Blue Bullets

Amp Mangum

Amp Mangum

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I recently switched to using Blue Bullets. Very consistent, no smoke and no smell. My IDPA load is a 230gr bullet under 4.2grs of Winchester WST for coated, lead or plated bullets. I've always got @745 feet per second but I loaded a batch of 230gr Blue Bullets and got @690 to 710 feet per second, anyone using them and if so, have you noticed them being slower than other coated projectiles?
 
I would start here...



Use a micrometer to check the diameter of about 20 projectiles. What is the average diameter? Determine if they are consistently the correct diameter.
 
Something as simple as seating depth (case volume under the bullet) can cause a difference in velocity.
 
That’s less than a 10% difference if your old load to the blue bullet load. If your happy with everything else , that drop in velocity will have zero real world impact
 
@Hashknife and @Toprudder are in the right place. The bullet is a different shape, could be a touch fatter so more barrel friction or could be a touch shorter so more free volume in the cartridge given the same OAL, probably a combination of both. I‘d add a tenth of powder and try, as @Slacker suggested, a touch more crimp to see if you can improve consistency.
 
in .45 they are definitely fatter. I have to seat them much deeper in the case (45 ACP) than I do for FMJ or Berry's plated or they don't chamber. Deeper than commercial ammo. For 9mm I love them but for 45 I'm never buying them again
 
BrettB said:
That’s less than a 10% difference if your old load to the blue bullet load. If your happy with everything else , that drop in velocity will have zero real world impact
Click to expand...
Got to be at least 717 feet per second to make IDPA power factor.
 
Hashknife said:
I would start here...



Use a micrometer to check the diameter of about 20 projectiles. What is the average diameter? Determine if they are consistently the correct diameter.
Click to expand...
Measured some and all are consistent .451.
 
huh.. a tad undersized? I had that issue with a batch of 9mm blues too. They were under sized and would not stay seated. I could not get proper neck tension. They're not all like that - the ones I'm loading now are perfect.


Try slugging your bore with a blue and see if that tells you anything?
 
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Amp Mangum said:
Measured some and all are consistent .451.
Click to expand...

Good deal! Now you know for sure they appear to all be a consistent size.

I believe .451" is also the groove diameter of a .45 barrel. @John Travis might have some info to confirm this.



.452" diameter is the spec. diameter of a .45 projectile.


You "might" be losing some pressure due to a less than perfect seal between the projectile and the barrel... (?)

If you make some minor changes to seating depth and crimp with little to no change in velocity, then I would say you are loosing gas pressure with a "small" projectile
 
Hashknife said:
I believe .451" is also the groove diameter of a .45 barrel. @John Travis might have some info to confirm this.



.452" diameter is the spec. diameter of a .45 projectile.
Click to expand...
Both are nominally .452 inch, but bore/groove diameter can vary. I've seen slugged bores run from .450-453 inch. but .451-.452 is most common. You don't know until you know.

Lead bullets should be sized to .453 but I've never had a problem with gas cutting and leading with .452 bullets unless they were too hard to obturate quickly.
 
If his projectiles w/coating are .451".....


• It would be interesting to see what is the diameter of the uncoated projectile.


• What is the coating thickness?


Sounds like the projectiles are made undersize and coated to produce the final sizing. Maybe you got some projectiles that are on the low side of the spec. (?)
 
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