BDX vs Frontier

[(((Echo)))]

While surfing around, I found some CMJ's on Canadian BDX's site. Technically, they call them Encapsulated Metal Jacket . Swaged alloy core then cold electroplated. Are these the same animal as the Frontier ones, sold through Marstar?
Has anyone used them?
I ask cause I find myself in the old neighborhood the odd time, and these seem a good price.

(E)

 

[eclam]

Frontier use to be swagged plated, but recent stock are marked cast plated.

Marstar doesn't seem to think there is a difference - but there is a difference.

Mind you when they introduced the Frontier, they did not claim they were swagged cores, just lead cores. I guess the first shipments were swagged
and subsequent ones were cast.

If BDX markets a swagged plated product, then be assured they are
swagged and not cast. I believe the BDX are swagged, plated and re-swagged to the desired diameter. I have some 147gr 9mm and
they look very uniform, almost like 1st tier FMJ from Hornady.

 

[RePete]

http://www.frontierbullets.co.za/cmj.htm

This link will give the method of manufacture.

They make cast and swagged.

I use the Frontiers because they are good and are 1/3 less than the ones sold by BDX.

RePete.

 

[gushulak]

For a third the price the Frontiers are the best deal. Shot thousands of them and have had good results. Pick up a box of the BDX if you have the chance, they just seem a little pricey too me, but they are probably great bullets.

Me, I reload in in mass amounts, so the Frontiers keep me at the range alot longer.

 

[Walter Hornby]

they are not CMJ's, they are plated bullets! big difference. you load plated bullets to lead specs not CMJ's specs.

the BDX bullets are their version of plated bullets. i have a handfull sitting on my loading bench for 45 and i have a handfull of loaded ones for the super. i will bring both with me on thrusday night in Taber.

 

[pmt]

they are not CMJ's, they are plated bullets! big difference. you load plated bullets to lead specs not CMJ's specs.

the BDX bullets are their version of plated bullets. i have a handfull sitting on my loading bench for 45 and i have a handfull of loaded ones for the super. i will bring both with me on thrusday night in Taber.

What is the (your?) definition of CMJ. The Frontier website calls them CMJ.

COMPLETE METAL JACKETED BULLETS
The difference between Complete Metal Jacketed bullets and traditional Full Metal Jacketed bullets starts with the manufacturing process.
Full Metal Jacketed bullets are manufactured by means of pressing ("swaging") a lead core into a copper jacket while the jacket of a CMJ is electroplated onto the lead core, covering the core completely. Through the years this process has been refined continuously to improve core-bonding, smooth plating and other factors, resulting in a premier product. Among the many advantages of CMJ bullets is the fact that the lead core is completely covered with copper, eliminating the dangers of lead poisoning. The manufacturing process s more flexible, resulting in a product that is easier to customize for specialised use.

 

[Walter Hornby]

a CMJ is made the same as a FMJ however a copper slug is pressed onto the bottom of the slug thus sealing off all of the lead. it is a "hard" bullet. to me the frontier bullets are just a lead bullet with some electroplating on them and are a "soft" bullet. it is like comparing Galvanize steel to plate steel.

 

[Canuck223]

a CMJ is made the same as a FMJ however a copper slug is pressed onto the bottom of the slug thus sealing off all of the lead. it is a "hard" bullet. to me the frontier bullets are just a lead bullet with some electroplating on them and are a "soft" bullet. it is like comparing Galvanize steel to plate steel.

The Frontier bullets with a swaged core are softer than the cast cored bullets, but the copper is thicker on the swaged bullets.

I've shot both, and the downrange performance is fine for my purposes.

 

[(((Echo)))]

Having read the responses here and the Frontier website, it appears that there's differing opinions on what CMJ is.

I have some CMJ's like Walter's description. Bought them at The Shooting Edge. 230 gr .45 cal, no name on the bag. They could be from BDX. The jacketed, higher $$ ones.

And here's the ones alot of us are familiar with, Frontiers version of CMJ.

On the Frontier website, they state that their's are cast, then plated. BDX says their's are swaged, plated and swaged again.

Ignoring the encapsulated/plated/CMJ issue, I ask the question again:
Has anyone here used BDX's "encapsulated" bullets?

(E)

 

[recce]

Yes I used to use both 9 and .45.

They were fine but I switched to Frontier for the cost savings and am happy with them.