ARES Coated Bullets

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Bigturk

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I came across these coated cast lead bullets. Made by ARES and imported by crafm. Has anyone used these yet and what do you think of them? Do they need to be sized before using? I would like to try them just for the cool factor. Any feedback is appreciated.

ares-bullets-38-358-158gr.jpg
 
I was driving through Montreal and picked up some in 147gr 9mm. Just for the novelty factor! Haven't had any experience loading them yet but I will be soon.

Any idea if they would be good to go in a Glock? With the whole "no lead in a stock Glock barrel" pseudo myth?
 
They don't need any resizing and they don't have any exposed surface so I would guess that they are Ok to shoot in a glock. Remember, you must download by 10% your powder charge and you need to Bell your case a little bit more to avoid polymer shaving. They are good bullets if you can stand the smell of burning plastic. Give them a try, they look so pretty.
 
They look similar to the powder coated bullets many casters have been trying out recently. A few threads about it in the casting section. PC'ed bullets don't have a burning-plastic-smell though so perhaps this is a different polymer.
 
Antoine22 said:
They don't need any resizing and they don't have any exposed surface so I would guess that they are Ok to shoot in a glock. Remember, you must download by 10% your powder charge and you need to Bell your case a little bit more to avoid polymer shaving. They are good bullets if you can stand the smell of burning plastic. Give them a try, they look so pretty.
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What ^ he said, except for the "burning plastic" part. Never smelled anything like that at all.

They obturate better than JHP/FMJ (expand to seal the barrel and grip the rifling) more completely, so it they will be faster somewhat, but I find them more accurate than the Zeros I've been using the past 3 years, probably for the same reason. I shoot them in all my 9's (CZ, Sig, Beretta). I have shot around 2,000 of these in both 125gr 9mm and 230gr .45ACP and love them.

I don't download them at all, FWIW, but I was never near max load in any case. As was mentioned, you'll need to flare the bell a wee bit more to prevent shaving the coating off. It's soft lead under it.
 
From the CRAFM Website:
If you plan to use the same loads as a FMJ or a plated bullet, there is strongly possibility that your velocity will increase between 40 to 80 ft / sec (or potentially more).
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This could have interesting PF ramifications for IDPA and/or IPSC.


It also gives the option for colour coated bullets to be colour coded bullets. (124gr in one colour and 147gr in a different colour)
 
Hoag said:
Thanks for the update. Since you have used them, would you say that they are a novelty, or are they a quality product?
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They are not novelty. I tried 1000 of 45 ACP and it's an alternative when FMJ are not available. They shoot clean and you save a bit on powder.
 
Hoag said:
Thanks for the update. Since you have used them, would you say that they are a novelty, or are they a quality product?
Click to expand...

I love 'em and am beginning to change my stash from Zero JHP to these. Definitely not a novelty. These are de rigeur in European shooting circles
 
I doubt your gun will see much difference, the concept is the same.

The big difference is price for the same outcome, like i said if you cast its easy and cheaper.
 
I think you would be surprised. Powder is brittle, polymer is not. Powder burns relatively easy, polymer does not. I'm pretty sure after prolonged use there would be a difference but this thread was never about price, it was about how they are to use as opposed to whether they are worth it. The fact that the OP asked whether they need to be sized before use would indicate that he is aware of powder coated bullets and was curious to see whether these were the same.
 
Correct thread is not about price, i was merely offering options to the OP.

Your assumptions about pc are incorrect, but that’s another story.
 
My assumptions? Take a PC coated piece of lead and put a flame under it, it bubbles and burns. I know, I have done it many times when I was using a candle to PC fishing lures. Take a hammer to a piece of PC lead and see how it cracks and flakes. Polymer coating does neither so I hardly think that these are "assumptions".

Again, the OP asking about sizing before use would lead someone who knows about this to realize they have looked at PC bullets previous to starting this thread.
 
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