Xmetal Bullets for reloading... Two Strikes, and they are out!

[Meroh]

A little over a year ago I gave them a try; 230 gr. RN in .45 ACP; all kinds of feeding issues; soft polymer was shaving or oozing out of the belled cases upon seating... I should have known better, but...

I ran out of the bullets that I was using in my .40 (no longer in production) and the only thing that was available at Bulls Eye the day I stopped in. The only 180 gr. bullets for .40 available was, you guessed it, Xmetal; but these ones were their "target" version, and were on sale for a great price.

No deal, poorest feeding bullets ever; even worse than the .45s; Tried loadiing in different COALs too; starting at 1.100 through the published 1.135 up to 1.15. The 1.15 were the best, only jamming 4-6 out of 10. I did some more work on the feed ramp and lots of polishing, and got them to run on average 7 out of 10 without a jam.

I located some truncated cone shaped Campros today, and the dealer I bought them from told me that he refuses to stock Xmetal because almost everyone that has reloaded with them, has experienced the same issues with home-loads. Campro loaded ammo seems somewhat better in some firearms though. A very experienced shooter himself, he blamed it on inconsistent coating that often peel when seating, and non standard profiles and ogives.

Either way, when I get them counted, the remainders are going on the EE at bargain basement price!

Anyone else try their .40 bullets for reloading, and what was your experience?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Dave in Calgary]

What .40 handgun are you using? My SAM 1911 does not like hollow points or most "store-bought" but likes my hand made using Campros. My Beretta 96A1 happily takes pretty much anything, but I have no experience with X-metal .40's. My SIG Pro 2022 takes anything as well.

 

[Trinimon]

Just for fun, weigh a couple handfuls of your remaining bullets and see how close to their stated weight.

 

[OkayShooter]

Just for fun, weigh a couple handfuls of your remaining bullets and see how close to their stated weight.

I took 10 randomly out of a box of 124 9mm..

124.1
124.2
123.8
125.8
124.4
125.0
124.1
124.5
124.4
123.1

For a AVG 124.3

Not sure what his problem. I ran 4000rds of Xmetal. Without any issues in GP K100, Alfa Project, CZ SP01, NP22, and naturally issue in my SAM 1911 ( but that's just it being a 1911 ) Hasn't worked right from day one.

 

[Antoine22]

Polymer jacketed or coated projectile require that you bell the case mouth a little bit more to prevent shaving that will cause feeding issue. My experience with polymer coated bullets is good but not as good as jacketed or plated. When I chamber check them, i always get more rejects than campro or zero.

 

[LUTNIT]

I've run a few thousand X-Metal in 4 different 9mm's and never had feeding issues. I've loaded everywhere from 1.100" to 1.160". Only times I've had feeding issues (2, maybe 3 times total in that time) was when the feed ramp was so caked in carbon nothing would move up it smoothly.

The two nearest IPSC grand-master class shooters are sponsored by X-Metal and load their own ammo. They've fired tens of thousands of rounds and are still grand-masters. If there was issues with their ammo they would have given up long ago. One uses 9mm in a Tanfoglio and one uses .40 in an STI 2011.

If the coating is oozing or shaving then you aren't belling your case-mouths enough. All polymer coated bullets need a larger mouth-flare than plated or jacketed bullets. I loaded a box of 1000 with insufficient case-mouth flare and didn't get feeding issues but incredibly erratic accuracy with flyers all over the place. The polymer was visibly disturbed. Since increasing the case-flare on my powder-through-expanding die they've been rock solid.

The weight consistency on their very early production when it was sold in unmarked brown cardboard boxes was excellent. The boxes I've bought since they got branded packaging has been worse. I'm not shooting x-rings at 1000m though so I've never noticed an issue with the weight consistency. A pistol isn't a sub-MOA platform usually anyway.

 

[DT741]

I had erratic accuracy from their off the shelf 9mm ammo as well and I wont comment on the 5.56 ammo...

 

[Meroh]

What .40 handgun are you using? My SAM 1911 does not like hollow points or most "store-bought" but likes my hand made using Campros. My Beretta 96A1 happily takes pretty much anything, but I have no experience with X-metal .40's. My SIG Pro 2022 takes anything as well.

NP58. It does not like anyone's RNFP.

 

[Meroh]

I took 10 randomly out of a box of 124 9mm..

124.1
124.2
123.8
125.8
124.4
125.0
124.1
124.5
124.4
123.1

For a AVG 124.3

Not sure what his problem. I ran 4000rds of Xmetal. Without any issues in GP K100, Alfa Project, CZ SP01, NP22, and naturally issue in my SAM 1911 ( but that's just it being a 1911 ) Hasn't worked right from day one.

