Hi,

I've seen some load data which shows lead having a higher max grains than jacketed in the same weight powder. I've also seen load data where it shows the jacketed with a higher max grains than lead. Most of the time the load data seems to suggest that jacketed can be pushed harder without pressure problems. So this is my first question for you reloading guru's--if you load a lead bullet and a jacketed bullet at the same charge weight, which one has more pressure and why?

Second question, I've seen that you can load lead bullets at much more conservative velocities than jacketed ones, or at least the conservative loads are almost always lead. For example, 38 special. If you want a nice slow load, a lead bullet is recommended with a light charge weight, but I don't ever see jacketed ones done this way. I wonder if a revolver might make lead an easier slow velocity load because it takes less pressure to engrave it. With a jacketed bullet, can pressure escape through the cylinder gap on low velocity jacketed loads before the bullet can be engraved enough to make sure there is enough pressure left for it to exit the barrel with a decent velocity. Is this true or not true? Can jacketed bullets be used in slower loads, but you might have to add just a little more powder to make them shoot at the same slow speed as a lead load?

Thanks!!

Alan

It will take less pressure to send a lead bullet down the bore because a lead bullet is softer than a copper jacketed lead bullet. Lead bullets are loaded slower because if you push them too fast, you get leading of the bore which is a bit of a pain to remove.

Jacketed bullets give more resistance in going down the bore and if you load them too light, you could get a bullet stuck in the bore (actually this could happen with an even lighter load with a lead bullet).

As for conflicting loading data in the manuals is concerned, I could cite numerous examples of loading data that doesn't make a lot of sense. Just pick a good manual or better yet two or three and be very conservative in experimentation until you are an experienced reloader. If you compare data between manuals, you can generally find where the truth lies.

I assume you are talking revolver loads?

Maximum revolver loads are extremely sensitive to bullet seating depth. Since bullet seating depth depends on the bullet design, load data is only valid for that particular bullet. For example, a 180 gr. jacketed 357 bullet will likely have a different seating depth than a 180 gr. lead bullet. Furthermore, because the design of cast bullets varies considerably, different 180 gr. lead bullets will have different seating depths.

The result is that if you use substitute a different brand or style of bullet, the load data no longer applies.

To add to the confusion, some load data does not specify the particular style of bullet, especially with regard to cast bullets. The data will merely say something like "180 gr. lead." Such data is absolutely useless.

Furthermore ....... a HP bullet will have a different seating depth than a solid point bullet, so there you have another variable.

IN GENERAL, but not always, most cast revolver bullets do not seat as deeply as jacketed bullets, so IN GENERAL, it is safe to use jacketed data for cast bullets, but not the other way around.

Beware of using jacketed bullets for very low velocity loads (like 38 S&W) because the bullet may not exit the barrel.

Bottleneck cartridges are a different story. There small changes in seating depth will not affect the load density appreciably, so the seating depth issue is not a big deal. Lead bullets will generate about the same pressure as jacketed bullets in a bottleneck cartridge, when loaded to the same velocity.