Plated/FMJ bullets

[mforsta]

Where is a good place to buy plated/FMJ 9mm bullets? Thinking about switching from cast to a plated bullet for reloading.

 

[EightySix]

RMRbullets.com is my go to.

 

[Mitch Dufour]

Where is a good place to buy plated/FMJ 9mm bullets? Thinking about switching from cast to a plated bullet for reloading.

Why are you thinking of changing?

 

[mforsta]

I’ve had a problem with lead build up in my Glock 26. The build was not in the barrel but in the chamber. The lead builds up causing the case and bullet to get stuck when the slide comes forward. The gun will not go into full battery. The gun jams and I have to really work at getting action open. The bullet would get stuck in the throat of the barrel and it gets pulled out of the case when I get the action open. This would leave all of the unburned powder in the action.
I can shoot factory ammo without any jams.
The chamber of my 26 may have an issue as I can shoot the same reloads in my 19 without the same issue happening.

 

[john17427]

I think I saw some Berry's plated 9mm at Basspro today. I've certainly seen them at Cabela's in the past.

 

[Blaize]

That does not sound like a bullet issue at all.

This sounds like an OAL issue. What generations are your Glocks? I ask because gen 5s have notably tighter chambers and much shorter throats than the previous gens.

Also, take one of your loaded rounds and do what’s called a “plunk test” in each of the barrels. The loaded cartridge should plunk in the barrel and spin freely with no resistance while all the way in the chamber. If this does not happen it could be a couple other things but the two I could check would be the OAL being too long and second would be your crimp.

Take a good set of accurate calipers and measure the case mouth right at the top. You should ideally have a measurement of .378 but anywhere from .376-.378 should function.

You may have checked these things allready. There was not a whole lot of info to go by in your initial post, but I would start there.

Try these tests and post the results here.

I have shot thousands of coated lead bullets through my Glocks for many years with no issues. In fact they deliver superior accuracy in most cases, and if you look down the barrels there is virtually no wear and they look new.

 

[davidd]

I too have shot a massive amount of coated lead through (I think) five different Glocks over the years. The only real issue I remember is using 200g SWC in a 45cal G21. Massive failure to feed.

That being said, you specified lead bullets. Glock barrels (at least through Gen4) are not 'factory rated' for bare lead. I have avoided that. Sounds like you may need to as well.

Any plated, or even coated, should do better. I have used Precision Delta, Berry's, Bayou, Black, Blue, Ranier, and Xtreme all with good to very good success.

ETA: I have two GSSF first place wins (amateur class) with my G21 using Precision Delta 185g JHP bullets. I have one first place win using Ranier 180g plated bullets with my G22.

 

[mforsta]

Here are the specs on the reloaded rounds I was shooting. I have shot several thousand rounds of these out of several different guns including Glocks and S&W and never had this issue until this last session. I was shooting both the 26 and 19 using rounds out of the same lot of reloads that afternoon.

Glock 26 gen 3
124gr Bayou Bullets
4.5gr WSF powder
1.169 OAL
.378 Crimp

After the range session I took both barrels out my 26 and 19. The 19 is a gen 4. I could drop a round in the 19 barrel and it would seat in the chamber as it should and fall right out when tilled down. If I take the same round and drop it in the the 26 barrel it would not seat in the chamber to the proper depth. I could not push the round into the barrel to the proper depth and it would be hard to get back out. I have some factory 115gr Blazer rounds that would drop in the 26 barrel without any issue. Thinking I had a heavy fouling issue I did a very through cleaning of the the 26 barrel. I scrubbed the chamber area with a bronze brush and solvent. This helped clear up the issue with rounds dropping into the chamber. I'm thinking I got a build up of lead where the chamber meets the barrel and that is causing the issue with the rounds not seating properly.

 

[Blaize]

Here are the specs on the reloaded rounds I was shooting. I have shot several thousand rounds of these out of several different guns including Glocks and S&W and never had this issue until this last session. I was shooting both the 26 and 19 using rounds out of the same lot of reloads that afternoon.

Glock 26 gen 3
124gr Bayou Bullets
4.5gr WSF powder
1.169 OAL
.378 Crimp

After the range session I took both barrels out my 26 and 19. The 19 is a gen 4. I could drop a round in the 19 barrel and it would seat in the chamber as it should and fall right out when tilled down. If I take the same round and drop it in the the 26 barrel it would not seat in the chamber to the proper depth. I could not push the round into the barrel to the proper depth and it would be hard to get back out. I have some factory 115gr Blazer rounds that would drop in the 26 barrel without any issue. Thinking I had a heavy fouling issue I did a very through cleaning of the the 26 barrel. I scrubbed the chamber area with a bronze brush and solvent. This helped clear up the issue with rounds dropping into the chamber. I'm thinking I got a build up of lead where the chamber meets the barrel and that is causing the issue with the rounds not seating properly.

Sounds like the 26 has a shorter throat then the 19. I’ve ran those same 124gr Bayous for years through my Glocks no issues they are one of the best bullets out there.

Ok so the next step is to make yourself a dummy round. Take a fire case and resize it but do not prime it.

Next load it without powder and seat and crimp the bullet.

Take your barrel, and shorten the OAL of the cartridge a little at a time. Maybe 5-10 thousands until the round plunks and spins freely in the barrel. Once it does seat it another .005 to account for variations in brass and you have found the OAL for that bullet that your 26 needs. The shorter rounds will also run just fine in your 19.

Please let me know how this goes.

 

[john17427]

Even when my OAL has been in range and even slightly short, I've had problems with the ogive of some bullets where I just had to seat them deeper. In fact, I can only remember running into that issue with 9mm even though I load several cartridges that headspace on the shoulder.

 

[mforsta]

This is what I’ve come up with. At 1.161 OAL the ogive starts to get pushed into the barrel to the point of the round getting stuck. At 1.155 the round is able to turned in the chamber and removed easily. A 124gr bullet runs about .03 longer than a 115gr bullet. Therefore the ogive of the 115 doesn’t not contact the barrel like the 124.
If I set my OAL to 1.155 will that cause any over pressure issues?

 

[Blaize]

This is what I’ve come up with. At 1.161 OAL the ogive starts to get pushed into the barrel to the point of the round getting stuck. At 1.155 the round is able to turned in the chamber and removed easily. A 124gr bullet runs about .03 longer than a 115gr bullet. Therefore the ogive of the 115 doesn’t not contact the barrel like the 124.
If I set my OAL to 1.155 will that cause any over pressure issues?

I wouldn’t think so, however to be safe, I would back the powder down a few tenths and look for any overpressure signs on the fired cases.

Every pistol and load combination is different. These are general best practices.

It sounds like indeed it was an OAL issue. I might would even bring your OAL to 1.150 just to allow for case variation.

The only way to know is to test it.

Also, there is not a direct correlation between the length of one projectile versus another in regard to ogive. Each projectile is different.

 

[WeldonHunter]

I'm not a reloader but I know X-Treme Bullets has mostly plated bullets. https://www.xtremebullets.com/9mm-s/9666.htm