POLY COAT .44 MAG. TEST

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  • Last Post 02 February 2021
Boschloper posted this 01 February 2021

I have been using poly coated handgun bullets loaded in the 800 to 1100 fps range for several years.  Calibers include .32 H&R, 9mm, .357 Mag., .44 Mag., .45 Auto, and .45 Colts.  I have found these bullets to be equal in accuracy and cleaner shooting than wax lubricated bullets.  Today, for the first time, I tried my deer hunting .44 Mag. load with poly coated bullets.  The test handgun was a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter with a Nikon Force XR 2X scope.  The load was Lyman 429421 cast from scrap lead and coated with Eastwood Mirror Red over 23 grains of W-W 296 and a CCI 300 primer.  The course of fire was 6 shots off the bench at 50 yds. (2.8" group), then 38 shots at an 18" diameter gong at 200 yds. (5 shots to get the hold-over, then 31 hits and 2 misses.) then one more 6 shot group from the 50 yd. bench (2.5").  Temperature was 21 degrees F. and the wind was gusting up to 15 m.p.h.  (New Hampshire at it's finest.)  Once I was home and warmed up, I cleaned / inspected the gun, and found a few grains of un-burned powder and the typical soot that you see on a stainless gun after firing a box of ammo thru it.  There was no lead or poly coat in the chambers, forcing cone or bore.  The 2.8 and 2.5" groups are consistent with what I have seen from this gun with wax lubed bullets using both 296, and 4227.  Based on the results of this test, I am satisfied that I can use poly coated bullets for hunting (1400 fps) as well as casual target shooting and plinking (800 to 1100 fps).

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OU812 posted this 02 February 2021

So Poly coat is the same as Powder coat? Are some brands better than others.

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max503 posted this 02 February 2021

Thank you very good report.

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