Precision Delta Bullets
Ok, I've reloaded a hundred rounds of .45 auto and 100 rounds of 9mm--my first time loading pistol. For arguments sake, I used 6 grains of Unique for the .45 and 6 grains of Power Pistol for the 9mm. Precision Delta bullets for both (230 FMJ and 115 FMJ). (I actually used two different charges per caliber for 50 each...per manual, but that's more detail than necessary for this thread).
Here's the problem: I went back and weighed the .45 rounds after I made them, just to make sure I didn't squib and forget to charge a round with powder. All rounds were plus or minus 1 grain or less (average 320.4 grains) of each other except one. It was 6 grains light.
Sounds like I missed a charge, right? I pulled the round apart, and sure enough, it was charged with powder. What the heck? The brass was consistent (same headstamp for all cases). I weighed the bullet. IT WAS 6 GRAINS LIGHT (224 grains).
Dang. You guessed it, I weighed bullets for the next 40 minutes. After weighing 437, I stopped. My chart showed an average weight of 230.5 grains so I used that as benchmark. Measured deviation was plus .7 grain max (from 230.5), to minus 1.0 grains on 435 of them. Pretty good, huh?
However, the two that were really out were off by 3 grains and 6.5 grains respectively (this is the one I pulled apart).
Extrapolating this to the box of 1000, I project that 5 of 1000 will be at least 3 grains off. The rest should be 90% within .5 grain, and 99.5% within 1 grain.
Is this good? Has anyone else measured reloading bullets and found better precision out there? And how much would a -6 grain light bullet affect accuracy at range distances of 10-25 yards? The price for these FMJ bullets is excellent.
If you want my full results, 191/437 (43.7%) were +/- .1 grain of 230.5, another 195 were +/- .4 grain (44.6%), and another 41/437 (9%) were within .7 grains. Except for the two wierdos, the final 8 were within 1.0 grains (all low).
I weighed all 100 finished 9mm rounds and didn't find any that were more than +/- 1 grain off. I have NOT yet weighed the bullets...
Here's the problem: I went back and weighed the .45 rounds after I made them, just to make sure I didn't squib and forget to charge a round with powder. All rounds were plus or minus 1 grain or less (average 320.4 grains) of each other except one. It was 6 grains light.
Sounds like I missed a charge, right? I pulled the round apart, and sure enough, it was charged with powder. What the heck? The brass was consistent (same headstamp for all cases). I weighed the bullet. IT WAS 6 GRAINS LIGHT (224 grains).
Dang. You guessed it, I weighed bullets for the next 40 minutes. After weighing 437, I stopped. My chart showed an average weight of 230.5 grains so I used that as benchmark. Measured deviation was plus .7 grain max (from 230.5), to minus 1.0 grains on 435 of them. Pretty good, huh?
However, the two that were really out were off by 3 grains and 6.5 grains respectively (this is the one I pulled apart).
Extrapolating this to the box of 1000, I project that 5 of 1000 will be at least 3 grains off. The rest should be 90% within .5 grain, and 99.5% within 1 grain.
Is this good? Has anyone else measured reloading bullets and found better precision out there? And how much would a -6 grain light bullet affect accuracy at range distances of 10-25 yards? The price for these FMJ bullets is excellent.
If you want my full results, 191/437 (43.7%) were +/- .1 grain of 230.5, another 195 were +/- .4 grain (44.6%), and another 41/437 (9%) were within .7 grains. Except for the two wierdos, the final 8 were within 1.0 grains (all low).
I weighed all 100 finished 9mm rounds and didn't find any that were more than +/- 1 grain off. I have NOT yet weighed the bullets...
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That is very common with run of the mill bullets. That is why bullseye shooters go to great lengths to make sure everything is consistent and buy match grade bullets. You would see no difference at 25 yards in impact.
You can get super precision bullets from Zero Bullet Co, or by casting/swaging your own. For the average shooter, plinking at cans the shooter add more variables than the bullet does.0 -
Thanks, Bpost.
I called the company I got the bullets from and the rep told me he heard lots of complaints about Precision Delta bullets--he won't buy any more to sell.
Also, I didn't state above that the bullets are dirty and oily, looks like powdered lead residue all over them, makes the finished cartridges dirty, too, even with freshly tumbled and shined brass.
I won't be buying more PD bullets. You're right, Zero look better and aren't more expensive. I'm also looking at X treme plated bullets--I got samples and they are shiny, beautiful, fully plated (no exposed lead) and loaded fine. I'll shoot them this weekend.
Live, learn.0
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