Any thoughts on .429 vs. .430 bullet diameter in jacketed bullets?

Also I treat my bullets with Fastex which bonds a layer of lubricant 1 molecule thick on the bullet. I have used this product with great success for eliminating copper from building up on the barrel. I also treat my barrel with Fastex and in theory copper never touches the barrel.

Given that, has anyone developed an opinion on jacketed handgun bullet diameters?

Thanks.

Daryl

I would use .429" jacketed bullets, and .430" lead. Copper jacketed bullets take a lot more pressure to swage them into the rifling, and if you are .001" over bore already you're talking about some potential for serious pressure issues. Lead, being much softer, works well because will deform with much less pressure, and a slightly over bore diameter lead bullet seems to work better at sealing the bore and preventing gas cutting than a bore diameter.

I'm not familiar with Fastex, and I'm not personally a believer in the various snake oil bullet "lubricants". The fact is that, despite the coating, the bullet is still .001" over bore diameter, and the pressure necessary to squeeze the bullet into the bore is the same.

Mike

I've loaded quite a few Hornady XTP in my .44 mag in maximum loadings, with no pressure problems. They are .430". That said, I set out to find the most accurate load I could with the 240 grain XTP. After a lot of work, I came up with 23 grains of H110. Well below a max load. I've got a group hanging on my reloading room wall. 1rst 3 shots measure 1/2", 4th shot knocks it out to 1", and 5th shot flew out to 2 1/2". I should have put the Ruger SR 9 1/2" back down at three. I walked around for a long while fairly proud of myself until I read something in an article. Unbelieving, I checked around with a few old timers at the range. That load was well known, a classic! Seems that someone had already blazed that trail, long before me.

I use the Hornady XTP's as well, and I have noticed pressure signs well before where I do with a .429... now that being said, it doesn't keep me from using them...

as far as the "one molecule thick" lubricant, I think all you're going to do is smear it off in the forcing cone anyway.. and, if any surface is smooth enough to support a one-molecule finish, you're going to have trouble holding onto the object... be like trying to hold smoke..

Razorhead,

No you are wrong there. Fastex bonds at the molecular level applied to both the barrel and the bullet, the barrel will hold its coating for up to several hundred rounds. It is a proven lubricant and is used quite extensively with varminters and benchrest shooters. It is clean and will keep copper out of your barrel as the bullet and barrel will never actually touch at the molecular level. You can't just "peel" it off. I'm surprised you are not familiar with it. Check out the following Web site. http://www.varminthunters.com/fastex/

I don't know when you started useing that load, but i've been useing it since the 70's.. It is very accurate, and i've won a LOT of silhouette matches with it.

I never have to worry about copper fowling though, as i don't and won't use jacketed bullets in my revolvers!!! I won all my silhouette matches with the above load useing a 250 grain plain base SWC bullet i cast myself, and have even taken big game with it includeing moose, deer ect...

Hard cast bullets lubed with ALOX is all i use, and i don't see any reason to change that. In heavier loads, all jacketed bullets do is wear out your revolver faster..

Drilling Man

As I said above, this gun has won silhouette matches with Keith style cast bullets with gas checks and ALOX, BUT I don't want to cast bullets. I have too many other things going on and I just won't have the time and I don't need that many bullets. The price of a melting pot and molds would buy me a lifetime supply of 44 bullets.

If I could find a source of consistent bullets that I knew would be the same every time I bought them and they were already lubed with a gas check I would consider that. In lieu of that I want a jacketed bullet that will be the same whenever I buy them and I'm only going to shoot around 100 rounds per year after working up my initial load. Plus my experience with Fastex on copper jacketed bullets gives me little to worry about with copper buildup with so few rounds per year. I think I'm going to start with the Remington 240 gr JHP .429 diameter.

H110 with approximately 23grs, give or take, is my load no doubt.

Daryl