Re: Black Hills Moly Ammo good or bad?
Moly and Barrel Life
Bullet Coating
Read these. There are more good ones I'm trying to find links for as well.
Moly is great stuff. But like everything, only when done in moderation. I went to Moly on a couple of match guns simply to get around having to clean them during a match.
The most common misconception about moly: <span style="font-weight: bold">Moly coated bullets are faster. NO. THEY ARE NOT. THEY ARE SLOWER.</span>
Heres why: velocity is determined by the amount of pressure built by the burning powder. Moly coating a bullet makes it "slippery" so it slides down the bore faster. It will not build the same pressures because there isn't the same amount of resistance. If you hand load, you will need to ADD powder to a moly load to get the same pressures and velocities. I can't say what Black Hills does or does not do regarding moly bullets. But all else being equal, moly coated bullets will be slower.
Used correctly, my experience is that moly will extend barrel life. Used incorrectly, it will destroy barrels. Not only that, it will destroy them quick.
I've found the key to moly use lies in three things:
1. Barrel break in must be done with non coated bullets.
2. Cleaning intervals are longer, but the cleaning must be much more thorough.
3. Fouling shots are required-there is no "cold bore" moly shooting.
Despite the longer intervals between cleaning, the cleaning is much more intense. You must remove all moly at the cleaning. Barrels that are prone to copper fouling will be much more prone to moly fouling or "caking." So if you have a barrel thats hard to clean already, don't add moly to the mix. It will only make life harder.
I've found that after cleaning I need at least two fouler shots. Depending on the competition, you may be able to make them there, or prior to. But the foulers cannot be your sighters. The foulers will not have the same POI as the following shots fired through a the "fouled" or "moly'd" barrel.
It is also advised not to switch between moly and nonmoly coated bullets on the same barrel. I have gone from shooting non coated to coated but not vice versa, so I cannot comment on whether or not its possible. I would assume it would be do'able as long as you clean ALL the moly out prior to shooting a non coated projectile.
Hope that helps. If you are an avid fun shooter and plinker, I'd say moly isn't for you, unless you will go the distance on the cleanings. If you are willing to go the distance, the most dominant benefit of moly is increased barrel life. Don't be suckered in by the thoughts of additional speed or less cleaning. Its quite the opposite.
