[huntswithdogs]

I've been shooting some of Ga Arms bullets in my Blackhawk. I've not experienced leading with the first ones I bought(2 boxes of 300), but this last batch has been leading the crap outa my barrel. Same loads,brass and all that. This is a light load that's not supposed to be over 850fps,according to the book. I don't own a Chronograph. They're shooting to the same point of aim as the first ones.

Do batches run softer sometimes? I haven't looked for a "made on date" or batch number on the box. But something is different about these.

HWD

 

[BigDog]

With some bullets, I notice there is a wider weight variation - and occasionally a little variation in diameter - and it wouldn't surprise me if there was a hardness difference as well. Unfortunately I think it varies more than we would like to think it does from lot to lot.

I used to load a lot of Rainier Ballistics and West Coast bullets - and I was having all kinds of grouping problems that would show up from time to time - and since I switched to Montana Gold my loads are a lot more consistent in terms of performance.

I don't have any specific info on hardness - but it wouldn't surprise me if they were softer - or just a hair bigger in diameter(but in tolerance) - and that's what is causing your issue.

 

[uglydog]

In lead shot for shotshells the hardness has dropped some in the past while due to the increase in the price of antimony. The very highest grades of shot haven't changed much but the middle and lower seem to have dropped the most. It wouldn't surprise me that this is happening across the board with other projectile types.