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BlDtyLry
Site Supporter
Location: Snohomish, WA Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 Posts: 1366
Real Name: Bo
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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
_________________ "I don't know what it's called. I just know the sound it makes, when it takes a man's life." ~ Four Leaf Tayback
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Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:16 pm |
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Yondering
Site Supporter
Location: Skagit County, in the woods Joined: Tue Apr 7, 2015 Posts: 1058
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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.
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Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:50 pm |
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beckdw
Site Supporter
Location: Tri -Cities Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 Posts: 2798
Real Name: David
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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
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Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:38 pm |
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BlDtyLry
Site Supporter
Location: Snohomish, WA Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 Posts: 1366
Real Name: Bo
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Mostly for target shooting in the yard.
_________________ "I don't know what it's called. I just know the sound it makes, when it takes a man's life." ~ Four Leaf Tayback
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Mon Aug 12, 2019 6:47 pm |
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Yondering
Site Supporter
Location: Skagit County, in the woods Joined: Tue Apr 7, 2015 Posts: 1058
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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?
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Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:44 pm |
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BlDtyLry
Site Supporter
Location: Snohomish, WA Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 Posts: 1366
Real Name: Bo
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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.
_________________ "I don't know what it's called. I just know the sound it makes, when it takes a man's life." ~ Four Leaf Tayback
Last edited by BlDtyLry on Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:32 am |
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hartcreek
Location: Union Gap Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 Posts: 1722
Real Name: Randall Knapp
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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?
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:43 am |
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os2firefox
Site Supporter
Location: Everett, WA Joined: Sat Aug 4, 2012 Posts: 2798
Real Name: Snek on de ladder
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Maybe he doesn't want lead contamination in his yard?
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:52 am |
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BlDtyLry
Site Supporter
Location: Snohomish, WA Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 Posts: 1366
Real Name: Bo
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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.
_________________ "I don't know what it's called. I just know the sound it makes, when it takes a man's life." ~ Four Leaf Tayback
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:42 pm |
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os2firefox
Site Supporter
Location: Everett, WA Joined: Sat Aug 4, 2012 Posts: 2798
Real Name: Snek on de ladder
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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.
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:47 pm |
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hartcreek
Location: Union Gap Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 Posts: 1722
Real Name: Randall Knapp
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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
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:54 pm |
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BlDtyLry
Site Supporter
Location: Snohomish, WA Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 Posts: 1366
Real Name: Bo
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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.
_________________ "I don't know what it's called. I just know the sound it makes, when it takes a man's life." ~ Four Leaf Tayback
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Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:29 am |
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hartcreek
Location: Union Gap Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 Posts: 1722
Real Name: Randall Knapp
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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.
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Wed Aug 14, 2019 11:10 am |
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beckdw
Site Supporter
Location: Tri -Cities Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 Posts: 2798
Real Name: David
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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.
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Wed Aug 14, 2019 11:39 am |
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