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 Lead Free Bullets 
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Location: Snohomish, WA
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Looking at switching to lead free bullets in pistol and rifle calibers. Who is using what?

Currently I have the following bullets I use for reloading and want more options:
  • Inceptor ARX 9mm, .40cal, .45cal
  • Sinterfire 9mm

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Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:16 pm
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Location: Skagit County, in the woods
Joined: Tue Apr 7, 2015
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For a defense bullet, look at the Lehigh XD line. In all of my comparison testing (meat, barriers, and various test media) the Incepter/ARX bullets suck as a defensive bullet. The solid version (PolyCase) is a good frangible bullet for steel target shooting though.


Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:50 pm
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Location: Tri -Cities
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It depends on whether you are wanting them for target or hunting/defense. For target I have used the Sinisterfire bullets, and as long as you don't over-crimp them they work fine. I've seen them on American Reloading for peanuts.

For hunting/defense I would personally go with the Maker REX/T-REX over the Lehigh defense but don't think I've seen either independently tested in 9/40/45.

https://youtu.be/x9XLDb4JFRQ


Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:38 pm
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Location: Snohomish, WA
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Mostly for target shooting in the yard.

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Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:47 pm
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BlDtyLry wrote:
Mostly for target shooting in the yard.


In that case, the Inceptor/polycase round nose are probably your best bet for economy, rather than the more expensive fluted ARX which are the same bullet but with flutes that don't really do anything. IIRC the 9mm RN version is 86gr? A fast powder like Clays, Titegroup, or Bullseye works best with those. Might as well get some steel plate set up for them (you can shoot them at mild steel from 9/40/45, don't need AR500); they just turn to dust and you won't have fragments or ricochets to deal with.

You probably don't want to pay for Lehigh bullets for target shooting. :)

Are TMJ or plated bullets an option, or do you need them to be completely lead free?


Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:44 pm
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Need to be completely lead free. Sounds like my choices are limited. Finding the inceptor round nose will be tough but getting Sinterfire will be much easier.

Hevi-shot Hevi-Duty frangible bullets are also an option.

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Last edited by BlDtyLry on Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.



Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:32 am
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Location: Union Gap
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Real Name: Randall Knapp
Why not make your own? I have my zinc casting down to following simple steps just like lead only a bit hotter. I have to use a propane single burner turkey cooker but if I had natural gas to this place I would use a cook stove. Look it up online it just aint that hard. The hard part is finding moulds since they are still made for casting lead so you just have to look at them and figure 65%. Why do you think you need to shoot lead free for practice.......that is nuts?


Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:43 am
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Location: Everett, WA
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Maybe he doesn't want lead contamination in his yard?


Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:52 am
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^^^^ Bingo. Wife says I can shoot in the yard but need to switch to lead free. Didn't want to go down the road of arguing the definition of lead contamination or what is considered safe. She's an RN, enough said.

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Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:42 pm
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Location: Everett, WA
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Yeah, same here... I have a perfect pit on my property. However, I also have toddlers that like to roll around and slide down the gravel used as a backstop. So, I'm just shooting my crossbow and air rifle with nonlead pellets for now.


Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:47 pm
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Location: Union Gap
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I had toddlers..taught them to not eat dirt. Once they got to a shooting age they also learned about washing their hands after shooting. Your wife may be a RN but that does not mean she remembers her basic chemistry. Unless you start casting zinc you will not be doing much shooting because non lead projectiles are expensive.


As an alternative why not build or buy a bullet trap? You can shoot all the lead you want and if you do not reload sell or give it away. You can find the plans on the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdPSAoPx3R0


Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:54 pm
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Thanks for the bullet trap info but I'm going to stick with using lead free bullets. Paying a few cents more per bullet is a lot less hassle than having to deal with lead capture/disposal for me.

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Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:29 am
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A few cents more...... you must be really math challenged. I load lead free for SD rounds and each bullet costs 50 cents then I have the primers and powder cost so my Fort Scott loaded cartridges run me around 54 cents each my cost.


Wed Aug 14, 2019 11:10 am
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hartcreek wrote:
A few cents more...... you must be really math challenged. I load lead free for SD rounds and each bullet costs 50 cents then I have the primers and powder cost so my Fort Scott loaded cartridges run me around 54 cents each my cost.
No need for insults. I've paid as little as 4 cents for lead free frangible bullets from American Reloading. They are currently out, but I've seen them selling regularly over the last couple years so no doubt they will be available again.

Lead free does not automatically mean CNC turned copper bullets that are exclusively for hunting/defense.


Wed Aug 14, 2019 11:39 am
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