ACME Bullets 5% Off Coupon Code

Coupon code for 5% off all items at ACME Bullets store - "IY6C"
They have lead ingots, if you are a do-it-yourselfer. Prices are pretty low to begin with.

Hat Tip to Isyour6covered®

UPDATE 3/23/23:  Can't find any current coupon codes for ACME

Thoughts on Powder Coated Bullets

I'll give my nutshell opinion on pistol bullets. Jacketed bullets are great, but are about the most expensive bullets you can buy, and my range no longer allows them when shooting steel targets after one range officer took a trip to the ER after getting hit with a bullet jacket. Plated bullets, in my experience are tempermental - you will get huge groups if you don't flare the case mouth enough or the crimp cuts into the plating. Lubed cast lead bullets are fine and cheap, but if you rapid fire, you'll end up standing in a cloud of nasty acrid smoke, especially if you use a hot-burning powder like TiteGroup. Powder coating adds a little cost over cast bullets, but you don't get as much smoke, and I get 50 extra feet per second, plus you can use them in polygonal barrels without lead buildup in most cases. Coated bullets are kind of the best compromise, provided that you are not going for ultimate bullseye accuracy.

I will throw in a quick note, that I will not buy Black Bullets again. I measured diameters with a micrometer, and checked the variation in bullet weight, and they were horrible. I don't know if Roger's Better Bullets are cost effective if you need to mail order, but they were three times more consistent in weight in diameter compared to Black Bullets.

Lost Secret to Setting Up Seating Dies

The following is a tip published in the May/June 1985 issue of American Handgunner.  It could apply to adjusting seating dies when loading bullets with cannelures or revolver bullets with crimp grooves.  The bolt will work as-is for pistol bullets, but you would have to cut some kind of indentation into the tip of the bolt if you were loading pointed rifle bullets.

Texas reader Lannie Dietle suggests dialing a 7/8thsx14x3-inch hexhead bolt into your reloading press to facilitate determining desired seating depth.

"Ordinarily," says Dietle, "this adjustment is a trial-and-error process, performed with the use of the seating die. The disadvantage of using the seating die is inherent in the fact that the operation can't be observed. One must proceed in small increments, checking constantly, until the proper seating depth is discovered. 

"Using the 7/8ths bolt, instead of the die, one can see both the case and the bullet during the entire operation. All you have to do is press the bullet up against the tip of the bolt until the case mouth is properly aligned with the cannelure.  It is then an easy matter to adjust the seating die by lowering the seating plug until it contacts the correctly-seated bullet.  Subsequent seating is performed using the die." 

Kinda Pretty

You may think this is stupid.

I wanted to get a picture before I got them all dirty with soot from burned solid propellant.

Those are fresh, never-fired, Starline .38 Special shell casings.

I've reloaded thousands of shell casings, but they've all been at least once-fired.  They never come out of the tumbler that clean, inside and out.  I had a Brownells gift card, and not enough .38 Special brass, so a brown truck brought me these little brass gems.

AGI Video: (Really) Excessive Headspace

This may be of some interest to those of you interested in reloading or gunsmithing.

In this video, Bob Dunlap and Ken Brooks from the American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) take a Mauser rifle, and shoot some 8mm Mauser military ammo, as they adjust the chamber from 0" over the no-go length, to 0.045" over the no-go length (that's 0.051" total headspace).

I thought it was interesting.  Video is almost 25 minutes.  Video quality is not real good though.

If you've never seen case head separation, you'll see some examples of what it looks like.

Review: Lee Pacesetter .223Rem Dies

All my reloading dies are LEE.  Started loading .45ACP, and then 9mm for a race gun.  Then ammo started getting more and more expensive, and I started using the 9mm dies a lot more.  Loaded over 10,000 rounds with these LEE dies.  When I really started shooting carbines, and working up precision loads, I didn't see any point in trying other brands and Lee was pretty commonly recommended for semi-auto rifles.

Initially, I tried using the decapping and resizing die with my Lee hand press while watching TV.  Although this would work fine for two of my rifles, I have one rifle with short(er) headspace.  Using the Lee shell-holder and sizing die that come with the kit, I can not get the brass resized down to factory spec, and the bolt of the one rifle would not fully lock.  Using the sizing die on my progressive press with the shell-plate for that press, I can resize the brass to work with all my rifles.  If I had a belt sander, or better yet a lathe, I could probably shave down the Lee shell-holder to make it work.

