Polymer-coated bullets; fad or here to stay?

[sw.sharpe]

For many years I have been reloading using plated bullets, but recently and in an effort to save some money I became interested in polymer-coated bullets. Not sure how long coated bullets have been commercially available- a quick Internet search shows at least five vendors and there are probably more:
http://www.egglestonmunitions.com/
http://www.precisionbullets.com/
https://www.blackbulletsinternational.com/
http://www.thebluebullets.com/aboutus.asp
http://www.bayoubullets.net/

For cost comparison, cast bullets are $78 (LaserCast), coated bullets are $92 (BayouBullets) and plated bullets (Berry's) are $131 per thousand. These are the lowest prices I found on the Internet and your search may yield better prices.

I decided to give the coated bullets a try and ordered 100 of the Bayou's in 10mm and 180 gr. For comparison purposes I have been using Berry's copper plated 10mm, 180 gr bullets. In both cases (plated and coated) I used 7.2 gr of Winchester Autocomp with an OAL=1.260 inch. As per Berry's advice, I made an effort to keep the velocity below 1250 feet-per-second. Apparently plated bullets will delaminate at higher velocities, causing all sorts of problems. At one point I was reloading using Laser Cast bullets, but found these to be messy during reload with significant barrel fouling- probably due to the wax lubricant.

Reloading: The coated bullets loaded exactly the same as the plated bullets, without any special consideration and using a Hornady Lock-N-Load progressive loader. Although, according to a number of Internet articles you must be careful to assure enough flare in the brass so that a sharp edge does not gouge or scrape the polymer coating. I did not have any issues in this regard. One thing I did notice is that the polymer-coated bullets are much cleaner on your hands than either the cast or plated bullets. On average, the coated bullets weighed less than the stated 180 gr (179.2 gr) while the plated bullets were dead-on.

Shooting: I used a Dan-Wesson RZ-10. The polymer coated bullets chambered flawlessly and shot as accurate as the Berry's plated bullets. Barrel fouling appeared to be the same for both the coated and plated bullets. Sorry, I do not have any quantitative ballistics i.e., velocities.

Conclusion: Coated bullets are a winner for target practice and plinking purposes and I will order a thousand more of the Bayou bullets for further testing. Please let me know your experience with polymer-coated bullets and if they are similar or different that what I have described.

Polymer-coated on left and copper-plated on right:


Fifty polymer-coated rounds ready to test. I like the contrast between the silver (nickel) cartridge and
gold bullet , but you can order just about any color including "Zombi Green".

[Geeman]

For cost comparison, cast bullets are $78 (LaserCast), coated bullets are $92 (BayouBullets) and plated bullets (Berry's) are $131 per thousand. These are the lowest prices I found on the Internet and your search may yield better prices.

I use these plated bullets:

http://www.xtremebullets.com/10-40-s/48045.htm

For about another $10 per thousand I can shoot a crude hollow point that I have no real concept of what would happen if it hit flesh.  I guess I like the mystery.  I keep 'em at around 1200 fps and they seem to do just fine for the cheaper shooting.

Greg

[ShadeTreeVTX]

As far as I'm concerned they are and will replace the plated and lubed hard cast - I've used the store bought coated and the cast coated I've made and they equal and exceed all my goals that the others can do EXCEPT they don't lead my  LW and M-T barrels no mater what fps I've loaded them to.

Doug

[sw.sharpe]

Thanks Doug. Useful feedback. -steve

[Yondering]

Yep, coated bullets (Hi-Tek, powder coating, etc) can do anything plated bullets can do, and more, with no disadvantages. I don't see any reason at all to use plated bullets these days.

[spaniel]

As an update, anyone have any real experience to report with powder/polymer coated bullets at full 10mm velocities?  I'm thinking of buying some 180gr from Missouri Bullets but not interested if I can't shoot them near jacketed velocities.

[shootz]

My Falcon sample pack is on the way. 


40SW 140gr TCFP FalCoated,   100ct,    $13.00
40SW 180gr TCFP FalCoated,   100ct   $13.00

44MAG 240gr SWC FalCoated,  100ct   $17.00

45 COLT 200gr RNFP Falcoated 500ct   $55.00
45ACP 200gr SWC FalCoated    500ct   $55.00
   

[attrapereves]

What kind of velocities can  you push these to? I hate having to find FMJ bullets, plus they are expensive.

[spaniel]

What kind of velocities can  you push these to? I hate having to find FMJ bullets, plus they are expensive.

Exactly my reason for bumping this.  I'd like to get 180gr bullets, I don't need to run max loads but I want true 10mm velocities.  From what I can read people are running them to 2000fps in some calibers, so it seems like it should work.  But I'm interested in 10mm results specifically.

[attrapereves]

I'd like to be able to get 1200-1300fps out of the 180gr bullets. I guess if the 300BLK guys can use them, they should work in 10mm. I'd still like to have someone verify before I buy first.

EDIT: Looks like this guy used Bayou bullets up to around 1200fps. I'd bet they would hold up well even at 1300fps.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-751847.html

[Taterhead]

I'm going to pickup some to try from a local supplier. My guess about the top end speed will be VERY dependent upon the bullet size relative to bore diameter.

[ShadeTreeVTX]

I now do my own powder-coating -somewhere on this board is how to get into doing it and where to get the stuff to work with - Contact The_SHADOW and he can tell you where to look - I can never get the search to work for me

The ones I've coated myself - I ve pushed 180 gr Chcfp ( C for coated ) to 1250 - 1280 fps
with Long Shot 9,4 gr of powder with OAL of 1.255 and no problems at all - my only problem is getting the lube out of the cast bullets I have and than coating them. I refuse to get back into casting again.

I shoot them from 2 different Glocks

A G20sf 6.6'LW Gen3  My Hunter I don't know what the fps are from this one.



And from my EDC G29sf Gen3 With a 4.6 2 port LW barrel.



And my M_T 16" 10mm Carbine with a G20sf Gen3 lower -I think the fps on the M-T is way over 1300fps.




After shooting barrels are pretty much clean as a whistle except for powder residue

Doug