We spend six months each year in Idaho and six months in Arizona. Up in Idaho we shoot in both the IDPA and ICORE clubs. There are some really fine shooters in each venue. This summer, we learned much from many helpful shooters. We were particularly interested in learning about cast lead bullets. Several of the shooters Missouri Bullets. One of the shooters, however, uses Heavy Metal Bullets out of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Trent C., the shooter who recommended Heavy Metal Bullets competes with a 1911 in IDPA. He's really fast and accurate and makes it all look so easy. I was impressed the very first time I saw him shoot and my respect for his skills only continued to grow as the season went on. Trent swears by Heavy Metal Bullets. He loves them.
I checked out the Heavy Metal Bullets website and found it to be a really fun little website. It's nothing fancy bu there are some fun comments on the website. By and by, we purchased a Colt M1917 .45 ACP revolver. Everyone told us to use cast lead bullets. Our thoughts turned to Heavy Metal Bullets and we ordered 500 of their 200 grain semi-wad cutter with the bevel base. Owner William Simmons runs a one man shop but he is really dedicated to customer service. He is very prompt in replying to emails and very helpful. When I talked with him on the phone he was really gracious and didn't mind me asking my typical dumb questions. Ordering online was a piece of cake and the website calculated Arizona sales tax properly. I was able use Pay Pal for the payment, something I very much appreciated. Total "out the door" delivered cost of those 500 bullets was a wee bit less than $50. The bullets themselves were $45, tax was $3.58 and shipping was free.
I ordered the bullets on a Thursday and picked them up at the Post Office Saturday. Friday was Veterans Day but I'm guessing they would have been delivered Friday if the Post Office as open.
The bullets shoot great in the M1917 but they don't load well with moon clips. They get hung up on the shoulders of the semi-cutter geometry. Once they are in the cylinder they are great to shoot on 5.4 grains of Unique with CCI #300 primers. The friend who built my 1911 told me to use them in the 1911. He said I would be surprised. Boy, was he ever right!
Since I received the custom 1911 this summer, I have been using 185 grain hollow base plated Berry's bullets from St. George, Utah. Now, I will be only using Heavy Metal Bullets in the 1911. They feed like a dream and they are SOOOO accurate in that 1911. They are a dream to use in reloading. I am an old-fashioned reloader who uses a Lee "O" press, (AKA: The Challenger). Anyway, I use a walnut loading block and typically line up 25 rounds to charge with powder. I can now easily place 25 of the Heavy Metal Bullets in the belled mouths of those casings with now problem. This saves me a gob of time and makes reloading so much easier. The bullets seat well and they feed like the proverbial butter and fire as smooth as silk. There is no leading in the Bar-Sto barrel of the 1911. I am very pleased.
Today I received a followup email from William Simmons wondering if I had received the bullets. I decided to write this blog post to commend him on a "job well done" in casting, sizing and lubing lead bullets. I will now place my loaded Berry's bullets on the back burner and use them only when I don't have anything else to shoot. I will be shooting in an IDPA match in Phoenix November 19th and really look forward to using the Heavy Metal Bullets there. If anyone asks what I am using, I sure will be happy to tell them my high regard for Heavy Metal Bullets.
It's ironic that I started using the Heavy Metal Bullets in the 1911 only because I was looking for something to use in the M1917. Everything works out for a good purpose--no doubt about it. Thanks, William for your great customer service. There's no doubt I will be a loyal customer for a long time to come.
Click here to visit the Heavy Metal Bullets website.
Have a great day & Happy Shooting, jp
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