Lead vs plated ammo

[Hotboy]

I'm awaiting my first .22, a Browning Buck Mark, and I'm looking at stocking up on ammo when available.

Is plated ammo cleaner to shoot than lead ammo? Or does most of the dirt come from the detonation byproducts rather than the bullet material?

I watched a couple videos on the field strip/cleaning of the Buck Mark, and I'm thinking it might be best to shoot the cleanest ammo I can get to be able to go longer between cleanings.

EDITED to replace "FMJ" with "plated" after I found out the difference...

[RawHP]

I'm awaiting my first .22, a Browning Buck Mark, and I'm looking at stocking up on ammo when available.

Is FMJ ammo cleaner to shoot than lead ammo? Or does most of the dirt come from the detonation byproducts rather than the bullet material?

I watched a couple videos on the field strip/cleaning of the Buck Mark, and I'm thinking it might be best to shoot the cleanest ammo I can get to be able to go longer between cleanings.

First, I don't know of any 22LR ammo that is full metal jacket, but high velocity 22LR ammo is usually plated. Generally you can drive a plated bullet at slightly higher velocities than plain lead, and you can drive a FMJ or TMJ bullet much higher than both. If you drive a lead bullet at too high a velocity (bigger powder charge), the barrel can become leaded. But there are other factors like the alloy content of the lead (hardness) and lube used that will allow a lead bullet to be driven at higher velocities. Most standard velocity are lead bullets and lubed, so no problem with leading as long as the bore of your barrel isn't rough. For high velocity, plating acts like a lube, but good plated bullets, like CCI MiniMags, are plated and well lubed. CCI Blazer is lead, but is well lubed and likely a harder alloy. There are some high velocity lead bullets that are coated instead of plated (nylon/teflon/mystery coating??).

You're not going to have a rough barrel with a Buck Mark, so I don't think it matters, as long as you don't have a habit of wiping off the lube on lead bullets. Clean or dirty really has to do with the powders used. Good target or match ammo burns really clean. Bulk ammo plinking is generally dirty. Remington Thunderbolt is probably dirtiest of the bulks, but accurate in some guns. CCI Blazer if fairly dirty, but accurate in most guns. CCI MiniMags are pretty clean from my experience. If you clean regularly, it doesn't matter. I rarely clean the bore, but mostly the action and around the crown on my 22s.

[Hotboy]

Thanks Raw...I still don't know all the lingo, so when I referred to "jacketed," I was really thinking about plated bullets like CCI MiniMags versus lead bullets like Federal AutoMatch or American Eagle.

[Ishooter]

If you shoot semi-auto guns, stick with plated ammo. It's cleaner and helps with the functionality of the semi-auto guns. Exposed lead ammo will make it foul quick and will start jamming the guns.

[Spyder]

Buy it all, shoot it all. Decide on a price point per round that you're willing to pay, and buy whatever shows up at or under that. For everyday shooting, they're all just as good as the others.

[edgerly779]

You should amend your title to lead vs. plated ammo.

[Mutant]

And remember, you can clean your firearm if it fouls. Buy various and see which you gun likes. I found this is much more important in 22s than I thought while growing up (if I actually did ?).

[Rosebud22]

Buy it all, shoot it all.

^^^This.
On the Buckmark with slide back, both sides of the chamber is open. I use Q-tip soaked in Hopps to swab out the chamber area .Run a patch down the barrel and little oil on the slide=DONE. Every once and awhile I will take it all a part.
You will enjoy this pistol. It is fun to shoot and accurate.

[Calif Hunter]

I have a 1950's High Standard Sportking that will not feed plain lead bullets. It requires the copper-washed bullets. My Ruger MKII and a S&W 22 auto feed everything well. I must admit that I do not clean the Ruger or the S&W as frequently as I should. I also have an ISSC pistol that requires frequent cleaning to function consistently and also only works with certain high velocity ammo ( Mini Mags, Rem Golden Bullets and some hyper velocity stuff.) I don't own a Buckmark, but from everyone I know who does, you shouldn't have any issues with it.

[Hotboy]

I use Q-tip soaked in Hopps to swab out the chamber area .Run a patch down the barrel and little oil on the slide=DONE. Every once and awhile I will take it all a part.

I field stripped it to clean and lube it, but putting it back together was kind of a pain...that's good to know that I can lube the slide without removing it.

You should amend your title to lead vs. plated ammo.

Unfortunately, thread titles cannot be edited.

[sofbak]

Thread titles CAN be edited. Click on the "Advanced" button once u are in basic edit mode.

[ExtremeX]

Try both, and stick to what shoots the best for you.

Between the plated and lead ammo I have used... I generally find the lead to be more accurate in my guns.

That said, I do like plated.

[Ishooter]

I don't like dirty lead ammo. I bought a brick of Remington Thunderbolt, shot about 100 rounds, it fouled up my revolver so quick, and I gave the rest to my cousin.

[Citadelgrad87]

In my experience, which consists of trying to wear out the barrel on a 10/22 with repeated 50 round mag dumps all through high school, a 1050s Remington field master pump, and a couple decent pistols, a ruger 22/45 competition and a colt woodsman, I shoot what I can find, used to shoot what I could afford, and I've been blessed with four weapons that will fire ANYTHING.

it's ALL filthy, dirty, sticky, nasty. I shoot them until I have function problems, then either blast the working bits with clp, or break them down once or twice a year and detail clean them.

After a single magazine, they are filthy again, and so are my hands from handling the ammo.

Shoot what you can put your hands on, enjoy, and clean when it needs it.

I think I've read that thunderbolt tends to deposit lead in the barrel, fwiw.

[SoCal Choppas]

I buy whatever I can get my hands on. In my experience, I find the copper washed ammo to feed more reliable than just the lead bullets.

Anything that doesn't feed or function well in my Semi-autos, goes to my bolt action.

I'm sure you can always trade ammo that doesn't run well in your firearms to another shooter.