will be 25-100yds, then good old "Lead" bullets would work great. And if you can find Gas Check versions you can actually run them faster than regular Jacketed bullets for the same weight. Another excellent benefit is greatly reduced bore wear and of course thay are relatively inexpensive.

What little lead gets in the bore cleans out quickly and you can shoot a cylinder full of full power Jacketed Loads (every 6-10 cylinders full of Lead) to help with the cleaning.

Quote:

...Remingtons ...SJHP. Any opinions on this one?

It just depends on the particular firearm. Some shoot them with fine accuracy and some don't. You just have to try them to know how "your" 44Mag performs with them. If your particular 44Mag doesn't like them, they would still make fine "Barrel Cleaners" behind the Lead Bullets.

Quote:

I know that it has a considerable amount of exposed lead -does it ever get in the bore?

No.

Quote:

...Can you recommend any others, point me to their websites, etc.?...

I also like the Hornady XTPs since I've always had 1-shot kills with them. They do expand a bit more than I prefer because they rarely Exit a Deer.

The Speer Gold Dots are some fine bullets that I feel sure you would like. And the regular old Speer JFP has always been accurate for me and a great Deer bullet.

I'm in the process of ordering some inexpensive "Berry's Preferred Plated Bullets" from www.cabelas.com to see how well they do. Cabela's also carries a good many kinds of Lead Bullets if you are interested at all in them. But, I usually buy my Lead Bullets from Beanie's Reloading Supply (704) 485-3333.

31 May 2004, 02:58

knobmtn

Deutschlander,

I've shot thousands of 44 Mag and 44 Special loads. The best advice I can give is to read Hot Core's post thoroughly. My experiences agree totally with his. I am a big fan of hard cast bullets for the 44's. You can do a lot of shootin' for not much money. A load of 8 to 9 grains of Unique with 240 to 250 gr bullets has shot very well in several guns for me. It is a great target and practice load. 2400 has worked well with hotter hunting loads. Elmer Keith's old 2400 load with a Keith type 245 gr bullet gives me 1/2 inch groups off of sandbags at 50 yards out of 2 different Smiths. I have no scientific evidence to support my next statement but it has been suggested to me that Unique and 2400 have a lower flame temperature. I do know that I've never had much lead fouling with these 2 powders with hard cast bullets. When I try them with H110 or 296 I get a lot of lead smears and barrel fouling.

knobmtn

31 May 2004, 05:09

2ndtimer

I agree with the others that hard cast bullets are the cheapest, best option, especially for mild to mid-range loads. Back when I was shooting .44 Mags, I shot a lot of the LaserCast cast bullets, http://www.laser-cast.com/ and they worked very well, with minimal leading at velocities up to 1000 fps or so. I also shot the various jacketed bullets from Nosler, Hornady, Sierra, and Remington, my Rugers seemed to prefer the Remington and Hornady. I was particularly fond of the 210 gr Reminton SJHP as a nice compromise bullet. When they were on sale, I would usually order a thousand of them. Good Luck.

31 May 2004, 13:15

fredj338

All of the jacketed bullets out there are more than accurate enough. I am also a lead bullet fan for all of my revolver loads. The Berry's plated bullets are reasonably inexpensive & accurate as well (Cabelas or order direct). I shoot them in my semiautos but see no reason not to use them in a revolver.

01 June 2004, 04:14

Hot Core

Quote:

... I have no scientific evidence to support my next statement but it has been suggested to me that Unique and 2400 have a lower flame temperature. I do know that I've never had much lead fouling with these 2 powders with hard cast bullets. When I try them with H110 or 296 I get a lot of lead smears and barrel fouling. ...

Hey Knobmtn, Interesting thought about the lower flame temp. I typically find "2400" in the 44Mag to burn "dirty" which surprises me because of it being a Flake Powder. Always try to get a Firm Crimp in an attempt to assist in a cleaner burn. But, you may be on to the correct answer.

And I always figured the Deterrant Coating on H110 and WW296 caused them to burn dirty.

