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Posted: 4/17/2024 11:49:38 PM EDT
Started reloading for my Mod 29. I bought 500/240 grain lead bullets. I have 16 lbs of Titegroup. So that's what I am using. Bought it 8 yrs ago and won't be buying anymore powder soon. I don't like the lead bullets on the indoor range I shoot on. Too much of a dust bowl. Would shooting a coated bullet reduce that? Or should I just get copper plated or fmj? I just shoot it for fun so I'm not loading it for hunting or anything. I use 8 grains on the Titegroup. So not a maximum load. Since its just for target practice I prefer to load lighter rounds to save powder. Lol. TIA
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Coated will smoke less than cast lead alone.
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If you can find the coated bullets that’s better. Jacketed is the best but more expensive. I guess it depends on how often you shoot it. If you are using it all the time the cast bullets are much cheaper. If you only get it out occasionally the jacket perform better and cleaner.
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https://www.berrysmfg.com/category/preferred-plated-bullets/plated-pistol/44-caliber
Try something like these some time. A plated bullet does a fair job at indoor or defensive distances without breaking the bank. These are closer to cast than to jacketed, but shoot much cleaner than cast or PC'd bullets. YMMV |
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Honestly, if you are worried about indoor range air with lead dust in it from the bullets, you might want to consider shooting someplace else if possible, especially as you will be having a lot of lead from primers when firing. If there is poor ventilation, it is likely the primer lead that is a bigger hazard than the bullet.
BTDT instructing at a terribly ventilated indoor range. If you can see smoke/soot in the air after shooting, the ventilation is garbage and you are breathing stuff you don’t want… Not personally a fan of lead free primers as they are not as reliable in my experience as regular ones (though new ones might be better), but if I had to shoot at a place with poor ventilation that is something I would consider. Of course it won’t help much considering all the other folks around you shooting regular stuff. All that being said- a trap that demolishes the bullet is more hazardous for airborne lead than one that just slows it down mostly intact (like a snail trap or rubber mulch trap). So poor ventilation plus a trap that is smashing up the bullets is kind of the worst of both worlds… However- yes- a coated bullet will have less airborne lead. It is just less of a lead source than the primers are, so you are possibly chasing the wrong problem. |
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a loaded gun won’t set you free, so they say…
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Global Warming Hoax Skeptic before it was cool
WA, USA
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I would suggest going to coated bullets.
I powder coat my home cast bullets, and there is no smoke from my loads. "Coated bullets" is the commercial equilevent of powder coated. Fired many bare cast bullets in several calibers, before switching to powder coating. Always hated the smoke from the lube burning off. Welcome to the Reloading Forum. |
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other. |
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Originally Posted By Urimaginaryfrnd: If you can find the coated bullets that’s better. Jacketed is the best but more expensive. I guess it depends on how often you shoot it. If you are using it all the time the cast bullets are much cheaper. If you only get it out occasionally the jacket perform better and cleaner. View Quote |
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Originally Posted By RegionRat: https://www.berrysmfg.com/category/preferred-plated-bullets/plated-pistol/44-caliber Try something like these some time. A plated bullet does a fair job at indoor or defensive distances without breaking the bank. These are closer to cast than to jacketed, but shoot much cleaner than cast or PC'd bullets. YMMV View Quote |
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Originally Posted By tac556: Honestly, if you are worried about indoor range air with lead dust in it from the bullets, you might want to consider shooting someplace else if possible, especially as you will be having a lot of lead from primers when firing. If there is poor ventilation, it is likely the primer lead that is a bigger hazard than the bullet. BTDT instructing at a terribly ventilated indoor range. If you can see smoke/soot in the air after shooting, the ventilation is garbage and you are breathing stuff you don’t want… Not personally a fan of lead free primers as they are not as reliable in my experience as regular ones (though new ones might be better), but if I had to shoot at a place with poor ventilation that is something I would consider. Of course it won’t help much considering all the other folks around you shooting regular stuff. All that being said- a trap that demolishes the bullet is more hazardous for airborne lead than one that just slows it down mostly intact (like a snail trap or rubber mulch trap). So poor ventilation plus a trap that is smashing up the bullets is kind of the worst of both worlds… However- yes- a coated bullet will have less airborne lead. It is just less of a lead source than the primers are, so you are possibly chasing the wrong problem. View Quote |
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Originally Posted By dryflash3: I would suggest going to coated bullets. I powder coat my home cast bullets, and there is no smoke from my loads. "Coated bullets" is the commercial equilevent of powder coated. Fired many bare cast bullets in several calibers, before switching to powder coating. Always hated the smoke from the lube burning off. Welcome to the Reloading Forum. View Quote |
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Originally Posted By Colt653: Cast & coated are what I recommend Titegroup is not it's too fast burning for 44 magnum, but it's well suited for mild target loads of 9mm, 45ACP, etc. it also burns really hot, heating the gun up, and sometimes cooking the coating off the back of the bullets for 44 magnum I recommend: Mild 6.5gr Win231/HP38 240gr swc warm 10gr Unique or 9gr Universal 240swc max 24gr. H110/win296 240gr JHP https://i.imgur.com/WX4wS3F.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KDL4k9H.jpg View Quote I like those bullets in your pics. Where do you get those? Red looks cool as hell. Thanks for the info. |
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I use the coated missouri bullet 240gr elmer K with very little smoke. I also use 240gr berry plated with a reduced load of 9gr of unique.
