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Is anyone experienced with Berrys plated?


leewongfei

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First, good morning, i hope everyone is well!

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with Berrys Plated for reloading? I made 100 rounds of 9MM using 5.6 gr of unique. My projectile was 115gr berrys plated. Well last night, i was reading another reloading book and it stated that for plated bullets, use hard lead data, or load to half of a FMJ load or 20% less than max.

Is 5.6gr of unique to much for that projectile? What would you all consider a decent load for 115gr plated round nose?

Thanks in advance, and pardon my ignorance. With all the varying data, i just want to be sure that i have an accurate round without the chance of getting a kaboom. I did search, but there seems to be a ton of different information and none of it is about unique powder.

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I've always started plated bullets somewhere between lead and FMJ. Probably safer to start with lead bullet data, but definitely stay away from FMJ powder loads as it will always be less.

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I use them all the time. I have't tried Unique with the 9s but the packaging says 1250fps however I rarely push over 1100. Berrys site suggests using low to mid FMJ load data.

Edited by Dirty Rod
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Plated bullet loading is about velocity and crimp. Most users limit the velocity to less than 1200fps to avoid plating separation due to high bullet rpm's. Overcrimping a plated bullet can result in cutting the plating and cause keyholing in the target because the whole bullet doesn't get there. So, just enough taper crimp to allow for good feeding is recommended.

That said, I have use a lot of plated bullets from time to time with excellent results. Your load does not seem overenthusiastic.

Edited by Justsomeguy
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I also like plated bullets and don't have any problems with them and Berry's Hollow Base Thick Plated bullets are running better than most of my jacketed bullets. They are my most watched list since I can't have enough of those Berry's.

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I'm going to be the stick in the mud guy. Through the years I've bought Berry's several times. Never been able to get them to run right For me. The rest of you guys are doing great but they don't like me. I've tried lighter crimp, lightest crimp, crimp so light you can push the bullet back in the brass by hand. I've tried heavier crimp & so forth. Nothing worked for me. Gave up on the last batch & had put them aside for a couple of years forgot about having them & finally found them a year or so ago. Promptly sold them to another one of you lucky guys that seems to be able to make them work.

Good luck!

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I've used Berry's for several years with both Winchester 231 and now with titegroup. I really like the 124gr 9mm double struck with 4.0gr of titegroup and a oal of 1.150. They work very well for me!

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I'm going to be the stick in the mud guy. Through the years I've bought Berry's several times. Never been able to get them to run right For me. The rest of you guys are doing great but they don't like me. I've tried lighter crimp, lightest crimp, crimp so light you can push the bullet back in the brass by hand. I've tried heavier crimp & so forth. Nothing worked for me. Gave up on the last batch & had put them aside for a couple of years forgot about having them & finally found them a year or so ago. Promptly sold them to another one of you lucky guys that seems to be able to make them work.

Good luck!

I'll have to second your results. I've tried plated and have never found one that was as accurate as a well-cast LSWC or a jacketed FMJ or HP. Yes, they do make holes in the target, as long as you're not too particular about where that hole appears. Especially since cast is more accurate(by a wide margin-for me) I scratch my head as to why anyome would pay a premium to use plated.

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I've been using plated stuff when I can't find jacketed. You have to make sure you have a nice bell on the case when seating and not over crimp. If you're not careful you'll have the plating come flying off and have gray shit sprayed on the target by the bullet hole. Load wise I end up using about the same powder charge as a jacketed bullet to get the velocity I want (130-135 pf in 9 or major for .40). Plated bullets are becoming more attractive with the lack of availability of jacketed and how manufacturers are jacking the prices up. Accuracy wise if they're loaded right they're close enough to jacketed.

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