Cast bullets in a 10mm auto

[Bud H]

One of the first things I do when I buy a pistol/ revolver is get dies and a bullet mold if I need them. I'm not playing where's waldo with bullets on a pistol if I don't have to.

Yep, I do this with every gun I buy, even thinking of buying or making a shot maker also.

 

[huntingskydiver]

One of the first things I do when I buy a pistol/ revolver is get dies and a bullet mold if I need them. I'm not playing where's waldo with bullets on a pistol if I don't have to.

As a backup is ok, but in situations where bullets are available I see no reason for it.

 

[VinceMule]

Many pistol barrels are worn very badly in 5000 jacketed rounds fired, while 25,000 in the cast is about right.

 

[Bud H]

As a backup is ok, but in situations where bullets are available I see no reason for it.

Each to his own, I see casting as another avenue in reloading and cheaper then buying bullets all the time.i started casting bullets in the early eighties though.

 

[Old Rooster]

I started casting in the 70's and there was lead everywhere!I got lead for free from a lot of sources.Wheel weights were plentiful and then they went to zinc and that stopped that.I buy lead now and buy already made bullets.Just got an order in from Montana Bullets for 200 gr Hard Cast Coated bullets.It has become a hobby that includes math and science.I keep notes as my memory is not as good as it once was but I really enjoy casting my own bullets,except when it's zero degrees.

 

[clemens]

Buffalo bore makes a 200g solid cast for the 10mm. Just watched penetration test video, was interesting to see. They were using a springfield armory 10mm. Found a Ruger redhawlk in 10mm that I had no clue Ruger even made.

 

[meatyrem]

Not sure if the buffalo bore are coated. The ones I seen don't appear to be. Apparently when the cast are coated they don't lead in the barrel. I understand underwood has coated cast 220's and will probably pick them up. Alaska, I got my Glock 40 and already installed the NDZ 22lb spring. Not that I'll use it all the time but just when I use heavy loads. Haven't had it out yet but will soon when it's not so nasty out. Thanks for the information.

 

[GuntherRLII]

I would not recommend shooting cast bullets in any high velocity pistol, (The 10 mm will reach velocities of 1400 ft/sec)

I have/do shoot hard cast bullets and found that velocities of 900+ ft/sec was problematic.

Policemen sometimes practice using cast bullets in there 40 S&Ws at reduced velocities but still
get some leading and have to keep an eye on the barrel condition.

IMO The 10mm auto is just about the most powerful semi auto available that can be carried, and good bullets are a must.

I understand the cost thing but you can buy bulk jacketed bullets fairly cheep and the difference is worth the extra cost.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

I had the attitude bullets needed to be hard to not lead. Well, they got too hard and leaded worse. I softened them way up and used SPG. I get a very light frosting that doesn't cause issues. This is with revolvers mostly though, in these if they're cast too hard they will tilt when they hit the forcing cone. I had to actually recover a few bullets and look at the engraving the rifling put on them. They were engraved heavily on one side of the front driving band and on the opposite rear band. the other side on front and rear had very little engraving. OK, I know autos have to be somewhat hard because of the way they feed but if you want to bother with gas checks, which I don't. You might be able to find something. My advice, a Keith type bullet with SQUARE grease grooves and soft, like SPG, lube.

 

[lyle2231]

I have a stainless bisley in 45 colt. It's a fine piece but I don't shoot it very much because it's pretty heavy. I've been rolling around the idea of trading it toward a 10mm auto, most likely the Glock 20sf, but I wasn't sure about cast bullets in a 10mm.

I've read post after post about the stopping power of the 10mm with various jacketed bullets. I'd like to use hard cast bullets if for no other reason than cost and what I think would be superior penetration over jacketed bullets. (Opinions welcomed)

Has anyone loaded a 10mm with a good hard cast bullet? I've used Dry Creek bullets in my 45 and love them. I really like them because they're affordable and Lynn is an easy guy to get in touch with who also stands by his products.

I don't cast nor do I see myself starting in the foreseeable future so I'd be buying any cast bullets. Next to quality, available and price are pretty important to me.

Keith

Back in my IHMSA days I shot 10mm from my TC. Lee cast mold 185gr I think with the starting load of Winchester 571.

 

[Model19Man]

I have a stainless bisley in 45 colt.

Keith

Colt never made any Bisley in stainless nor did Uberti, so you must own a Ruger. Those are capable of much higher energy than any 10MM pistol. I think you need to keep what you have and read up about it. a cast 45 255 grain Colt bullet at 1500 FPS will take care of just about anything.

