restricted powders for lead bullets

Dave_F

Dave_F

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Hi Everyone,

Just getting into reloading for 9mm luger. Appreciate the advice on CGN but haven't been able to find the answer to this question yet.

I'm using lead bullets (125 grain) and have noticed in my reloading manuals that there are very restricted powders listed for reloading lead as opposed to other bullets.

Why is this? I would have thought that any of the pistol powders could be used but the reloading manual does not list them.

Could you not use the same powder for lead as FMJ but simply alter the grains slightly? I even notice that the powders listed for 125 grain lead is different from the ones listed for 147 grain lead. Is this a scam to sell more powder varieties? Why is this?

I'm using the Lee reloading manual but also consulting the Hodgdon online reloading centre. The powder I'm wanting to use is HS-6.

Thanks
 
Alot of outfits do that in their manuals to sell more of their own brand of jacketed bullets. The Lyman manual has more balanced load tables. As a general rule, you can use the same powders for cast as jacketed in pistol ammo. You can load lighter for cast, and even with the same charge the cast bullet will produce less pressure. By using the jacketed load for cast bullets you are erring on the side of less pressure.
 
Dave, You have just gotten from Ben, the best possible, complete advice.
I hope you will thank him, then stick by this advice, before you get all confused by a lot of other answers.
 
lead bullets

loads for lead bullets in manuals are usually for their factory swaged bullets made from almost pure lead. These are very soft and will not stand high pressure and high velocity. If you buy harder cast bullets they will be ok with loads for jacketed bullets
 
Small diameter, jacketed bullets generally use slow burning powders(like HS6) to ease their entry into the rifling, giving high velocities with moderate pressures. Good cast bullets move into the rifling with far less effort, are usually matched to fast burning powders. Slow burning powders with cast may not burn consistently or reliably. Check your loads with a chronograph, and learn about burning rates.
 
Be cautious using max load data for jacketed bullets with lead, depending on hardness lead will obiturate to seal the bore increasing pressure. Type and quantity of lube on lead bullets will also affect pressure and velocity.

Andy
 
Best advice for consistency, Alliant Bullseye, and Hodgdon Titegroup and Winchester 231 in that order.

You need a fast burning powder to shoot cast bullet.

Starting load for 124 gr lead with Bullseye is 4.0 gr

Starting load for 124 gr lead with Titegroup is 3.6 gr

Starting load for 124 gr lead with 231 is 4.7 gr

Hope it helps.
 
I like hs-6, very good general powder, but not good for soft load with light cast bullet.

I use it a lot in .40 s.w with a copper plated 180 bullet, very good in .44 mag too, with 240 gr copper plated bullet.
 
A quote:--Be cautious using max load data for jacketed bullets with lead, depending on hardness lead will obiturate to seal the bore increasing pressure.


Now I have heard it all!
What in hell is the bullet supposed to do, not seal the bore?
 
I have never heard that one before, maybe that's right, the last thing you want is the bullet filling your bore completely!
 
A cast bullet, with a plain base will generally be at it's best, if it 'Bumps up', to fill the bore. This gives optimum sealing, less gas cutting, and in general better powder ignition.
Increase pressure, sure, but if you are following the load tables correctly, the pressure simply will not be more than max.
Quite frequently, cast bullet shooters use bullets purposely larger than the bore size to achieve that sealing.
Using cast bullets ads a few more variables to the mix, more fun figuring it out. Very, very accurate loads are possible with cast bullets, so is very bad accuracy. Why is a learning curve.
I strongly suggest you pick up the Lyman cast bullet handbook.
 
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lol

yes, my understand is that the bullet is suppose to fill the bore and create a seal to maximize the force of the powder. Also means the rifling works most effectively and bullet is stabilized to maximum extent.

Seems to me it would be particularly dangerous to load expecting the bullet not to seal the bore. Would mean using more powder which would be too much pressure if the bullet ended up forming a seal.

:runaway:

Interesting discussions.
 
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