Shoot Which SWCs? Lead Or Plated in Your Revolver?

J

jtduncan

New member
I can get 1,000 lead SWCs from Laser Cats for about $53 delivered versus $70 for plated SWCs by Rainier/West Coast.

But can't shoot lead indoors and around Seattle its indoor shooting 60 percent of the time at least.

So is it better to spend the extra $10 per thousand rounds and shoot the copper plated 200 grain SWCs like Rainiers, Berry's, and West Coasts compared to shooting some Laser Cast 200 grain lead SWCs?

Laser Cast makes a nice looking 170 grain LSWC for us 10mm and 40 SW shooters. Nobody else does FMJ or plated. Only lead.

I've been told that with about lead is that after 200 or so rounds, you should clean out the barrel some or your accuracy may drop.

Is shooting lead any big deal? Just have to use some Hoppes #9 or some Lead Out right?

I know they need to travel at under 1,000 fpos to make sure you don't have leading problems.

Am I missing anything?

What do you shoot in your 625 or 610s?

Copper plated to save time from cleaning or lead to save money and a slight less wear on the barrel surfaces. :eek:
 
Greeting's JT-

I'm currently using L-SWC's in all my
revolver's. I buy the Mangus cast bullet's
in bulk of 500's, that range anywhere from
$21.00 to $23.00 depending on caliber. I
use to cast my own; but times have changed
and other factor's entered into the equation,
so I'll just buy my lead from now on. About
the only time I shoot the jacketed stuff, is
right there at the end of a nice range session
just to blow as much lead out as possible.:)
Makes cleaning a heck'eva lot easier.:D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, Life Member N.R.A.

*** FootNote: These rounds are frequently
tested in Smith N' Wesson models 686 and
629 respectively.
 
To add a little to Dan's, Mangus claims a BHN
of 18-19 which should be just great on paper and can be pushed to about whatever you'd wish.Best...
...dewey
 
I've decided to spend more

and get only plated bullets. Even outdoors, I don't care for the smoke and soot generated with lead. :( Indoors, obviously, it's not up for debate.:barf:
 
I shoot mostly lead bullets because I can get them for about a $1 a pound. That's $18 for 9mm's and $30 for 45's which makes the difference larger between lead and plated. Since I go through 400-700 rds a week shooting steel I really save some $.
 
I switched to plated bulets a few years ago. My blood/lead level was creeping up and I really hate cleaning firearms. The plated bullets shoot so much cleaner that I'll probably never go back to lead for my handguns.
I've used Berry's the most, but Rainier's are very good also. There are others out there, I just haven't tried them as the Berry's have worked very well for me and were about the cheapest, as they pay the shipping.

http://www.berrysmfg.com/

http://www.rainierballistics.com/mainframe.htm
 
There's nothing wrong with plated bullets. Part of the concept of plating is that it puts just enough "something" between the lead and the barrel as to act like a lube, reducing friction. This is why you see many plated 22's out there today. I think it is a grand idea for WC's and SWC's.
 
I know they need to travel at under 1,000 fpos(sic) to make sure you don't have leading problems.
Click to expand...
Pure malarky. Don't believe it. This is probably one of the most perpetuated myths going. Properly done, pure pead can be driven up to twice that velocity. Just ask a rifle shooter using gas checked slugs.

Don't fall for the lead hazard using lead bullets either. The majority of lead contamination comes from the primer, and not the bullet. Lead becomes airborne when the lead bullet *shatters* on impact, not form traveling down the barrel. A plated bullet will *shatter* just as easily as a non-plated bullet when it hits a hard backstop.

I use mostly cast or swaged bullets. Plated bullets aren't as important as the right choice of powder from my experience. I've driven the same swaged lead 240 gr .44 slug faster (estimated 300 to 400 fps) using 2400 than I could using Unique, and have had zero leading. Actually, the whole thing is a moot point really. They have these wonderful little gizmos called gas checks that allow you to drive even a putty soft lead slug, plating or no plating, at impressive velocities. Let me boil down 20 years of handloading experience:

Slug your bore and use the appropriate sized bullet.
Slow down your powder.
Gas check your bullet.
Use a harder cast bullet.

*Note. when I first started handloading, I read the same advice I listed above. Since I *knew better*, I didn't pay much attention to it. I cleaned a lot of lead out of a lot of barrels ;)

All of the above really has little bearing on your situation though, since you pretty much have to play by the house rules where you shoot. To avoid lead poisoning, wear a cap or hat, wash your hands with cold water and lots of soap after shooting and shoot in a well ventilated area.
 
Just a note

I shoot both. The copper on the plated bullets comes off pretty easily and must be periodically removed from your bore.

Regards.
 
I prefer and use copper plated or teflon coated for my .357s Magnum (SWC / 158 grains / 1100 fps).

I need and usually clean the barrel after +/- 250 rounds versus no more than 75 lead ammo.

ALP
 
I shoot ONLY copper plated. I do not like scraping out lead and I do not like the lube crud munging up my reloads due to dirty chambers.

I believe that West Coast Bullets has a sale on this month, giving volume prices for small lots of 1000. Check with their marketing person, Red Halliday, at 1-800-482-2103 for sale particulars.

Check out the discounts for volume purchases by individuals or groups (West Coast's 'Group Purchase Plan'). 10 mm/.40 cal is popular enough you may be able to round up some other shooters to make a volume purchase.

I normally pay $53/1000 for 158 gr .38 cal (shipping included), but paid $36/1000 sale price for the last lot plus $9 shipping. This begins to put them within the price range of lead.

Last time I checked standard prices for 10mm/40 cal were between $55 and $67 in small lots of 1000, depending on weight.

I shoot West Coast copper plated bulletss as they are popular with competition revolver shooters, have a heavier plate, are restruck after plating and have provided excellet service. Other more knowledgeable shooters in the local clubs have found them to be very accurate. I live in the SF Bay area and when I order before 11:00 am receive next day UPS delivery like clockwork.
 
I vote for lead. In the 20 odd years I have shot my little Colt Diamondback, I have NEVER once shot a copper jacketed or plated bullet through it. This gun has been shot a lot, in the 10 of thousands of times if not more. And for at least 15 of those years I only shot Unique out of it. If lead had been slowly filling the barrel, you would think it would be a smooth bore by now, but the rifling is still nice and sharp.

Maybe plated reduces my lead or cleanup, but after this many years of sucess why change?
 
RAE, I have to differ with you on this...

"Don't fall for the lead hazard using lead bullets either. The majority of lead contamination comes from the primer, and not the bullet. Lead becomes airborne when the lead bullet *shatters* on impact, not form traveling down the barrel. A plated bullet will *shatter* just as easily as a non-plated bullet when it hits a hard backstop."
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A local shop is building an indoor range complex. They found that limiting it to plated, frangible ammo was going to be the least hassle-free with regard to OSHA and the myriad of other assorted regulations. Lead bullets with exposed bases are seen as the primary issue. The burning powder gas vaporizes the lead at the base. That's where most of the airborne contaminant comes from. Notice how today's "Lead-Safe, Lead-free" bullets simply have enclosed BASES with exposed lead at their tips? The reason for the frangible projecties is because of the use of an indoor 360 degree 'funhouse' and the hazard with regard to ricochets. Then, there is a secondary concern with regard to the disposal of spent lead projectiles. (Big $$$)

I thought as you did, and I asked the owner directly about primers and powder. IIRC, he said OSHA feels primers are an insignificant hazard. Assuming frangible projectiles, you would have to shoot over 400K rounds within an unventilated 8'x11' room over the course of 8hrs. for it to be a concern. Powder is not an issue at all.
 
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