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Global Warming Hoax Skeptic before it was cool
WA, USA
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Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other. |
I'm kind of amused that someone shooting mid-range Titegroup loads is concerned about smoke from cast bullets. Titegroup is a smoke champion all by itself. It cleans ups some at higher level loads, but is a pretty dirty burning powder.
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Originally Posted By dryflash3: https://i.imgur.com/qv9jXfal.jpg Several of us here cast and powder coat their own bullets. Here is a batch coming out of the toaster oven that you can see at the edges of the pic. View Quote |
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Originally Posted By anachronism: I'm kind of amused that someone shooting mid-range Titegroup loads is concerned about smoke from cast bullets. Titegroup is a smoke champion all by itself. It cleans ups some at higher level loads, but is a pretty dirty burning powder. View Quote The range according to the book is 4.7gr-10max. I'm using 8. I'm shooting a S&W Mod 29. I don't notice that the gun is particularly dirty. Nowhere as dirty as shooting Magtech in my 10mm. That shit is dirty. Its not a concern. Concern is when you get your results from the doctor looking up your asshole and you have polyps but don't know if its cancer or not. I simply don't like all the smoke on an indoor range. Same as when fat chicks hit on me. Not my cup of tea. |
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Originally Posted By LS1Auto: It doesn't smoke at all on plated 40 cal bullets. That is what I shoot the vast majority of the time. Usually fire 100 rnds every week when I go to the range. If I had known about the smoking on 44 I would have just got jacketed bullets but I had never used lead rounds. If I was shooting outside all the time I wouldn't really care. I've got 500 plated from Berrys on the way. The range according to the book is 4.7gr-10max. I'm using 8. I'm shooting a S&W Mod 29. I don't notice that the gun is particularly dirty. Nowhere as dirty as shooting Magtech in my 10mm. That shit is dirty. Its not a concern. Concern is when you get your results from the doctor looking up your asshole and you have polyps but don't know if its cancer or not. I simply don't like all the smoke on an indoor range. Same as when fat chicks hit on me. Not my cup of tea. View Quote Too funny! But honestly- if you can notice the smoke that much, they could improve the ventilation. Modern ranges with good HVAC whisk that crap away downrange and scrub it into the filters. The wind from behind you is kind of annoying, until you realize that none of the usual crud is hanging around the shooting line. |
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a loaded gun won’t set you free, so they say…
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Back before the "HiTek" revolution. When some bullet suppliers were using a different coating....like Black Bullets Int. in their instructions advised to not use fast burning powders and TG is about as fast you can get.
It created a lot of smoke. Regular cast bullet lube and TG was like creating a fog bank when shooting outside in humid conditions. The smoke just hung in the air. I thought black powder loads were bad... Growing up we lived in Houston ok Spring TX. And, used to go shooting @ Carter's Country. There was some black powder shooters with the loads really nearly obliterated the targets. I remember a fellow shooting a Ruger Old Army. Holy cow did that smoke up the range! Now with Acme coated bullets and VV powder, Power Pistol, Hp38 and other there is no smoke. Shooting VV powders you hard know that the gun has been fired it is that clean burning. |
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jme and I am a NRA Endowment Member
Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. R W Emerson |
Unique for .44mag lite loads.
2400 for full power loads |
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I shoot blue powder coated in my 44 mag. I think they are Acme brand. They are cheap and shoot great. Also run them in my 10mm semi. Again, good and cheap.
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