Bullet advice

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Irish Lad

New member
I just starting reloading pistol rounds. I have been using Hornady FMJ RN bullets. 100 gr for the 380, 115 gr for the 9mm and 230 gr for the 45 acp. I am able to buy these at the local big box store. I see a lot of posts about Berry's, Xtreme, Montana Gold and others being discussed. My question is I don't see Hornady usually in the discussion, are they considered inferior by most reloaders or is it a cost issue or another issue? Thanks
 
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For me, Hornady is premium stuff and is usually 1/3 more in price than plated bullets from X, Berry’s, etc. Also you can load the Hornady to run a lot faster than plated bullets.
 
Not inferior, just more expensive than the others you mentioned (though, less expensive than Sierra). The ones you mentioned are far more economical for volume shooting. Hornady makes very good bullets that outshoot most of the guns they go through. If you and your gun are up to it, though, they can be amazing.

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For pistol Hornady jacketed bullets are a bit pricey for my range purposes (semi-automatics), which is why I tend to buy cast bullets or Berry's/Rockky Mountain plated.

If I were loading pistol rounds for a purpose other than poking holes in paper, then Hornady would probably be the first brand I'd buy, as they offer premium performance for a reasonable price, usually.
 
Hornady's rock. Consistently the most accurate bullets I've used for handgun. This includes shooting silhouettes at 100 yards with a 44 Magnum (open sights - I was younger, could see better, and didn't shake ;))

These days, I stick with their XTP's. In 45 ACP for instance (I use 200g & 230g), they feed with exceptional reliability.

I've got nothing bad to say about Hornady bullets. No complaints is expensive ;)
 
The economy bullets that Hornady makes is the HAP (Hornady Action Pistol).

They have about the same shape as an XTP but cost much less.

They are made mainly for practice and informal target shooting.

As Nick_C_S stated, I love the hornady handgun bullets and have been shooting them since the late 60s.

Now days I mostly roll my own bullets and shoot nearly all cast bullets made in my own back yard.
 
Hornady has the best quality for the money when spending less than $100. Speer TMJs are also top notch. Montana Gold is great if you're willing to invest a paycheck or two, but their small quantities are very expensive. I don't compare plated to jacketed or coated, different animals with different prices.
 
For the money, it's hard to beat Hornady for accuracy and terminal performance. One cannot put plated bullets in the same category as them, as there is a significant difference generally in both. What one will find with less expensive, bulk jacketed bullets is the difference in terminal performance. Hornady's handgun bullets are designed to expand reliably as specific velocities. Many of the cheaper bulk jacketed(as well as plated) do not reliably expand or expand at all, even when they are of HP design. This is why you seldom see them used for hunting and/or SD/HD. For paper tho, you do not need terminal performance.
 
Depends on what you are loading for. You are loading FMJ, so I'm going to assume
you are loading range/plinking/training ammo? As several have said, Hornady is a
bit spendy for that.
I've quit loading plain lubed lead bullets, there are other options for the same money.

Hi-Tec poly coated. Lots of companies. I like Bayou. All the "advantages" of a lead bullet, none of the mess. I use coated in 9mm minor, 40 major and 45 ACP.

Plated. Xtreme, Berry's, RMR, Evergreen? Clean, easy to load. Use lead data.
I don't use a lot of plated, but do use Berry's 185 gr HBRN for my 625 S&W.

Jacketed. Montana Gold, Evergreen and Precision Delta is what I see the most of at matches. Montana Gold is expensive unless you buy a BIG case. Evergreen isn't bad, I use Precision Delta for USPSA Open Division Major 9. Buy them 2,000 at a time--it gets the price for 115 gr JHP's down to 8.5 cents per shipped.
 
Hornady makes very good bullets but are a bit more costly than plated. I recommend jacketed bullets to new reloaders because of straight forward basic reloading, and data/info is readily available. I don't recommend plated bullets as there isn't a lot of easily found information/data available especially for new reloaders trying to save money. You see a lot of plated bullet questions on forums and because of this, and they appear more "popular" (do folks using Hornady, Speer, Nosler, Sierra, etc. bullets need to ask fewer questions?)...

I've been reloading for quite a while and I did try plated bullets, about 1,000 of them in 34 guns. I found them to be no better in performance than my cast lead (my cast bullets don't lead the barrels of my guns) and inferior to any jacketed bullets I purchased. Less expensive than good jacketed bullets, but more costly than my cast. I think newer reloaders try them because they are trying to save money and they "seem to be" less trouble than cast bullets. I don't count pennies for my hobbies, but don't throw away money carelessly either so I don't waste my money on plated bullets anymore...
 
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"...is it a cost issue..." Yep. Shooting jacketed bullets from anybody gets expensive quickly. Cast bullets are the least expensive.
Which bullet you use depends on what you're doing. And where. The places that think cast bullets cause lead issues tend to be indoor ranges. Reality of it is that you need a great deal of long term constant exposure. Mostly from casting bullets with inadequate ventilation.
 
For steel Plates I use 240gr. lead from SNS Castings great bullet $112.00 a thousand to my door . For hunting 240gr. Hornady XTP very good .

Set down this morning and did 600 lead for the 44 Mag ,
 
Thanks for all the answers and advice, I have a much better understanding now. I looked at trying some Berry's bullets, but for a $110 worth of bullets the shipping was gonna be over $40. Sportsmens Warehouse by where I live has coupons every month for $10 off $50 purchase and $30 off $150 purchase. It's economical for me to stick with Horanady. The 9mm 100 gr are hard to come by there though.
 
Midway often has free shipping specials on holidays and their founding anniversary, combined with sales on the bullets, you can really save some money on premium bullets.
 
Irish Lad, if you buy directly from Berry's any order over $75.00 is everyday Free Shipping. So $110.00 of product always ships free.
 
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