[LDBennett]

For 45ACP you have choices: metal jacketed bullets or cast or swedged lead bullets. The latter are cheaper. In between price wise are lead bullets (Rainier is one) that are first cast then flashed with copper. Either jacketed or copper flashed bullets limit the problems of lead buildup in the barrel. If you shoot 45 ACP anywhere near its max levels you will get lead buildup in the barrel that is tenacious and highly resists removal. It often has to be picked out with sharp objects. So, I suggest for economy and easy of barrel cleaning you go with the copper flashed bullets. There are now others that do the flashed bullets and Midway is as good as any as a source for Rainier and other flashed bullets.

Real gilding metal jacketed bullets can get expensive unless you buy "bulk" bullets. Both Winchester and Remington offer bulk 45 ACP full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets packaged in plastic baggies for less than premium bullets but more than flashed bullets. They are full metal jackets usually with the base partially exposed lead. They feed better than cast bullets or even flashed bullets because they are perfectly uniform. I prefer to use those in my 9 mm and 45 ACP guns as they do feed better. Revolvers have no feeding problems so I use the flashed bullets in them. I try to never use bare cast or worse yet swedged bullets as the soft lead fouls the barrel everytime I do use them and the cleaning is a nightmare.

If you insist on using pure lead bullets keep the velocities towards the lower end, and follow up the shooting session with a magazine full of jacketed bullets. That tends to push a lot of the lead buildup out the barrel. You can get bullets at swap meets but for accuracy you should establish a readily available source of know higher quality, perhaps the bullets your regular dealer stocks all the time. Since I don't have any gun shops close by, I buy on the internet if I can, mostly from a wholesaler (no retail sales!) and Midway.

LDBennett