For hand loaders :..ever tried frangible bullets ?

joepistol

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I started a thread on another site & thought some might find it of interest here.
As some loading components become more scarce, I've found I have been forced to try new things..
When primers got scarce, I bought some Fiocchi brand, even "stooped" to trying Tula brand (both brands worked as well as CCi, my usual brand) was my experience. This is all leading to the subject of this post "Frangible" bullets.

Why use them ?.... because they were available when my source for my usual 55gr.FMJ/BT bullets were not.
What's the difference ? : frangible bullets contain NO lead. they're .made from compressed copper particles, those I purchased,
( & am writing about) are wrapped in a copper jacket. No lead makes these bullets larger in physical size, yet lighter in weight.
They also have a longer bearing surface., when compared to the 55gr FMJ/BT I usually use.
AS my report below states, I was curious as to if there was a difference in accuracy between a std. lead-core bullet, & a frangible one..


a review on my Frangible bullet accuracy in 223 loadings.




Not long ago, I started a thread in the reloading section here, asking if anyone knew about the difference in accuracy, if any exists, between a FMJ bullet and a frangible bullet. I learned information is scarce..as I spent several hours searching on the net, trying to find some information on the subject.
Until recently, I had no- to -little interest in frangible bullets, but I've been shooting more 223 rds lately, & noticed my supply of 55gr. FMJ's was rapidly disappearing. Started looking for some, & learned my sources for bulk bullet purchases had dried up...none available @ reasonable price.
I did find a source for some reasonably priced 50gr. frangible bullets, so decided to order 1K & give them a try.
My logic would be that a 50 gr bullet would require less powder to reach a set velocity than a 55 gr. bullet. After researching online, I
learned that for a 50 gr. frangible bullet, load data for a 62 gr. conventional bullet should be used. Reason for this is the much longer bearing surface of the frangible bullet. The 50 gr. Frangible bullets I ordered were considerably longer than a regular 55gr FMJ pill. The longer bearing surface of the Frangible bullet results in more friction against the barrel, increasing pressure, necessitating a lighter powder charge, to keep down pressure.
I'm not a math whiz or physics major, so I accepted what I read as fact, ,and started with a lower than usual powder charge.
My results, so far, have been consistent with what was posted in my thread. My loads with the Frangible bullets are almost as accurate as my FMJ loads..I try shooting tight groups & so far, the groups I've shot with the Frangible bullets are a little larger than those shot with FMJ's.

I decided to post this as some who handload may find, as I did, that finding the usual loading components in the future may not be as easy as
it has been in the past.
 
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joepistol

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More info about frangible bullets:

a FYI.. I measured a 55gr FMJ bullet =.7590"

the 50gr.frangible bullet =1.0070" (considerably longer!)

I recognize that all Frangible bullets are not the same..the pills I bought are covered/wrapped in a copper jacket, with a brownish tip, brown tip measuring about .188" from top of point. I don't know the manufacturer.

as far as shooting them:
Took my Combat Armory AR to the range today,along with a few other rifles, as my younger son had taken a vacation day.
I was interested in how his shooting would compare to mine, in that I have sighted my scopes in for me..
not sure how well they work for others. He was able to shoot as well as I did,(not saying much about my shooting), since he doesn't shoot that often.
Well, I did shoot a little better..but he was able to hit the B.E. & all around it, so guess rifles are sighted in fairly well.
Looking over the targets, we were both able to put 3 shots in a bullseye in under a 1" group fairly consistently. (I was more consistent than he was.)
this was shooting off a bench @ 50 yds.. the Bullseye measures around 3/4" in dia. My best groups were about .350" center to center , his about .480" center to center This is a little larger than the best group I shot with this same rifle & my 55gr. FMJ pills..which was closer to .30" center to center from the 2 most distance bullet holes. Still, that's pretty close..enough that it's probably my skill limiting the accuracy, rather than bullet type.
Learned that I got my best accuracy with the same powder charge, for both bullets.

anyone reading this tried or been using frangible bullets ? what did you find ?
 