I've never heard of any problems with the 9mm in anything, but have never tried Xmetal as they are much more expensive than Campro. If your SAM 1911 gives you trouble with just about anything you shoot; you need a Norinco; it is only the Xmetal I had issues with in my 1911; everything else, and I mean everything, feeds with no issues, and I have never touched the ramp, and that goes for the Norinco mags as well, it is not the pistol not he mags, but the bullets.

 

[Meroh]

I've run a few thousand X-Metal in 4 different 9mm's and never had feeding issues. I've loaded everywhere from 1.100" to 1.160". Only times I've had feeding issues (2, maybe 3 times total in that time) was when the feed ramp was so caked in carbon nothing would move up it smoothly.

The two nearest IPSC grand-master class shooters are sponsored by X-Metal and load their own ammo. They've fired tens of thousands of rounds and are still grand-masters. If there was issues with their ammo they would have given up long ago. One uses 9mm in a Tanfoglio and one uses .40 in an STI 2011.

If the coating is oozing or shaving then you aren't belling your case-mouths enough. All polymer coated bullets need a larger mouth-flare than plated or jacketed bullets. I loaded a box of 1000 with insufficient case-mouth flare and didn't get feeding issues but incredibly erratic accuracy with flyers all over the place. The polymer was visibly disturbed. Since increasing the case-flare on my powder-through-expanding die they've been rock solid.

The weight consistency on their very early production when it was sold in unmarked brown cardboard boxes was excellent. The boxes I've bought since they got branded packaging has been worse. I'm not shooting x-rings at 1000m though so I've never noticed an issue with the weight consistency. A pistol isn't a sub-MOA platform usually anyway.

Yes, I am, they are like a funnel, and I can insert the bullets by had well over 1/16"

 

[Meroh]

I had erratic accuracy from their off the shelf 9mm ammo as well and I wont comment on the 5.56 ammo...

I would not even try a polymer coated bullet at those velocities. The coating, as I understand it is a heat cured reactive plastic. Judging by the stink of low velocity pistol rounds, at higher temperatures and pressures, this would provide less protection than the skin on rice pudding. The fact that they are selling rifle ammo coated with this s*** is just bad science... or optimistic marketing.

 

[DT741]

Their 5.56 is copper plated. Norinco surplus was more accurate and consistant

 

[Meroh]

Their 5.56 is copper plated. Norinco surplus was more accurate and consistant

Sorry, I did not know. I am trying some FCP BT by Campro, they seem very consistent, but have not had the opportunity to try them out at the range yet.

 

[Meroh]

Their 5.56 is copper plated. Norinco surplus was more accurate and consistant

Sorry, I did not know. I am trying some FCP BT by Campro, they seem very consistent, but have not had the opportunity to try them out at the range yet.

I went back to look, and their website is down:

Error establishing a database connection

 

[snooze98k]

Bullet loading sounds like user error.
X-metal is serviceable accuracy. Which is proven in competition sports.
They are not the best, but they are cheaper than most which helps while buying 50thousand a year.
If a top shooter is using them, sponsored or not you have a product which is fine for the money they are.

If you shoot bullseye, your doing it wrong complaining about a cheap bullet where accuracy counts.
Move along here....

 

[Meroh]

Bullet loading sounds like user error.
X-metal is serviceable accuracy. Which is proven in competition sports.
They are not the best, but they are cheaper than most which helps while buying 50thousand a year.
If a top shooter is using them, sponsored or not you have a product which is fine for the money they are.

If you shoot bullseye, your doing it wrong complaining about a cheap bullet where accuracy counts.
Move along here....

I am not complaining about accuracy; it is fine when the gun feeds and fires them. They are slick, they look good; they are just bad bullets.

BTW, I have been reloading centerfire pistol and rifle ammo since about 1975 or earlier. Rifle everything from .303 7 X 57, 6.5 x 55 to .223; pistol .32 auto up to .45 ACP and .357 Magnum; currently 9mm, .40, .45 acp and 38 S & W.

Thus far, the only two, and I truly mean the only two I have had issue with are 230 gr .45 and 180 gr. sledgehammer .40 S & W.; both were Xmetal; no issues with anyone elses 230gr .45s, but I have had some minor issues with other RN FP bullets in the .40; maybe 1 in ever two mags or so; not 4-6 per mag.

I will be listing them cheap when I get them counted; if you want them watch the EE and they shall appear.

Regarding cheaper; Campro are a better price and more available.