I just don't get much Leading with any of those Powders, but that is probably because the Beanie's Bullets I get are Gas Checked.

01 June 2004, 04:31

Deutschlander

I appreciate all you gentlemen taking the time to offer your help. These internet forums are invaluable sources of good information. I've wondered from time to time how people ever got by without them!

Just a little more information for anyone who might be interested:

I know that many revolver shooters enjoy using lead bullets and the savings that go with them. I like to save money also, but lead is not for me, I'm afraid. This will be a fast, 210gr. magnum load, and I'll only be shooting around 500 rounds or less per year. Consequently I won't be spending much, and don't need to be concerned about barrel wear.

I also do not enjoy cleaning guns. I just bought a used revolver whose previous owner had used lead bullets almost exclusively. It appears to me that he took good care of the gun, but it nevertheless had some minor leading in the chambers and bore. I tried for some time to get it out, and still haven't been able to do so completely. I realize that one of those lead remover tools would probably do the trick, but I just don't want to deal with anything that makes cleaning any more of a chore than it already is(to me, anyway).

SO, to all of you who like lead, I tip my hat to you and say, "Good shooting!" But since I only load magnums(.357 as well as .44), don't shoot boatloads of them, and don't like to clean, I'll stick with the jacketed variety.

Incidentally, I've used Berry's, and don't care for them. They don't have a cannelure, and I had difficulty getting the right crimp on them. Maybe you fellas have a good solution for that.

Thanks again to all. Look's like I'll try those Remingtons and see how they do.

01 June 2004, 07:10

Jeff57

There is a fair assortment of taper crimp dies for both the .357 and .44 Magnums if you want to use plated bullets. I used one for years.
Jeff

01 June 2004, 13:07

Hot Core

Quote:

... I like to save money also, but lead is not for me, Incidentally, I've used Berry's, and don't care for them. They don't have a cannelure, and I had difficulty getting the right crimp on them. Maybe you fellas have a good solution for that....

Hey Deutschlander, Not a problem on my end. I do remember when the original soft Lead factory Loads were major nightmares to clean-up in the original 357Mags and 44Mags "before" jacketed revolver/pistol bullets existed.

Thank you for mentioning about the lack of a cannelure on the Berry Bullets. That had totally bypassed me. I still want to try them, but will adjust the quantity down a good bit on the initial order.

...

I see Jeff mentioned the "Taper Crimp" and I also have some Dies with a "Profile Crimp". It has been a very long time since I've thought about it, but I believe the Profile Crimp is a tiny bit straighter than the Taper Crimp. (If that is wrong, someone correct me.) But, if I had the Taper Crimp, I'd use it and never give the Profile Crimp a second thought.

Both are totally different than a Roll Crimp which is typical on most Die Sets.

01 June 2004, 15:48

knobmtn

Hot Core:

I know you've mentioned before about shooting quite a few deer. Did you ever shoot many of them with a 44 mag? If you have I'm curious as to what bullet you liked the most.
On that flame temp business as I said I'm not sure. But one thing I always noticed was that when I used any powder other than 2400 with a cast bullet with no gas check with real hot loads I got a lot of what I call lead smearing. It was lead melted into the barrel. That was hard stuff to get out. I also never got good accuracy when I had that lead smearing. With 2400 that went away. I did always use a good and as consistent a crimp as I could. I shot some real hot loads that way and had no serious fouling even after 25 or 30 rounds. In a gun with a rough barrel, though, cast bullets would give me quite a bit of lead build-up.

knobmtn

01 June 2004, 16:32

Hobie

I like to use the same bullets for practice that I would use for the end purpose. I like the XTPs for the .44 Mag (although most 240 gr. .429 HP bullets are acceptable for deer). The price is moderate, they are accurate, they work well, and a good charge of H110 gets them moving fairly fast. This isn't the only solution and IME, all the standard solutions work. So, it is down to your prejudices and comfort zone. What you feel most comfortable with will work best for you.