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switchback

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In these uncertain times, its better to have something than nothing at all. Appreciate your info and time to post everything.

As this craziness will likely get worse over the next 4 years, my stash will dwindle, so I pick up what I can find at reasonable prices. So not much.

I believe most folks are shooting less, ranges out here are posting less open times and days. Hope they can survive. Shoot, I hope we all can survive.
 

joepistol

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on my local firearm website I started a thread asking, " Have you been shooting less ? "
Every response was, " yes" and a fair number of responses were that they were not shooting @ all..
due to range closure, fear of expending the ammo they have, cost & scarcity of replenishing their ammo,
or inability to find ammo they'd need to shoot. Doesn't look like the situation will improve in the near future.
So Thankful that I bought my loading equipment in the late 70's & have been learning & improving my loading technique ever since.
 

switchback

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If these shortages / leftist communist agendas keep up, I'll be casting wheel weights to load. No joke, but for now as long as I don't play around too much, I'm good.

Always loved going shooting with my wife in one of our national forest sights. Had a guy walk right thru my line of fire a couple years ago to inform me I couldn't shoot where we were at. He said "there are dogs walked around here" I replied I hadn't seen any dogs and dogs weren't my targets anyway, in fact hadn't seen another person. Until his dumazz wondered in my line of fire from who knows where. Its a large nat'l forest, so I not so kindly suggested he move along. He was "going to report it to the ranger" but I never heard a word about it.
 

joepistol

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I never got into casting..had a friend that did, but for me, seemed too much work & too dangerous.
From past attempts @ welding, I'm fearful of melted, liquid metal..and getting burned by it.
I still have some boxes of cast bullets, but have avoided using them, after learning that the HyTek coated bullets,
as made by Bayou Bullets, work so well. What state are you in, switchback..that you have a national forest ?
 

switchback

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I live in Montana, surrounded by nat'l forests and more &more liberals escaping states their politics have destroyed. They think they are conservative until they arrive in our, thank God, RED state. Unfortunately they bring the mindset of the state they are fleeing, that they helped to destroy. Sorry for the rant

I do not cast bullets either, but have the lead - just in case. Agree the coated bullets, in my case by missouri bullet, are the bomb. I shoot alot of them , well I did until all this recent craziness

Several of my "new" neighbors have voiced concern over their vote for biden, wishing they had cast a different ballot. Guys been in office of one sort or another for 47 years, with nothing good to show. Blows my mind , they must watch cnn and live under a rock.

I see you're in Michigan. I've always thought the UP would be an interesting place to visit.
 

joepistol

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..."& more liberals escaping states their politics have destroyed..." Just like what's happened / happening (faster) in Colorado.
Jim, my best shooting / riding partner from my "youth" in our San Diego area ('72-' 86 ) moved to Colo.. about '85, to get away from his dysfunctional, substance abusing family. I visited him there in Salida, several times, & loved the place..thought about moving there myself, after retiring. A bunch of Calif. liberals invaded the area, driving property prices up to 5 X what they were. Another friend from Mi moved to Fredrick, Co. & we went to visit them in the new home they'd had built., 2 yrs. ago. They moved there to be near their married daughters, & grandkids, both living nearby. After visiting them in Fredrick, went to Salida to see JIm..couldn't believe how it had grown in the past 10 yrs...hard to find my way around , & it's a small town. The political climate has changed markedly in Colo, with the influx of what I'd call the west-coast attitude. My last visit, I lost any desire to live there..things have changed too much.

as far as your new neighbors.."they must watch cnn" or CBS, NBC, ABC, and believe everything they hear there. I also think that as time passes, more & more voters are going to regret how they voted. ( Many biden supporters are already turning over in their graves)

You'd probably love Mi.'s Upper Peninsula.. like Montana..except flat & with more trees , maybe even fewer people.
Then, you'll also get to meet some "Yoopers" .. ever watch ," Escanaba in da Moonlight " ?
 