On the rifle dies, the lock-ring with the inset o-rings work nicely.  Maybe it's my technique with the case lube, and lot-to-lot variations in cartridge cases, but I need to make fine adjustments to the resizing die to get consistent headspace dimensions on the casings, and the Lee lock-rings allow for easy adjustments, but they do stay put when set.  It may well be that I'm just too picky about the headspace dimension of resized cases.

The Factory Crimp Die does work.  When the round is raised up into the die, the shell-plate (or shell-holder)  presses on the bottom of the die and the collet closes on the neck of the cartridge case and bullet.  You can adjust the amount of crimp by turning the die in the press.  You can also crimp with the bullet seating die, but I have not tried this.  I don't crimp match bullets, as I have found that is not necessary.  When I'm making bulk ammo for a semi-auto rifle, I'll crimp with the FCD, but when I'm loading ammo for bullseye shooting, I skip the crimp.  I have gotten less than 1" 10-shot groups at 100 yards, and groups around 1 1/8" are fairly common, and I don't really have a .223Rem target rifle.  These groups were shot though a LMT 16" M4 barrel with chrome lining.

FCD collet closed on a round from a recent batch

A micrometer adjustable bullet seating die would be handy, but I nearly passed out when I saw the price for one.  The Lee bullet seating die is easy to adjust with just your fingers, and the micrometer die costs more than double the price of the whole Lee die set.  The LEE seating die gives reasonably consistent overall length when using good bullets.  If you are using cheap bullets your overall length may well be a little inconsistent, but that may be the least of your problems.

The collet-held decapping rod has saved me a couple times.  Even with .223 cases, you can still get pebbles into the neck, and sometimes a Berdan-primed case will make it past my visual inspection.  I have broken a decapping pin, but it was my fault for not using enough case lube to start with, and then I manhandled the pin trying to remove it from the case.  Because the case mouth expander and decapper are all one piece with the Lee dies, you may have to cut the case in half around the pin to remove.  You can buy spare decapper/expander pins direct from LEE, and the current price of $3 is pretty reasonable.

The box I got with the dies is a rectangular one that stacks with my other Lee die boxes.

The only thing, practically speaking, that I would like to see, is an option to have the steel parts plated or otherwise treated to prevent rusting, for an added fee.

I have fired over 2500 rounds of reloads.  The only issues I've had, have been my own fault, with the exception of the rounds that didn't fit the one rifle due to the Lee shell-holder.

TiteGroup Powder Review Update

Hodgdon TiteGroup Smokeless Powder Review

Having run out my small supply of .38 Special factory ammo, I started to reload 38s.  I have noticed that my hands and forearms aren't getting peppered with bits of carbon or unburnt powder when shooting the TiteGroup reloads, like I was getting with the factory ammo.  I like that.  The garbage that was coming out from between the cylinder and forcing cone was HOT.  4" service revolver or 2" snubby, it doesn't seem to matter.

Unfortunately, when you load TiteGroup under a cast lead bullet, you get a lot of foul-smelling grey smoke.  I don't like that so much, and it's probably not very good for your health.  I bought some Clays powder for use with lead bullets, and I'm not getting as much smoke.

Glocks - Unsupported Chambers - 9mm and .45ACP vs. .40S&W

I want to address this, because there are misconceptions, and it keeps coming up on forums, at gunshop counters, in the aisles at gun shows, and at shooting matches.

It's widely known that the chambers of Glock .40S&W barrels are not fully supported, and that part of the cartridge case will bulge where it's not supported by the barrel.  This is actually true.  Depending on who you ask, this could be a problem for reloaders.  Not all reloaders agree that .40S&W Glocked brass is the problem that so many claim it is though.  I don't have a .40 Glock, or any other .40 for that matter, so I can't tell you from experience.

The Glock .45ACP barrels also have chambers that aren't fully supported.  I do see some bulging, but the Lee dies iron that right out.  I've fired Glocked-brass reloads through a Kart Match barrel and a Kimber barrel without a problem, and they all drop in and fall out of the EGW gage block.  I know I've got .45ACP brass that I've fired through my Glock 21 at least 6 times, and I've never had a .45ACP case fail yet.

