How much bullet weight variance is OK?

[RustVendor]

So recently got some cast lead bullets from a company online (usreloading.com), purely because they were about 7 cents each. When they arrived I of course measured a sample and these 124 grn bullets were all over the place some going up to 135 grn. I'm looking at load data and see some concerning things. For example: powder charge for a 9mm 124gr bullet using HS-6 is 5.9 grains. The maximum is 6.4 grains. If you bump the bullet weight to 135 (which is what I've measured on these but some are 124) the powder charge is 5.2 grains with a maximum of 5.9. So if you are loading these as 124 grain bullets and what to go hotter, you are risking exceeding the safe pressure as 5.9 of HS-6 with a 135 grain bullet because you are at 33,400 PSI, the maximum SAAMI barrel pressure for 9mm is 35,000 PSI which you bumping against or going over with 6.2 or 6.4 grains. Anyone thinks this is something I should be worried about?

The company said I could return them, but pay a restocking fee and pay my own shipping so I'd basically be out 40 bucks if I returned them. Their logic: "it says they can vary by as much as 10%". And yes, I missed that on the page I bought them from but that's because I've never even HEARD of that much variance. I measured my DGs and Blues and they are all within 1 grn. Kind of shocked at how cavalier usreloading is about them I guess, seems sketchy. less so if you know what's what and just load light but if they send these to some dingus trying to load hot they may be in trouble.

 

[Nautworthy]

That’s way too much variance for my liking, I’d prefer no more than 1 or 2 gr difference. It will be tedious but you may want to sort them into batches with less variance and then load accordingly, keeping on the lower end of the scale.

Are these manufactured by the company you purchased them from, blems, or from some other ‘named’ company?

 

[RustVendor]

That’s way too much variance for my liking, I’d prefer no more than 1 or 2 gr difference. It will be tedious but you may want to sort them into batches with less variance and then load accordingly, keeping on the lower end of the scale.

Are these manufactured by the company you purchased them from, blems, or from some other ‘named’ company?

yeah I think I will have to just sort them. They are just the "house" brand from that company as far as I can tell. They weren't even THAT much cheaper, like 1.5 cents less than Blue Bullets, but you truly just get what you pay for haha.

 

[ikeo1]

I agree, 10% variance is a lot! I haven't seen more than 2 gr difference and even that's a lot. I had blues that were just over 1.2 gr. Even that caused me to switch from them to Precision Deltas. When you catch a sale its not too much more than what you're paying. Do you use a coupon code for the blues? I think last time i saw they were 7.5c for 124 TC. You can sort or ship back. I'd probably use this as training ammo and load lower. If you have access to a chrono. I'd check what it would be at 5.4-5.6. Since its insurance to go lower. I'd also do a test at 5.9 just to see what the PF is. If you're in the mid 135+ you should be fine to drop.

 

[bruce381]

I agree, 10% variance is a lot! I haven't seen more than 2 gr difference and even that's a lot. I had blues that were just over 1.2 gr. Even that caused me to switch from them to Precision Deltas. When you catch a sale its not too much more than what you're paying. Do you use a coupon code for the blues? I think last time i saw they were 7.5c for 124 TC. You can sort or ship back. I'd probably use this as training ammo and load lower. If you have access to a chrono. I'd check what it would be at 5.4-5.6. Since its insurance to go lower. I'd also do a test at 5.9 just to see what the PF is. If you're in the mid 135+ you should be fine to drop.

my own cast bullets after culling for obvious defects like wrinkles and not filled out etc are <1%, however lube or a PC coating will make a variance more than that and is normal but 10% yeah no good

 

[RustVendor]

I agree, 10% variance is a lot! I haven't seen more than 2 gr difference and even that's a lot. I had blues that were just over 1.2 gr. Even that caused me to switch from them to Precision Deltas. When you catch a sale its not too much more than what you're paying. Do you use a coupon code for the blues? I think last time i saw they were 7.5c for 124 TC. You can sort or ship back. I'd probably use this as training ammo and load lower. If you have access to a chrono. I'd check what it would be at 5.4-5.6. Since its insurance to go lower. I'd also do a test at 5.9 just to see what the PF is. If you're in the mid 135+ you should be fine to drop.

yeah I load light anyway so it's mostly hypothetical when I brought being over pressure, but that's a whole other discussion outside of accuracy. And yes you are totally right, without a coupon at Blue Bullets I got my last haul for like 8c each with tax and all that. I'll likely just load these up and see what they do, I do actually have a chrono so i'm kinda interested to see. I've only really loaded good quality bullets and 9mm is pretty simple so I've never really had much variance.

 

[Sal0327]

I would separate them by weight and reload accordingly per reliable reloading manual specs.

 

[RustVendor]

my own cast bullets after culling for obvious defects like wrinkles and not filled out etc are <1%, however lube or a PC coating will make a variance more than that and is normal but 10% yeah no goo

I've never cast my own but that's what I assume, 10% of 124 is almost a gram so it cant just be the coating I don't think.

Incidentally it's usreloadingsupply.com not usreloading.com as my first post says, can't edit the first post..

 

[Malibu]

I’ve run many bullets in handguns with wide variations and never had an issue, even with charges of Bullseye.
I use mid-range loads in handguns. For typical pistol-length distances you will hardly even notice.
If you load hot enough to avoid squibs, good to go.

 

[RustVendor]

yeah I loaded them up and they're fine, I won't buy them again on principle but I'm honestly not even good enough for it to matter haha