9mm AR, AR9
- Thread starter supercorndogs
- Start date
I would think the velocity would be so high that you would experience some lead build up. I know that extra barrel length in mine noticeably increases the velocity.
It has been a while. I used to shoot 147gr coated bullets through mine with titegroup. I didn’t really care for TG so I switched to heavy plated and jacketed with a different powder. My barrel is 4.25 “ I never encountered any lead deposits that I remember.
I have shot cast out of 44 mag, 7.62x39 and 30/06. I don't think velocity is going to be a problem. I was wondering about lead build up else where. As well as how well the bullets survive feeding.
Did you cast your own and then coat them?
Did you cast your own and then coat them?
Coated bullets work great. The Syntech load for example does wonders for keeping lead fouling of suppressors and compensators to a minimum.
I wouldn't and haven't personally used uncoated lead rounds because of the fouling issue. Open base FMJ's are noticeably dirtier in this regard. The Open shooters in IPSC take it further and only shoot non expanding hollow point style bullets to eliminate the lead fouling although they do load to higher pressures and velocities than you will with a standard 9mm AR. Still, with coated being so inexpensive why bother with bare lead?
I wouldn't and haven't personally used uncoated lead rounds because of the fouling issue. Open base FMJ's are noticeably dirtier in this regard. The Open shooters in IPSC take it further and only shoot non expanding hollow point style bullets to eliminate the lead fouling although they do load to higher pressures and velocities than you will with a standard 9mm AR. Still, with coated being so inexpensive why bother with bare lead?
The main reason I would use bare lead, would be casting them myself. I will have to look around and see if there are some new DIY coatings out there.
I have run traditional lubed lead an powdered coated as well in the 125 grain range with red dot. Both work fine and are plenty accurate. I am working on 147’s now. PM me if you have questions about powder coating, it is really easy.
I’ve run some cast 147’s with WSF.
they shot nicely.
I’ll probably buy some more in bulk when work picks up.
they shot nicely.
I’ll probably buy some more in bulk when work picks up.
Call Dennis at Bayou Bullets. Run their coated 105s and your barrel won’t lead, and they run great. I run 5.5 gr of Vita 340, gives me 154 pf out of a 16” JP. This is warmer than needed, but it runs great with very little recoil. Splits in the .16 to .18 of a second are normal with a little practice.
Even then, you can coat them yourself cheap and easily if you have a vibratory tumbler. Waiting for them to tumble for an hour or two beats spending an hour or two scrubbing the lead out of your bore, at least to me.
I cast, immediately coat and bake, then size. I run the through a Star mainly because of the feeder, a Lee die works fine. No lube is applied to the bullets in the process. I do lube them as required to make the sizing easier with One shot or intermittently with my normal bullet lube manually you lube the die.
I have read that some size then coat, but I have always been concerned about cleanliness for the coating to adhere in this order.
I have read that some size then coat, but I have always been concerned about cleanliness for the coating to adhere in this order.
You don't even need to tumble them. 10-20 seconds of shaking in a white plastic tub (like a yogurt tub or similar, with the "5" recycle symbol) coats them as well as you'd ever want.
I was one of the early adopters of DIY powder coating, and as far as I can tell, the first to figure out dry "shake and bake" coating. It's a very easy process if you don't over-complicate it. It's easier than lubing bullets in a press, and about the same as tumble lubing but with much better results.
I've personally pushed my own coated cast bullets well over 3,000 fps without any leading issues. A 9mm AR has no trouble with leading using bullets coated this way.
Always size after coating, and there is no value in sizing before, it's just wasted time and effort.
Bro. Read this thread, it covers everything you need. I've improved this a bit since first starting in 2013; the main improvement is to follow the directions there but stack the bullets on non-stick Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil, instead of the metal screen. I normally coat ~400-600 9mm bullets at a time with this method (just pile them all together, and drop the pan on the concrete floor to break them apart after), and invest less than 5 minutes actual effort in coating them. Sizing goes fast as well, using a nicely polished Lee push through die in a reloading press.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/14815335/1
