AIM 124gr RN.... NOT!!!! Range report update for 124 and 147gr... Pics

The ROC

The ROC

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Picked up my buddy's supplies to help him reload with my new Dillion.

He's using AIM "124gr" RN.... NOT! More like 122.6gr WTF! Lucky I weighted afew first, now I have to recalculate my powder charge. This is from Lot# 2950 if AIM is reading this.

I can just see it for some poor competitor at a match who is basing their PF on advertised weight and powder charge from a manual and has no chrony... "Sorry bro' but you didn't make power factor. No wonder the popper's didn't fall."

BDX weights exactly what they advertise... 124gr, at least the 2000 rds I have.
 
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It's pretty normal for cast bullets to have a 1% difference in actual weight vs nominal weight. Identical moulds from the same maker will throw a grain or two differce quite regularly. It's in the tolerances.
 
I got curious reading this, so I checked out power factor numbers. A 124 grain bullet @1009 fps is just over 125000, and a 122.6 grain bullet @1020 fps is just over 125000. Wouldn't a guy make sure to have a little bit of "room to breathe" built in just in case??
 
Got caught on this myself at the provincials last year. My fault for not checking the weight on a shwack of bullets to get an average, maybe. Should i have to? Just barely made major. Using Campro now and base my pf on 123gr bullets, with a consistant average.
 
I know a few competitors who have been caught out using BDX's ammo too....

Lesson for everyone that loads or even if you are buying remanufactured ammo:
- pull bullets and weigh them for an average. (even expensive match bullets have a variation of a few tenths of grains)
- Chron'y your ammo
- Calculate your PF
- Ensure you have some 'wiggle room' for those hot sunny or cold wet days where your PF isn't quite what you tested it at.
- Have fun and be sure to tip the chron'y staff;)
 
saskgunowner101 said:
I got curious reading this, so I checked out power factor numbers. A 124 grain bullet @1009 fps is just over 125000, and a 122.6 grain bullet @1020 fps is just over 125000. Wouldn't a guy make sure to have a little bit of "room to breathe" built in just in case??
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Depends on the powder... add in a few extra grains for "room to breathe" may result in a crush load. Then one has to do the experimenting with a diff powder all over again just because a bullet is not the weight it was advertised to be.

Right now the 2000 rd of BDX I have is registering 123.5 grn on my RCBS scale and MTM digital scale.
 
A tenth here and there isn't bad but 3 grains is a bit much. The recent run stuff from BDX seems quite good. Hope they keep it up!
 
Their bullets are all over the place in terms of weight.

Count on anywhere between +/- 2 grains....but most of them are underweight. I had to bump up my load for last years IDPA matches just to be sure.

Also, I've had some bullets with inconsistent diameters as well. I think they are supposed to measure 0.355, but some came in a 0.352-0.353. I noticed this when the bullets were falling into fully sized cases, something that has never happened before.

I've bought and loaded over 10K rounds of AIM and have met the guys a couple times, so I will be discussing this with them next time.

I know a few guys know who have switched away from AIM.
 
I know a few guys know who have switched away from AIM.
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Now you know another one.
I too had .40 bullets fall into sized cases, that was my first indicator something was wrong.
Another thing was the different calibers all mixed in there, there would be a few 45, 40, different 9mm sizes all in a box of 9mm. That and some different shapes of bullets.
 
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Onagoth said:
Their bullets are all over the place in terms of weight.

Count on anywhere between +/- 2 grains....but most of them are underweight. I had to bump up my load for last years IDPA matches just to be sure.

Also, I've had some bullets with inconsistent diameters as well. I think they are supposed to measure 0.355, but some came in a 0.352-0.353. I noticed this when the bullets were falling into fully sized cases, something that has never happened before.

I've bought and loaded over 10K rounds of AIM and have met the guys a couple times, so I will be discussing this with them next time.

I know a few guys know who have switched away from AIM.
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When the rubber meets the road, either the product performs or it doesn't. I'm hearing too many storys like this to consider AIM bullets at the moment.

While I am very impressed by the companys drive and support of our sport, the quality has to be there.

I've won a case of thier bullets, and purchased a second. I won't be buying a third until there is a marked improvement in final diameter consistancy.
 
Onagoth said:
Also, I've had some bullets with inconsistent diameters as well. I think they are supposed to measure 0.355, but some came in a 0.352-0.353. I noticed this when the bullets were falling into fully sized cases, something that has never happened before.
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I just measured the batch I have here and the diameter is 0.355"
 
The ROC said:
I just measured the batch I have here and the diameter is 0.355"
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And i note that the website now lists the bullet as a .355. Funny thing is I recall Rob mentioning that they went with a .356 diameter. The specs still call for 4.5 thou of copper plating.
 
The ROC said:
Depends on the powder... add in a few extra grains for "room to breathe" may result in a crush load. Then one has to do the experimenting with a diff powder all over again just because a bullet is not the weight it was advertised to be.

Right now the 2000 rd of BDX I have is registering 123.5 grn on my RCBS scale and MTM digital scale.
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Yeah, live and learn for all of us. The thing to do is weigh the bullet before you start experimenting, i guess. If you check everything (within reason) you aren't as likely to need to do anything twice. Measure once, cut twice, look before you leap, and so on.
 
Canuck223 said:
And i note that the website now lists the bullet as a .355. Funny thing is I recall Rob mentioning that they went with a .356 diameter. The specs still call for 4.5 thou of copper plating.
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I hope you have better luck getting them to work in your GP6 than I did. The tight chamber of the STI and the shape of the cannalure of the AIM Bullets, mean they have to be seated really deep. Then I had feeding issues. I unfortunately had to give up on them.
 
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