Berry's Plated bullets - 357 158gr. HP

[stretch]

Anyone have any pet loads for 38 Special with these?

I'm looking at +P loads.

Thanks!

-tom

[Chuck 100 yd]

Plated lead bullets are intended for cast bullet velocity. Experimenting will tell you just how much you can push them before they fail.

[GunnyMack]

Shoot em slow, I made the mistake of using some plated bullets in my Henry 41mag, copper fouling is an understatement!

[3leggedturtle]

I used red dot, unique and hs7 from 800-1500fps with no problems. The holliw point is so thick tho, that i never got any expansion from it even at 1500fps. I chronied these loads so they are not guesstimates. Todd/3leg

[OldWin]

I shoot a lot of plated bullets in .38/.357 and 45ACP. Until they went under, I preferred Rainer to Berry's, but they work fine.
For 38, I use between 5 and 5.2gr. of Unique.
In .357, I use 6.5gr of Unique. This gives about 950fps in a 4" barrel and 1350 in a 20" Rossi.

I tried the 125gr in 38 over the same charge. When shooting this load in a .357 revolver, I got a lot of squibs due to pressure drop. It would work in a 38 chamber or in a rifle, but I abandoned these and stuck with the 158's.
I probably could have changed powders also, but I use a lot of Unique and wanted to stick with it.

Oh! You probably already know this, but the most critical part of shooting plated bullets is the crimp. If you over crimp and cut the plate, you will have problems. Don't crimp any more than needed and you will be fine. I have always gotten good accuracy from plated bullets.

[stretch]

Thanks for the info, gents.

OldWin, I'm thinking about 4.5 - 4.6 gr. of 231, ('cuz I've got lots of it!),
which would give about 900 fps - not too different than your Unique load.

I carefully trimmed all of the test cases within a thou or two, and I'm thinking I'll crimp
just enough to take the flare out. I'll mark one cartridge with a
Sharpie. I can load that one for several cylinders without firing it, and
if the bullet doesn't move, I'll know my crimp is okay. If not, I'll crimp a wee bit
more and make a note of how much.

Thanks again!

-Stretch

[OldWin]

Sounds like a good plan of attack Stretch.
I load mine on a Dillon 550 and haven't had to worry about case length.
If you aren't loading mixed brass by the thousands, it makes sense to start with a uniform length I think.

[J Miller]

Thanks for the info, gents.

OldWin, I'm thinking about 4.5 - 4.6 gr. of 231, ('cuz I've got lots of it!),
which would give about 900 fps - not too different than your Unique load.

I carefully trimmed all of the test cases within a thou or two, and I'm thinking I'll crimp
just enough to take the flare out. I'll mark one cartridge with a
Sharpie. I can load that one for several cylinders without firing it, and
if the bullet doesn't move, I'll know my crimp is okay. If not, I'll crimp a wee bit
more and make a note of how much.

Thanks again!

-Stretch

Stretch,

The data you have is from the old Winchester loading data pamphlets as far back as the early 1970s. 4.3grs was the standard load and 4.5grs was the +P load.
I have loaded pounds of 231 in 38 Spcls with both lead and plated bullets at both levels with great results.

Joe

[AJMD429]

Lots of useful info on this thread...!

[stretch]

Stretch,

The data you have is from the old Winchester loading data pamphlets as far back as the early 1970s. 4.3grs was the standard load and 4.5grs was the +P load.
I have loaded pounds of 231 in 38 Spcls with both lead and plated bullets at both levels with great results.

Joe

Close, Joe!

Old Hodgdon manual....

-Stretch