Mark

 

[nitro-express]

I feel the need to chime in. I use Xmetal Hi-Tek coated bullets for Cowboy Action Shooting. I have settled on the 147 gr, .358" bullet. I'm loading them to about 850 fps in my 357 hip guns, and to about 950 fps in my 38 Spl rifle. I'd like to load to lower velocity, but haven't been able to get reliable ignition or consistent velocities at lower levels.

I certainly do not have any issues with this bullet. They are easy to load, and leading isn't an issue. I clean about 1/2 as often as I used to with cast/lubed bullets. I like that there is a barrier between the lead and my hands. After having my lead/blood levels checked I take every practicable precaution. I especially like that I can crimp anywhere along the bullet, can tailor the length of my ammunition to suit the feeding intricacies of my "66 Winchester. I find that the price per 1000 is reasonable.

I also tried the 125 gr Comanchero, but was unable to get a good load for CAS. They seemed good at higher velocity, > 1000 fps. I don't know what the upper limit is, but 1200 fps wasn't an issue.

The Hi-Tek coating seems to be pretty tough. All I see in the bores is a light coloration. Like a very light tint, so little that it is hard to see on the patch. Leading is still possible, but not nearly the problem that cast/lube bullets can present.

I can't remember culling any bullets, Cowboy accurate can tolerate a bit of weight variance.

As with loading any bullet, the sizing die and case expanding die may need to be tailored to the brass/bullet combo. I have ammo that has single digit Sd, sometime low teen, and Cowboy accuracy is not an issue.

I would like to shoot a lighter bullet slower, but I don't like sooty cases and erratic velocities. I use Ruger Blackhawks, therefore I just adjust the sights to the ammo. One of my BH has a 9mm cylinder, I plan on loading a rimmed 9mm Luger, my goal is a 125 gr or lighter bullet at 500 > 600 fps. I'll use 38 S&W brass, sized and trimmed to 9mm specs, and load with 38 S&W data. The bullet will be a Xmetal, a Comanchero or a Mosquito.

It's unfortunate that you have had poor results with Xmetal bullets, IMO painted/coated bullets will be the norm in the future.

 

[LUTNIT]

Regarding cheaper; Campro are a better price and more available.

Depends where you live I guess. 1000 9mm XMetal bullets are $90ish after tax for me, Campro are nearly $120.
For .40 it's $120 and $150 respectively.
I can buy XMetal at several local brick-and-mortar stores. Campro are a group order twice a year or a 3-hour round trip to Kingston for me.
If they were the same price or just closer in price I'd be using all Campro.

 

[OkayShooter]

I've never heard of any problems with the 9mm in anything, but have never tried Xmetal as they are much more expensive than Campro. If your SAM 1911 gives you trouble with just about anything you shoot; you need a Norinco; it is only the Xmetal I had issues with in my 1911; everything else, and I mean everything, feeds with no issues, and I have never touched the ramp, and that goes for the Norinco mags as well, it is not the pistol not he mags, but the bullets.

I don't need a Norinco. I got a CZ SP01. Works fine with Xmetal, same with all the others guys that use it. From the 124, 125, to 147s.

I would not even try a polymer coated bullet at those velocities. The coating, as I understand it is a heat cured reactive plastic. Judging by the stink of low velocity pistol rounds, at higher temperatures and pressures, this would provide less protection than the skin on rice pudding. The fact that they are selling rifle ammo coated with this s*** is just bad science... or optimistic marketing.

Maybe you shouldn't assume. The time it took you to make this post. You could have researched and found out that their 223, are copper plated, not Hi-Tek. So now you look like you have no idea what your talking about, and looking foolish.

 

[OkayShooter]

I am not complaining about accuracy; it is fine when the gun feeds and fires them. They are slick, they look good; they are just bad bullets.

BTW, I have been reloading centerfire pistol and rifle ammo since about 1975 or earlier. Rifle everything from .303 7 X 57, 6.5 x 55 to .223; pistol .32 auto up to .45 ACP and .357 Magnum; currently 9mm, .40, .45 acp and 38 S & W.

Thus far, the only two, and I truly mean the only two I have had issue with are 230 gr .45 and 180 gr. sledgehammer .40 S & W.; both were Xmetal; no issues with anyone elses 230gr .45s, but I have had some minor issues with other RN FP bullets in the .40; maybe 1 in ever two mags or so; not 4-6 per mag.

I will be listing them cheap when I get them counted; if you want them watch the EE and they shall appear.

Regarding cheaper; Campro are a better price and more available.

Mark

Campro are more $$$ here than Xmetal. I use Xmetal, because I can get them at the club ( 112 Taxes in ) Not have to worry about driving to the city, or paying shipping.

With that many issues, I'm wondering if you are not chamber testing, or factory crimping? Blaming the bullets but when it's user error.