I can tell you for sure that the chambers of 9mm Glock pistols are as supported as you're ever going to get for a 9mm autoloader.  No bulged brass, no problems.  I run Glocked 9mm brass through Lee dies, and then run the ammo through Kahr, KKM Match, RRA, Smith & Wesson, or Beretta barrels.  I don't even use the Lee Factory Crimp Dies for pistol rounds that re-resize rounds.  I've probably got brass that's been fired through my factory-stock Glock nines 6 times, and I may reload this brass a few more times before I lose it.  The only brass I've ever cracked was nickel plated Federal, and that let go after 2 or 3 loadings.

If you're still concerned, and you've got any Glocked-brass that you want to sell dirt cheap, let me know.

Update, 3/8/10

LaserMax UniMax (red)
I had it out on the M&P the last couple times I went out to the pistol range.  I carefully sighted it in the first time out, and by the time I took it back out again, I was shooting about 4" to the right.  I lost the teeny-tiny Allen wrench that came in the plastic box with the laser somehow, and I have to resort to using the teeny-tinier Allen wrench that was stored in the battery compartment of the laser.  I also discovered, by the way, that the teeny-tiny Phillips screw that holds the battery compartment door on is not captured, and very easily disappears into dark carpet.

Millet DMS 1-4X Scope and ADM Recon-X Scope Mount

Although I would not particularly recommend the scope mount for a military or defense rifle, because it takes a little more time and coordination to remove than a Larue mount, it is getting the job done.  I've put it on and taken it back off several times, and it's still holding a good zero.

The Millet scope is very clear, although it is of much lower power than scopes I normally use.  Although I haven't measured it, it struck me that the objective lens of this 30mm scope seems to be a good bit larger than the objective lens of many 1" scopes.  As I said about the scope mount, the combo is holding a good zero.  Although the reticle and lower power don't really help to produce great benchrest groups, it's certainly adequate.  I've shot several groups less than 1.5" at 100 yards, if you throw out a couple stray shots that were most likely due to the "nut behind the butt."  The lighted reticle is not bright enough for use in daylight, which seem to bother some people, but the reticle is quite clear without the lighting.  The scope does seem to have about an inch of parallax at 100 yards.

Loading Rifle Ammo

The sub-1.5" groups I mentioned were shot with my 16" LMT M4 upper, and my reloads.  I could just about put bullets into a 2" 10-ring all day long with good bullets.  I've loaded a lot of pistol ammo, but just started loading rifle ammo.  The transition has not been an entirely smooth one, as I've primed brass a couple times, forgetting to trim the brass to length first.

The Midway Dogtown 55gr Spitzer bullets are shooting just about as well as the Sierra MatchKing and Nosler Custom Competition bullets.  The Midway bullets have flat bases though, and won't fit in the mouth of the brass, which makes loading with them more tedious.  They are a lot less expensive than the match bullets though.
Information on loading rifle ammo in load books is a little lacking in detail, and I spent several hours doing research before I started pulling the press handle.  I'm still taking notes.

I learned pretty quick that my idea of a "light spray" of Hornady One-Shot case lube must be different than Hornady's idea of a "light spray."  Removing stuck bottleneck cases from sizing dies sucks.  I have the RCBS tools for removing stuck brass, but it doesn't help much when the decapper rod/expander button are still in the case and won't let you drill all the way through the case head.

I've mostly been loading .233Rem, but have done some .308Win.  The .308Win ammo has not been performing as well from my AR-10, but that rifle currently lacks a free-float tube, and I'm unsure of the scope riser that I bought cheap at a gun show a couple years ago.  At least I now know that the AR-10 is capable of shooting better than 6" groups, like what I was getting with the crap surplus ammo.  The AR-10 seems to have developed an ejection problem.  The problem being that it doesn't eject.  The round fires, and the bolt carrier goes back, and the empty brass stays in the ejection port.  The ejector seems to be fine, I'm not sure what the problem is.


More detailed reviews will follow later, but I wanted to get something posted for you all to read for now.

New Winchester AutoComp Smokless Powder

Winchester has designed a ball powder specifically for race guns. Winchester claims an optimal burning rate, with a higher volume of gas, for more effective compensator function. They say it allows smaller charge weights for cheaper reloading, but usually that runs counter to gas volume and compensator function.

The factory load data doesn't have any 9mm Major loads, although the minimum OALs are shorter than is usually used for 9mm Major.

Did some poking around. It seems that AutoComp burns too fast to work for 9mm Major. Also, it won't be available until after the SHOT show, at least.

