Horty
Well-Known Fanatic
What is the difference between plated and jacketed bullets? Is one better than the other? More expensive? Is anything that says FMJ jacketed? Are Precision Deltas jacketed?
Plated vs jacketed?
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Iggie
Well-Known Fanatic
Plated has a super thin coating of copper also the bullets tend to be a lot softer. Jacketed are more expensive but the lead fills a copper, brass, or steel/copper jacket.
Advantage of plated is they are cheaper then jacketed and smoke less then lead.
I'm cheap so I shoot lead.
Advantage of plated is they are cheaper then jacketed and smoke less then lead.
I'm cheap so I shoot lead.
nikatkimber
Well-Known Fanatic
Jacketed are hardly cheaper than plated, if you buy bulk, and you can push them harder if you want. I don't see much if any reason to use plated bullets.
drmitchgibson
The white Morgan Freeman
The jacket is much thicker than plating is. Jacketed is stronger and can handle very high speeds and pressures. You can get quality jacketed projectiles cheaper than plated projectiles every day. Plated bullets are not a good deal. No lead to deal with is the only thing going for it. I'd shoot lead over plated. Precision Delta makes very good projectiles.
Scott Hearn
Well-Known Fanatic
I was just looking the other day and Precision Delta seems to be about the best price jacketed bullet out there and their reputation is very good.
Also you have to be careful when loading plated. They are easy to shave off the copper when seating and also easy to overcrimp and push the case through the copper into the lead. When either happens accuracy goes into the toilet. If plated were cheap enough they would be worth the hassles of loading but really they aren't. Extreme is making some decent plated if you go that route.
Also you have to be careful when loading plated. They are easy to shave off the copper when seating and also easy to overcrimp and push the case through the copper into the lead. When either happens accuracy goes into the toilet. If plated were cheap enough they would be worth the hassles of loading but really they aren't. Extreme is making some decent plated if you go that route.
technetium-99m
Mighty Righty
Plated bullets are okay, the Extremes are about the cost of the coated offerings but you have to be attentive when loading them.
Precision Delta makes a great jacketed bullet. Just stay on top of your ordering and make sure you don't need them in a week or two. I switched to Montana Gold recently and I could not be happier. I dinked around with lead and coated bullets for years, always chasing the best deal and frankly I got tired of it. I order from MG and the bullets show up a few days later. They supplied shooters through the last component dry spell very well and they produce a wonderful bullet.
Precision Delta makes a great jacketed bullet. Just stay on top of your ordering and make sure you don't need them in a week or two. I switched to Montana Gold recently and I could not be happier. I dinked around with lead and coated bullets for years, always chasing the best deal and frankly I got tired of it. I order from MG and the bullets show up a few days later. They supplied shooters through the last component dry spell very well and they produce a wonderful bullet.
KurtM
Well-Known Fanatic
Hmmm lots of "information" here. I'm glad that I have never used these "way higher priced than jacketed" plated bullets ( last I checked most plated bullets cost around $1.00-$3.00 cheaper than Bayou Bullets delivered) Like most things, I can only assume, if you don't set your dies up right the plated bullets can do "those terrible things" mentioned, but I truthfuly doubt that they are as worthless as mentioned. Now I will say that I have seen a few Glocks over the years that didn't like Plated bullets, but they were few and far between, but anything with real rifling seems to be happy with them. Anything that is "over crimped" will in fact cause inaccuracy and "fliers" so that argument is weak at best.
Last batch I bought was $90.00 dilivered/1000 from Xtreem for a 180 grain .40, . I have been using them since 1994 when they used to be West Coast bullets, and unlike most responeders here I have had nothing but praise for them. I can say this that of the 47 major matches I have won I have always used them, but I am sure I will switch to a "jacketed bullet soon as you all have proved to me how worthles and terrible Plated bullets can be....I never knew! :sarcastichand:
Last batch I bought was $90.00 dilivered/1000 from Xtreem for a 180 grain .40, . I have been using them since 1994 when they used to be West Coast bullets, and unlike most responeders here I have had nothing but praise for them. I can say this that of the 47 major matches I have won I have always used them, but I am sure I will switch to a "jacketed bullet soon as you all have proved to me how worthles and terrible Plated bullets can be....I never knew! :sarcastichand:
The Antichrome
Moderator
I use Xtreme plated bullets.
