Problem with Xtreme bulletz

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Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby minnhawk on Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:21 pm

Ordered two boxes of 500 .45ACP bullets from Xtreme, one hollowpoint, one round nose, both 230gr copper coated. Once used range brass.

Had the nephews over to practice on a 20 year-old Hornady, well-maintained progressive press, . They aren't kids; both are in their 30s and are now wanting to learn reloading. They loaded 250 round nose under my watchful eye.

One watched the other, double checking everything, ESPECIALLY powder charge (4.5 gr 700X) The one watching also placed each cartridge into a "go, no-go" gauge and calipered one-in-five, as well as checked one-in-ten on the charge - all came out just fine.

The hollow points were a different story. While COL was never a problem, the doggone "go, no-go" gauge just hated those loaded HP cartridges. About two in five would hang up in the gauge. The pile of rounds to "unload" got pretty big. And yes, we were using an RCBS full-length sizing die to eradicate any "Glock bulge" issues. Mose cartridges would leave around 1/2" of brass sticking out.

The brother-in-law also in the reloading room thought that Xtreme bullets did not restrike the HP projectiles a second time, but did on the round nose. Bullets were too fat.

What's your best guess as to why these HP bullets wouldn't pass?

Oh yeah, they were having so much fun they asked if they could reload the other 250 round nose......it got to be a late night, but ya have to seize the moment sometimes to get the seeds firmly planted and ready to grow.
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Re: Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby noylj on Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:41 pm

Check bullet diameter with micrometer. Check rounds in YOUR barrel and not the gage—they may be perfect in your gun. Paint round(s) black and run Plunk test below and determine where the problem is.
If bulge is on case where the bottom of the bullet is, you have seated the bullet crooked. This can be due to incorrect seating stem, seating stem not being co-axial to seating axis, placing bullet on case crooked and the seating stem NOT being able to correct it, or you simply are not expanding the case enough (and I'm not talking about case mouth flare). The case ID should be 0.001-0.002" less than bullet diameter. Any more than that, and the bullet can force a bulge in the case where the case walls are thinnest.
The best seating die to solve the bullet being crooked is the Hornady with the floating alignment tube (whatever they call it). The next best is a Lee seating die and a custom seating stem that exactly matches the bullet.
If it is down just above the extractor groove, you have bulged cases that were not corrected during sizing.
>"RCBS full-length sizing die to eradicate any "Glock bulge" issues. Mose cartridges would leave around 1/2" of brass sticking out."
I am not aware of ANY RCBS full-length sizing die that can remove the "Glock" bulge. It occurs right near the shell holder and you can't size down lower that the shell holder. The best sizing dies for getting down as low as possible are the Hornady and Lee sizing dies. The only way to eliminate the bulge entirely is to use the Lee Bulge Buster or Redding GRX die—you have to be able to push the whole cartridge through the die.

Plunk Testing:
For those that don't know:
The solution to chambering problems is to determine the cause:
Take the barrel out of the gun. Drop rounds in until you find one that won't chamber. Take that round and "paint" the bullet and case black with Magic Marker or other marker. Drop round in barrel (or gage) and rotate it back-and-forth a couple of times.
Remove and inspect the round:
1) Scratches in the ink on bullet--COL is too long
2) Scratches in the ink on edge of the case mouth--insufficient crimp (residual case mouth flare)
3) Scratches in the ink just below the case mouth--too much crimp, you're crushing the case
4) Scratches in the ink on case at base of bullet--bullet seated crooked due to insufficient case expansion (not case mouth flare) or improper seating stem fit
5) Scratches in the ink on case just above extractor groove--case bulge not removed during sizing. May need a bulge buster.
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Re: Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby Holland&Holland on Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:28 pm

Never trust a bullet company that can't spell.
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Re: Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby Bessy on Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:10 am

Never been a fan of plated bullets. I prefer moly coated or fmj.

Extreme is owned by the same company that owns freedom.... freedom is know among competition shooters for blowing up guns.......
In Soviet Russia program executes you!
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Re: Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby xd ED on Fri Sep 14, 2018 10:31 am

Holland&Holland wrote:Never trust a bullet company that can't spell.


I don't know...
Berger's work pretty well for me. :hmm:
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Re: Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby BigDog58 on Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:51 pm

I use Xtreme Plated bullets for almost 100% of my reloads for handguns (thousands of rounds), and have never had an issue related to the bullet.

I have had a similar issue when reloading .45 ACP, but the issue was with the brass, not the bullet. It turned out that my Lee Expander Die was quite rough. OldmanFCSA put it in his lathe and smoothed it out for me, and I haven't had the issue again.
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Re: Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby Bearcatrp on Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:51 pm

I use Berry’s bullets. Never an issue. Tried to get cheap and bought another kind of plated bullets (forgot name) and got burned. Dam bullets peel all around seating the bullet. Never had a Berry’s bullet do that. Don’t think I have heard of Xtremebullets. Cheaper than Berry’s?
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Re: Problem with Xtreme bulletz

Postby BigDog58 on Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:41 pm

When Xtreme has a sale and free shipping, they are the cheapest I've found. I have never had any issue with the plating falling nor peeling off.

You can signup on their site for the weekly email, and you'll get regular notifications of the sales/free shipping. They used to have Flat Rate shipping of $5 but just looked and it has increased too $10, so waiting for a Free Shipping Sale, might be a decent cost savings.
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