Hogdon HS-6/Winchester 540 Smokeless Powder

I've been loading 9mm with HS-6 for a little while. Although it burns slower, requiring more powder to get the same velocity, it is pretty similar to Hogdon's TiteGroup powder, which I've been using for a couple years, and something like six thousands rounds.

I like it enough that I think I'll stop using Alliant Blue Dot powder when the jar runs empty. HS-6 is popular among USPSA open class shooters for loading 9mm Major loads, while Blue Dot was given up on years ago, because there were some KaBooms.

HS-6 and Winchester 540 powders are the same.

Alliant Blue Dot Powder

I use a lot of fast-burning powder for my normal practice and competition ammo, but I couldn’t use the usual Hogdon TiteGroup for a Gold Dot replica load, because the pressure would be too high.

Blue Dot is a relatively coarse powder, whose granules resemble little disks about two millimeters in diameter. It seems to meter fairly well in my Hornady Lock-N-Load measure, with accuracy and consistency similar to Titegroup.

Although felt recoil and muzzle flip is quite mild, even with the fairly hot loads I use it for, the “boom” and fireball at the muzzle are very noticeable.

I consider Blue Dot to be a very clean powder. I have not seen unburned powder anywhere, and the powder residue is not very hard to remove. This seems sort of unusual, because I’m completely filling the case with powder. You’d think that there would be more junk left behind.

I am happy with this powder, and will probably continue to use it to make replicas of self defense pistol loads. It can’t be used to load 9mm to major, but outside of USPSA Open class, almost no one loads to that power level anyway. Hogdon HS-6, which I bought for 9mm major loads, leaves unburned powder behind. To get as much power as you get from HS-6 without the mess, you’d have to step up to the more expensive VV powders, or deal with even more noise.

Lee Auto Prime - Hand Priming Tool Review

I’ve used mine to prime several thousand pieces of brass, including a couple thousand with the Federal primers that Lee strongly recommends not using with the tool. I could prime on the press, obviously, but I don’t like handling metal tubes full of impact-sensitive high-explosive. I’d rather size/deprime and flare, prime with the Lee tool while watching TV, and then load.

I have not had any problems with breakage so far, knock on wood, though I could imagine that the pivot in the handle might break if there was a casting flaw near that area. I also have some doubts about the latch that holds the plastic primer tray lid on.

The cam (for lack of a better term) did develop notches from priming several thousand pieces. I ground it smooth, and it happened again. I bought another one, and case hardened the "cam" with Casenit, and it seems to be holding up with no sign of wear. Not a big deal considering the tool costs less that $20, and I had lost a spring anyway.

Probably my biggest complaint is that it’s not very comfortable to use. Rubber grips on the handle and lever would be greatly appreciated. This is something that nobody else does either for some reason.

That’s pretty much all there is to say, it’s a simple and affordable tool, and it works.

Hogdon TiteGroup Powder

Can't be used to load particularly hot 9mm or .45ACP loads without generating high pressures. It can be used to load inexpensive practice ammo, minor power factor loads for 9mm and .40S&W, and minor though hardball replica loads (major PF) in .45ACP. Leaves a fairly tough black coating on surfaces exposed to the smoke, but is not excessively dirty. Powder does throw sparks when the rounds are fired. It doesn't seem to produce as much recoil and is not as loud as some slower burning powder. Meters pretty well in a Hornady Lock-N-load powder measure, but doesn't like to be used with Lee 9mm expander die, as the powder gets fluffed up when the case pops out and the press shakes.

UPDATE, 11/1/09: I had my Glock 26 (3.5" barrel) out last weekend trying out a variation on an old load; 4.6 grains loaded under a 115gr hollowpoint at 1.5". The rangemaster stopped me, because there was a lot of sparks coming out of the barrel. Although I knew it was just the powder, I checked the barrel and the shells for bulges and flattened primers anyway. As I suspected, it was just the powder, possibly with the flash enhanced by the short barrel.

Oh, and I'm at about 10,000 rounds of both 9mm and .45ACP, and still on the first 8 pound jug.

UPDATE, 6/2/2012:  Having run out my small supply of .38 Special factory ammo, I.started to reload 38s.  I have noticed that my hands and forearms aren't getting peppered with bits of carbon or unburnt powder when shooting the TiteGroup reloads, like I was getting with the factory ammo.  I like that.  The garbage that was coming out from between the cylinder and forcing cone was HOT.  4" service revolver or 2" snubby, it doesn't seem to matter.