The only thing bad about them is the cheezy name.
The only thing bad about them is the cheezy name.
Ksmirk
Well-Known Fanatic
I've been shooting coated bullets but have been playing with the Xtreme bullets since I saw some boxes in a pretty well know shooters garage while drinking a beer or two so thought I'd give them a shot hehe gave them a call and had 500 headed my way to try out and it cost me $51.00 to the door, pretty good price. Those 500 are gone now and there should be a couple thousand in my hands in the next day or two and they cost $113.00 per 1K which is $5.00 cheaper and about $45.00 - $55.00 cheaper than jacketed.
Now I have one of those cheap Glocks and it doesn't have one of those fancy rifled barrels but it shoots them awesome! BUT ya gotta know how to set your dies or your going to cuss them. Later,
Kirk
Now I have one of those cheap Glocks and it doesn't have one of those fancy rifled barrels but it shoots them awesome! BUT ya gotta know how to set your dies or your going to cuss them. Later,
Kirk
drmitchgibson
The white Morgan Freeman
I'll just throw this out there: I'm only prejudiced because I couldn't load .44 Mag to full power with plated bullets. Holding back powerful magnums is weak stuff, son. Lame-o to the max.
Scott Hearn
Well-Known Fanatic
Mitch you might want to take another look. I know an open shooter running them in his 9 major. He says he's running 1450 with no ill effect.
Personally I like the whole concept of plated since you have soft lead which should allow some obturation, but also have the copper to keep the lead off of the rifling. You basically use lead bullet data but have the cleanliness of jacketed CMJs. I know they are clean as hell in my revos. And I think the price issue became apparent when Montana Gold raised their prices not too long ago. Prior to that none of the bullets I shoot made sense (pricewise) if you were buying a case from MG.
Personally I like the whole concept of plated since you have soft lead which should allow some obturation, but also have the copper to keep the lead off of the rifling. You basically use lead bullet data but have the cleanliness of jacketed CMJs. I know they are clean as hell in my revos. And I think the price issue became apparent when Montana Gold raised their prices not too long ago. Prior to that none of the bullets I shoot made sense (pricewise) if you were buying a case from MG.
nikatkimber
Well-Known Fanatic
Where are you getting them significantly cheaper than jacketed?
drmitchgibson
The white Morgan Freeman
That's interesting and surprising. I'll keep that in mind.
Spiff
Semi-Pro
Friend o' mine's got em, long as you want .40:
http://shop.theshooterssource.com/Xtreme-SW-40-180-grain-Round-Shoulder-Plated-Bullets-180X.htm
Forum sponsor, too.
nikatkimber
Well-Known Fanatic
For 124/125 gr 9mm bullets, less than a penny difference, which is what I was looking at, since I shoot only 9mm at this point.
But you're right, when you look at 147s the price starts to spread, and when you get to .40 bullets it gets even further apart.
Which leads me to this: for 3 Gun, how important is shooting major? Or is that concern primarily for the other pistol games?
But you're right, when you look at 147s the price starts to spread, and when you get to .40 bullets it gets even further apart.
Which leads me to this: for 3 Gun, how important is shooting major? Or is that concern primarily for the other pistol games?
nikatkimber
Well-Known Fanatic
If you only buy a thousand at a time. Xtreme doesn't have a bulk discount listed, MG does. They sell a case of 3750 for $320, or ~$85.33/1000. Or about .3 cents more per bullet.
MG 147s $330/3000 or $0.11 / ea
Xtreme 147s $89/1000 or $0.089 / ea
MG 180s $325/2500 or $0.13 / ea
Xtreme 180s $103/1000 or $0.10 / ea
MG 147s $330/3000 or $0.11 / ea
Xtreme 147s $89/1000 or $0.089 / ea
MG 180s $325/2500 or $0.13 / ea
Xtreme 180s $103/1000 or $0.10 / ea
