Softnosed Bullets

[TBT]

What are they? I bought a resetting metal target and it says to only use softnosed bullets with it. All I use are white box ... are those considered softnosed?

[MLB]

I believe they are referring to non-jacketed (lead) bullets. WWB are jacketed. Jacketed bullets are also sometimes called "hardball"

[TBT]

So if I want to use my target I have to pick up lead bullets. Is that gonna mess up my Kimber? I've heard bad things about lead but I can't remember what.

["DoubleAction"]

TBT; When shooting the flat nose lead bullets, make sure your pistol will feed them okay, Some pistols have a time feeding them. Also; When shooting lead, clean the bore out before you go back to shooting the full metal jackets.
The lead bullets are also alot less expensive than the copper jackets.
When I was shooting lead through my Commander, I would break it down and clean it in a wash basin, using water and green cleaner.

[TBT]

DoubleAction said:

TBT; When shooting the flat nose lead bullets, make sure your pistol will feed them okay, Some pistols have a time feeding them. Also; When shooting lead, clean the bore out before you go back to shooting the full metal jackets.
The lead bullets are also alot less expensive than the copper jackets.
When I was shooting lead through my Commander, I would break it down and clean it in a wash basin, using water and green cleaner.

Nasty stuff huh? I'm a little worried about feeding those through the Kimber, my baby.

Where do you buy lead bullets? I can't say I have ever seen 45ACP lead bullets around here.

Also ... on the box the target came in it tells me that I have to use it at a minimum distance of 100 yards. I'm telling you what, at 100 yards using a 3.5 inch barrel, I' lucky to hit the broad side of a barn. They say any closer and it's a danger.

Are they serious?

It's the do-all traps reseting target for the 38-44.


www.do-alltraps.com

[klmhq]

You might try White Box defense rounds. They are partially jacketed. The front half of the bullet is lead.

Someone else might tell you if this is a good idea or not. I just mention it.

Kev

[MLB]

I have a hard time finding them too. There's a local gun shop that carries them, but they're actually just as expensive as WWB, and they're reloads.

At the risk of denting up the target, I'd light it up with jacketed loads.

As regards the safe distance, 100 yards is quite a reach with a handgun. At that range, I could use depleted uranium shells, because I'm not going to hit it anyway. Are you sure it's not 100 ft? Thier legal team must be the nervous type. ;D

["DoubleAction"]

Some Target grade pistols will have a channel cut in the throat of the chamber to guide the lead wadcutter bullets. I noticed this about my Colt Gold Cup Trophy; It was one of those features that impressed me about the pistol when I first saw it.

[TBT]

Nope ... clear as day "this target must be used at a minimum distance of 100 yards. They must be nervous. Frankly, if I use my Kimber I use it for CQC, I would be using the target at around 15 yards.

I'm not worried about screwing the target up. If I only get a couple months out of it, fine. What I am worried about is if it would be dangerous to use the target at 25 yards or so using FMJ bullets.

["DoubleAction"]

TBT; Those FMJ bullets will ricochet off those steel plates; You might be better off using Bowling Pins or something than can absorb the impact. You can make a saw horse with long legs and hang the pins with twine to keep from resetting them.
That is why I do not buy the steel plate targets.

[TBT]

I hear ya DA ... and I guess I knew that answer. The ricochet is what I was worried about.

My issue with the sawhorse and such is it just seems like that would be a pain in the butt lugging to and from the range.

I dunno ... I'll probably just take back the self reset target. I might keep it though because I'm looking into picking up an assault rifle which I could use at a long distance.

["DoubleAction"]

I saw a guy using one of the resetting steel plate targets; He was using lead wadcutters and he was still getting ricochets. Some of the bullets were coming back toward his feet. I never had much use for them after seeing that. You can get saw horse brackets that let the legs fold up, which can be tied down on the luggage rack of a SUV. I drill 1" dowel holes in the top brace of the horse to mount targets on the end of wood dowels. It's not easy finding something to substitute for the pop up plate system; I've also looked at them on many occassions.

[klmhq]

My dad reloads lead bullets. I know he has a .45 die. If you really want to try it, I could get some to you.

Let me know.

Kev

[TBT]

DoubleAction said:

I saw a guy using one of the resetting steel plate targets; He was using lead wadcutters and he was still getting ricochets. Some of the bullets were coming back toward his feet. I never had much use for them after seeing that. You can get saw horse brackets that let the legs fold up, which can be tied down on the luggage rack of a SUV. I drill 1" dowel holes in the top brace of the horse to mount targets on the end of wood dowels. It's not easy finding something to substitute for the pop up plate system; I've also looked at them on many occassions.

I thought about using clay birds as well. I could have a smaller target (30'x30'?) that had nails or such that you held the birds on with. You could use like 3/4 inch plywood for the backing ...

[TBT]

klmhq said:

My dad reloads lead bullets. I know he has a .45 die. If you really want to try it, I could get some to you.

Let me know.

Kev

Thanks man, I'll let you know if I decide to try it out.