 

[Old Rooster]

It has been mentioned before but I'll mention it again,if you get any leading check your fitment!
You can get soft lead to slug your bore,see youtube to see how to do that if you don't know.Cast a bullet .001 to .002 over that size and gas cannot get around the bullet and it can fully obturate in the barrel and seal it off completely,no leading!
Also you can coat a lead bullet so lead never contacts the bore.Again see youtube if you don't know how.

 

[arch408]

Lot of opinions here. Here' mine. I shoot cast bullets almost exclusively. Almost. So far, all of my hand gun shooting has been practicing plinking, small game hunting. All of my bullets were cast with recycled wheel weights. I used to get them free at tire stores. I've never had the problems with cast bullets that "so called experts" they have claimed to have. I shoot them in my 9mm's, 40S&W's, .38/.357's, .41 mags, .44mags, 45 ACP's, 10mm's, 32-20, .45 Colt, .357 Herrett.,.357 maximum, and many of my rifles. I have never shot jacketed bullets in my 45-70's. I shoot cast bullets almost exclusively in my .30 Carbine. I have had minor leading issues in my rifles, but nothing that minor brushing will not clean out. I get top velocities out of my auto pistols with Win WSF Powder. Where I draw the line with Cast bullets is 1, I will not shoot them in polygonal riflings. I've never had leading problems in them because they are not accurate in them so I don't use them. 2. I will not use them for self defense because of over penetration. So, if you want to try cast bullets, do it and form your own opinion. BTW, I use mostly, my own cast bullets. Size them correctly, use hood lube and I don't think you will have any problems.

 

[del2les]

I started casting in the 70's and there was lead everywhere!I got lead for free from a lot of sources.Wheel weights were plentiful and then they went to zinc and that stopped that.I buy lead now and buy already made bullets.Just got an order in from Montana Bullets for 200 gr Hard Cast Coated bullets.It has become a hobby that includes math and science.I keep notes as my memory is not as good as it once was but I really enjoy casting my own bullets,except when it's zero degrees.

Similar. We began casting bullets in the 70's, and at that time, wheel weights were free and so was a lot of lead pipe, shower flooring, old hospital x-ray lead, batteries, etc. Then sometime in the 80's, we began paying 10 cents per lb for wheel weights from our local tire shop in, usually, 80-100 lb metal 5 gal grease cans.

Most every year, we fired many, many thousands of lead bullets through numerous handguns, rifles, muzzle loaders, etc. Especially during the varied handgun competitions and training. Today and usually, I keep about 3-500 lbs of lead on hand, and about a year or so ago, I began to find tire shop wheel weights free again. Seems almost no one wants it around here anymore, and same for range lead at the area ranges.

In this day and age, shooting thousands of rounds a year with factory jacketed bullets can become rather costly and, often, can be difficult to find. Casting is one way to reduce these costs and maintain a more secure supply of bullets.

Edit: Here are the varied calibers we shoot cast bullets in as best I can recall:
Rifle:
222 Rem
223 Rem
30-30
308
30-06
303 Brit
357 Rifle
44 Rifle
45 Rifle
50 cal ML
54 cal ML

Handgun:
7mm TCU
7mm Int R
30-30
30-30AI
380 ACP
9mm
38 Super
9x23 Win
38 S&W
38 Sp
357 mag
357 Herrett
357 Max
40 cal
44 Sp
44 mag
45 ACP
45 Super
45 LC
36 cal BP revolver
44 cal BP revolver

 

[GAWriter]

I have a stainless bisley in 45 colt. It's a fine piece but I don't shoot it very much because it's pretty heavy. I've been rolling around the idea of trading it toward a 10mm auto, most likely the Glock 20sf, but I wasn't sure about cast bullets in a 10mm.

I've read post after post about the stopping power of the 10mm with various jacketed bullets. I'd like to use hard cast bullets if for no other reason than cost and what I think would be superior penetration over jacketed bullets. (Opinions welcomed)

Has anyone loaded a 10mm with a good hard cast bullet? I've used Dry Creek bullets in my 45 and love them. I really like them because they're affordable and Lynn is an easy guy to get in touch with who also stands by his products.

I don't cast nor do I see myself starting in the foreseeable future so I'd be buying any cast bullets. Next to quality, available and price are pretty important to me.

Keith

I just bought a 10mm and some ammo that I picked up for it is Underwood Ammo hard cast 200 grain. If it's offered commercially, it's gotta be fine.