The Synthetic Jacket Revolution

[rojocorsa]

So I've been "writing" for a year now and I just made my American Rifleman debut:


https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-synthetic-jacket-revolution-coated-bullets-on-the-rise/

The first rounds I ever loaded on my Dillon were Blue Bullets and hanging around USPSA matches, synthetic coatings have become a fact of life.

I know it's "controversial" but Ive even taken my coated loads to training class. No issues, but YMMV and it obviously depends on your own loads.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Nice article, Paul! I've been using thousands of SNS Casting's 148 DEWC and 160 LFN powder coated bullets over the past couple of years. I'd used their cast, lubricated bullets before and while the lubed ones shot great, I have to say the coated ones are much better in my experience. The reduction of smoke is very welcome and the revolvers leave the range a lot cleaner than before, too.

[JCN]

rojocorsa

Nice article.

Clarification and question:

The Syntech is over traditional soft lead projectile so unfortunately not “frangible” (which is usually a copper matrix that turns to dust when impacting a hard surface).

Syntech prevents splatter by holding the lead together in a little red (or whatever color) pancake (ask me how I know, lol).

I also can’t find anything about a 135gr Syntech PCC load.

They’ve had a 130gr load for years, initially as a round nose but more recently as a truncated flat nose.

Also as a fun fact, the “Catalyst” leadless primer is softer than traditional Federal primers and light off in revolvers even set down to 5 pound DA.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Also as a fun fact, the “Catalyst” leadless primer is softer than traditional Federal primers and light off in revolvers even set down to 5 pound DA.

JCN,

Leadless primers have had a reputation for failures to ignite for a long time. How many Catalyst rounds have you fired and how was the ignition reliability?

[JCN]

JCN,

Leadless primers have had a reputation for failures to ignite for a long time. How many Catalyst rounds have you fired and how was the ignition reliability?

Traditional old school leadless primers sucked.

The Federal catalyst is a different chemistry. I think a nitro based compound.

I have shot probably over 80,000 catalyst primed rounds.

I don’t keep track but every single gamer round I use has these primers.

Zero priming failures with semiautos.

I have been able to light strike revolvers using these primers when sub-5 pound DA…

Of course at that light weight, it fails to light off traditional primers as well.

When I experimented with which primers were softest and easiest to ignite I did some strain screw experiments and the Catalyst was more reliable than the traditional Federal primers at those low weights.

[Borderland]

Congratulations on the publication of a great article.

I've been using coated for about 4 years now from 3 different companies.

I'm not seeing any downside with coated lead. I think it's a good product and I don't use any non-coated lead bullets anymore.

The benefits have already been covered.

[Jim Watson]

Also as a fun fact, the “Catalyst” leadless primer is softer than traditional Federal primers and light off in revolvers even set down to 5 pound DA.

Too bad they do not think We Handloaders are worthy.

[jetfire]

rojocorsa

Also as a fun fact, the “Catalyst” leadless primer is softer than traditional Federal primers and light off in revolvers even set down to 5 pound DA.

I found the opposite to be true; that the Catalyst would have more failures to ignite than traditional Federal primers. I would get occasional light strikes with my 10mm Ruger GP100 using 205gr Syntech rounds, I got zero light strikes using 180gr American Eagle.

[JCN]

I found the opposite to be true; that the Catalyst would have more failures to ignite than traditional Federal primers. I would get occasional light strikes with my 10mm Ruger GP100 using 205gr Syntech rounds, I got zero light strikes using 180gr American Eagle.

Interesting.

Wonder if that has anything to do with either that particular gun or the caliber.

Most of my use has been 9mm.

I’ve never had any semi-auto light strikes with the 205 Syntech or revo light strikes with the 45ACP Syntech.

What trigger weight are you running on your Ruger?

[jetfire]

Interesting.

Wonder if that has anything to do with either that particular gun or the caliber.

Most of my use has been 9mm.

I’ve never had any semi-auto light strikes with the 205 Syntech or revo light strikes with the 45ACP Syntech.

What trigger weight are you running on your Ruger?

7lbs in DA.

I’ve never had any issues with the 9mm Syntech even in guns with lighter triggers

[LHS]

Congrats on another great article Paul!

[JCN]

7lbs in DA.

I’ve never had any issues with the 9mm Syntech even in guns with lighter triggers

One aside I’ll bring up regarding the Syntech coating, it can get a little “grippy” sometimes and hang up on dirty surfaces more than copper. I have to keep feed ramps for semiautos cleaner to prevent binding.

Same thing for high round extended mags.

There is a possibility that if a carbon ring in the revolver cylinder that the tip of the 40SW seats on that and cushions some of the hammer blow (I’ve had that happen before with loose moon clips and / or dirty chambers).

So maybe pay attention to cylinder cleanliness when a 40SW malfunction happens? If it happens on a clean chamber with a tight moon clip then it’s the cartridge. If it happens with a dirty cylinder or a loosely gripped moon, perhaps there’s a non-primer variable.

[Spartan1980]

I've also found coated to leave a bit of residue. They aren't as clean shooting as a CMJ or plated but they are close and a vast improvement over wax or dry lubed lead. I've shot many cases of ACME, Bayou and Blue bullets.

I went to ACME DE wadcutters when I couldn't get Hornady or PD and I ain't going back!

[jetfire]

So maybe pay attention to cylinder cleanliness when a 40SW malfunction happens? If it happens on a clean chamber with a tight moon clip then it’s the cartridge. If it happens with a dirty cylinder or a loosely gripped moon, perhaps there’s a non-primer variable.

After trying to control for as many variables as possible, including clean/dirty moon clips and cylinder cleanliness, I just abandoned the 40 S&W revolver for IDPA concept entirely and went back to 38 Special. Syntech 40 runs great out of my autos so I'm happy to shoot up my supplies there.

[WDR]

I wonder if Federal will ever actually put out their coated .38 wadcutter load they announced a while ago?... I was curious about that one.

I'd settle for FGMM wadcutters that were not a buck per round. I'm not totally opposed to carrying my own wadcutter handloads, but would buy some factory if it was available for a reasonable price.

[rojocorsa]

I wonder if Federal will ever actually put out their coated .38 wadcutter load they announced a while ago?... I was curious about that one.

I'd settle for FGMM wadcutters that were not a buck per round. I'm not totally opposed to carrying my own wadcutter handloads, but would buy some factory if it was available for a reasonable price.

I've been so damn busy but I've thought about working up my own coated WC loads and testing them.



JCN

The 135 PCC load premiered this year at SHOT. I remember it was specifically purple like the 147.

***
Caleb mentions the issues with the lead-free primers which I didn't know about until after I wrote that article (back in April). Since then Ive talked to another high level shooter who told me those ignition issues cost him a match. It was a caliber other than nine and I'm wondering if the issues have been sorted out by now.

While I personally have gotten very good results with 124gr Syntech in the accuracy the department, the reason I highlighted the entire product line was due to the fact that we now have a mainstream ammo company selling loaded cartridges with coated bullets.

[JCN]

In case anyone wondered, the Syntech is a total polymer jacket with enclosed base.

[Super77]

Traditional old school leadless primers sucked.

The Federal catalyst is a different chemistry. I think a nitro based compound.

I have shot probably over 80,000 catalyst primed rounds.


Are the Catalyst primers being offered as components, or are you saying you shot them in Syntec factory ammo?

[JCN]

Are the Catalyst primers being offered as components, or are you saying you shot them in Syntec factory ammo?

I shot them in Syntech but it sounds like they used that as a testing ground and are now going to roll them out into more ammo types. Separate primers are likely to follow someday.