So I am looking at starting to reload some ammo for a couple of the guns I have but I have this question that lingers in my mind as of late. I notice that when you go to purchase bullets you can buy them coated or not. Is it necessary to coat them and if not what is the advantage either way?

I think you're talking about the moly coated bullets. The coating reduces friction between the bullet and the barrel. I also understand that it can be VERY hard to clean. So far I've felt no need to try them. But I'll bet some of the others here have an have better info for you.

I think you are right Punkin...and yes, from what I have heard amongst my mates, the moly coating left behind in the barrel can be extremely difficult to remove. It also affects the ballistics of the bullet, so you will need to go back to square one with your load development.

There is a proprietary coating that you can get for your barrel that is supposed to increase barrel life quite dramatically and also, allegedly, improve accuracy. Can't for the love of me remember what it is called though.

Cheers, Vince

Ultra Bore Coat

Moly coated bullets have several advantages. They reduce friction in the barrel along with copper fouling so you can go longer without cleaning (that may be improtant in a long match). You typically have to load several grains of powder more to get back to max pressure which usually improve velocity performance. Load data for moly coated bullets can not be used for non-moly coated bullets. The moly actually gets deposited on your barrel as the bullet travels down the bore. It will take several shots to coat the barrel the first time and after cleaning. A shooting buddy likes to use moly in his target rifle because he feels he gets more consistent, albeit lower, neck tension. I used moly coated bullets in my mini-14 before.

However, after studying it further I chose not to use moly coated bullets in my other rifles for the following reason.

- It adds one more variable to the loading process that you have to control.
- Once you start using moly coated bullets in a gun, you can not switch back to non-moly bullets until the barrel is cleaned of the moly.
- It takes a lot of cleaning to get the moly completely out of the bore to obtain consistent results from non-moly bullets. Then how could I be sure it was all gone.

If you want some more information try this website.

www.shootingsoftware.com/moly.htm

slimjim wrote:

- It adds one more variable to the loading process that you have to control. - Once you start using moly coated bullets in a gun, you can not switch back to non-moly bullets until the barrel is cleaned of the moly. - It takes a lot of cleaning to get the moly completely out of the bore to obtain consistent results from non-moly bullets. Then how could I be sure it was all gone.

Add to the list that moly is hygroscopic (attracts moisture), a condition that is not a good idea for barrels.

I have tried (in a very unscientific way) moly treatments to bores and bullets both with mixed results. About the only thing I can say about any good results I obtained is that accuracy wasn't any worse than my normal loads. In some instances however, accuracy went south fast.

Many people swear by moly bullets and/or treatments and I'm sure an equal number swear at them. Just as with anything in life you just have to see what works best for you and your particular firearms.

Swampman wrote:

Ultra Bore Coat

Has anyone had experience with this product?

The guys on the Modern Muzzleloader forum rave about it. I haven't seen the need. I don't like Moly coated bullets because you can't switch back and forth with uncoated bullet.

tlo7mm wrote:

Is it necessary to coat them and if not what is the advantage either way?

No it's not necessary.........they work just fine naked !!!

From what I've read it's best to start with a new barrel if your going to use moly and never use any bore cleaners that have ammonia in it.

The benchrest crowd probably has the most experience on the subject.