Unfortunately, when you load TiteGroup under a cast lead bullet, you get a lot of foul-smelling grey smoke.  I don't like that so much, and it's probably not very good for your health.  I bought some Clays powder for use with lead bullets, and I'm not getting as much smoke.

9x19mm 124gr +P Gold Dot Replica Load

Reloading Disclaimer, Read First

Speer Gold Dot 124gr., plated hollow point bullet
7.8 grains Alliant Blue Dot, seems to be a compressed load
1.12" OAL (factory spec)
any brass
Federal Small Pistol Primer, or Wolf Small Pistol Primer
This load will get you just a shade under 1200fps from a Glock 17, which is really close to the Speer factory load, and Georgia Arms Sheer Power Plus load.
I don't get any noticeable primer flattening. Federal primers flattened a bit (they always do), but Wolf primers come out looking like factory ammo. The Blue Dot gives off a pretty descent fireball, and is pretty loud.

Minor Loads for Competition

Reloading Disclaimer, Read First

9mm Luger
124gr. Zero FMJ, 125gr. Zero JHP, or 124gr. Precision Delta FMJ
4.2 grains Hogdon TiteGroup
1.125-1.145" OAL
Federal Small Pistol Primer, Wolf Small Pistol Primer, or Winchester Small Pistol Primer
Any brass
Gets me about 130PF+ from a Glock 17
Book load goes up to 4.4 grains, so it's pretty safe. I've shot a lot of 115gr bullets, but loading them to minor gets you closer to the max load with TiteGroup.

.45ACP
230gr Remington MC bullet (looks like FMJ to me)
4.3 grains Hogdon TiteGroup
1.165" OAL
Winchester Large Pistol Primer
I have used Remington and Federal brass
Gets me about 132PF+ from a Glock 21
Book load goes up to 5 grains, so you've got a lot of wiggle room.

Some Pet Loads

Reloading Disclaimer, Read First

9mm Luger
Basic Practice Load
Bullet - 115 grain Zero jacketed*
Primer - Winchester, Wolf, or Federal Small Primers. Doesn't make much difference which. The Federals flatten more because they're softer, which makes judging pressure harder.
OAL - 1.11"
Powder - Hogdon TiteGroup. 4.4 grains is the charge I usually use. Federal primers start to flatten at 4.5 grains. I didn't see any signs of dangerous pressures when I loaded some to 4.6 grains.
Comments - The load should make minor with 4.5 or 4.6 grains, but I rarely need to make minor even. With my Glocks, the load shoots pretty much point of aim out to 40 yards.

EDIT: I think the load above worked fine in the Glock 17, but then I went and started loading longer to 1.15". This seems to have reduced pressures to the point that I got some stovepipe jams. I'm starting to load 4.6 grains of powder, with the bullets seated to the 1.15" length, and I'll see how that works. The Winchester primers still look round, with no signs of flattening at the longer length.  The load seems to run well in everything.

EDIT, 2/27/16:  Bought myself a Magnetospeed Chronograph a little while ago.
Glock 17, KKM Stainless threaded barrel.
115gr Zero FMJ, 4.6gr TiteGroup
10 round string
Min 1167fps
Max 1186fps
Avg 1176
Standard Deviation 6.4fps
ES 19fps
Power Factor 135.24
The Standard Deviation and Extreme Spread are quite low.  I did not go to any great lengths with handloading this batch.  I just grabbed a random box out of my 9mm ammo can.


.45ACP
NOTE: I don't shoot much .45 anymore, I've been sticking to 9mm and rimfire pistols.
Hardball Replica
Bullet - 230 grain Remington MC
Primer - Winchester Large Pistol Primers.
OAL - 1.165"
Powder - Hogdon TiteGroup, 5 grains should get you normal Hardball velocities.

I'm working on 124 grain FMJ loads, and a 9mm 124 grain +P Gold Dot load to replicate the Speer factory load. I'll post data for them later when I get the skyscreens for my Pact timer.

* - Remington bullets are good too, but harder to find cheap. Although Precision Delta bullets are cheaper, I couldn't exactly get what you'd call accuracy out of them. The same data will work for Berry's plated bullets, in my experience, with less than fantastic acucracy.