Babboonbobo

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I don't reload but would like to. My son bought me a press for Christmas a few years ago but I never had the time to get it going, BIG "ragert"now!!! Now is definitely not a good time to try to either. Hopefully things will settle down one day and I will get it going as soon as I am able to.
 

joepistol

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there are a lot of firearms owners that are in the same position that you find yourself..wishing they'd have got started when finding equipment was both less expensive & easier to find.. I've been selling off some loading equipment (mostly die sets) that I inherited when a childhood friend passed. I taught this guy
how to hand load after moving back to Mi. He bought a lot of equipment & components, and mostly let it set. Guess he didn't like spending time @ the bench.
Had several sets of dies still in plastic wrap, and die sets that were open, appear very lightly used, if used @ all. I bought all the primers & bullets from the estate,
which turned out to be a great move, considering what's transpired. The Dillon 550, RCBS scale, & Dillon case cleaner all were sold to the guy that helped clean out his house.
 

switchback

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agree, man housing around here has gone completely insane. We could sell at a handsome profit, but a re purchase would be devastating. I'd move to the east side, but for children and grandchildren. Liberals are similar to locusts in the Old Testament, destroying everything in their wake. And now they have regrets? Just makes me sick
Selling any 38 special die sets?
 

STI

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per topic NO I have not just our home cast bullets here for most handguns and well supplied for jacketed rifle bullets no ammo issues here at all YET.
 

Ceapea

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I have tried frangible bullets in both .355" for 357 Sig and .401" for 40s&w. Took a bit of experimenting, but came up with very good loads for both. I bought both from Midway USA when they were selling "limited time" or "one time only" runs or that particular bullet. I had such good results with the 40s that I quickly ordered more before they ran out. I paid $50 for 1000 bullets the last time I bought them. All gone now. Wish I had bought 5k!
 

Old Bill

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If these shortages / leftist communist agendas keep up, I'll be casting wheel weights to load. No joke, but for now as long as I don't play around too much, I'm good.

Always loved going shooting with my wife in one of our national forest sights. Had a guy walk right thru my line of fire a couple years ago to inform me I couldn't shoot where we were at. He said "there are dogs walked around here" I replied I hadn't seen any dogs and dogs weren't my targets anyway, in fact hadn't seen another person. Until his dumazz wondered in my line of fire from who knows where. Its a large nat'l forest, so I not so kindly suggested he move along. He was "going to report it to the ranger" but I never heard a word about it.

It has been a while however wheel weights in my neck of the woods have always been highly desirable for casting bullets and the alloy composition which makes them hard enough to stay together and stay on a rim makes nice cast bullets... In fact there is competition at the local tire stores for the used weight "Franchise".

As far as being concerned about casting lead.. Just use a nice ventilation system and a commercially available lead pot. It is quite fun .. My first memories of casting came from just shy of 60 years ago when "Shorty" a fella on my paper-route (who always wore his revolver openly) taught me how to properly cast 30 Caliber lead ball for my Wrist Rocket.. (I still have it).

In the initial testing sighting and familiarization period, A 30 cal hole appeared in the door of the 1/2" Plywood "Sports Locker" my Dad built to keep my "Stuff" from laying everywhere in the Garage ( I covered the hole with a sticker).. Shortly after that the National Association of American Rabbits filed suit at the Hague alleging use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction...

Later we did use commercially available frangible .223 (I think from Speer) in a bull barreled bolt gun to rid the local ranches of squirrels and such... they would dig holes and the livestock would get hurt ... They liked to hang out in the rocks so we wanted the bullets to pulverize rather than ricochet.. We were welcome at all the ranches because we knew the difference between a Cow, Squirrel, Ground Hog or a Deer.. (You would be surprised at the number of individuals who apparently cannot tell the difference) 73 in one day was our record..


KE = 0.5 • m • v2.


 
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BillBro68

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Not in my t.56 guns but love the 85gr Barnes RRLP bullet in my 6.8SPC . It's a pretty wicked bullet, and it will allow you to do fairly up close work on steel and are good in a shoot house scenario and they just explode in gel. They would almost have to hurt. That's the only one I have experience with.
 
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