Plated bullets for open major pf?

[vgdvc]

Hello open shooters. First I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to my newbie questions regarding open division. That being said here's another one. Has anyone had experience positive or negative with using plated bullets in .38 Super open major? I'm just beginning to formulate loads for my Brazos open pistol. Until my powder order arrives the only suitable thing I have in the arsenal is CFE pistol. I purchased some RMR 124 grain .355 plated and was following data I found, 7.2gr@ 1.238oal. It should be pushing them just under 1400 FPS . In a very brief range session I seemd to have some erratic flyers that messed up what would have been an otherwise respectable group. Again I'm getting used to the pistol but shooting offhand at 20 yards I would put three or four in a 2-2.5"  group and then have one or two about 5" away. I worked up some loads with  115 grain HP jacketed and was able to produce consistent 5 shots inside  2" grouping with no erratic shots. I did not notice any odd marks on the cardboard or flower pedaling that might indicate the plating was peeling away. Again this was a very brief range session since my time has been limited to get going with this but any input or experience with plated or recommendations would be appreciated , thank you.

[Ssanders224]

You will be much better served with a quality JHP. 

[Sarge]

Granted I only tried Xtreme  plated HP’s in my Open guns but they were nowhere near as accurate as a good Jacketed MG or PD JHP.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I know guys that use Berry's bullets. I have tried plated and coated as well. Both will leave a little lead, coating and plating in the comp. Some comps get more buildup that others so you have to check that. Saying that and the time it takes to clean out the comp, I just run JHP or complete metal jacket bullets now. They don't cost that much more if you buy them in bulk. If you shoot a match that is 200 rounds, in most cases you are only spending less than $5 on quality bullets for the match. So don't stop at Starbucks for that coffee and buy better bullets. Thanks, Eric

[cecil]

1 hour ago, Aircooled6racer said:

Hello: I know guys that use Berry's bullets. I have tried plated and coated as well. Both will leave a little lead, coating and plating in the comp. Some comps get more buildup that others so you have to check that. Saying that and the time it takes to clean out the comp, I just run JHP or complete metal jacket bullets now. They don't cost that much more if you buy them in bulk. If you shoot a match that is 200 rounds, in most cases you are only spending less than $5 on quality bullets for the match. So don't stop at Starbucks for that coffee and buy better bullets. Thanks, Eric

 

 

WOW … where do you buy JHP bullets  or complete metal jacketed bullets    for 2-1/2 cents each ??????

[louu]

2 minutes ago, cecil said:

 

 

WOW … where do you buy JHP bullets  or complete metal jacketed bullets    for 2-1/2 cents each ??????

I'm on the edge of my seat right now dying to know the same thing

[B_RAD]

I like plated. I've had good results with them before I shot open, but for open, there's no reason to go with them. JHP can be had for the same price and there is no downside.  

 

I'll probably never go back to plated for anything. 

[Clint U66]

A reputable builder told me years ago that shooting an open gun with anything other than a jacketed bullet would be the equivalent of putting pump gas in a top fuel dragster.  Sure plated bullets are a little cheaper than jacketed but if you figured up the cost difference annually it is relatively small in the big scheme of things.  Go with a decent jacketed bullet and avoid potential problems that could arise from using anything else.

[teros135]

22 minutes ago, louu said:

I'm on the edge of my seat right now dying to know the same thing

 

Has to be a typo.  Surely he meant a 62 round match. 

[vgdvc]

42 minutes ago, B_RAD said:

I like plated. I've had good results with them before I shot open, but for open, there's no reason to go with them. JHP can be had for the same price and there is no downside.  

 

I'll probably never go back to plated for anything. 

Cost is one of the reasons I was going to try to run with plated .These are what I happen to have on hand. Do you have recommendation for a good source at the best price for a jacketed bullet that performs? How about the Montana gold 124 cmj's? Any opinions on them? They seem to be reasonably priced when they're purchased 3,000 at a time. Thanks

[B_Seehawer]

I run Blue Bullets or BBI’s for club stuff and Precision Delta 124 HP’s for matches. I tend to be cheap and scrimp a little but I’d rather shoot coated than plated.

[B_RAD]

14 minutes ago, vgdvc said:

Cost is one of the reasons I was going to try to run with plated .These are what I happen to have on hand. Do you have recommendation for a good source at the best price for a jacketed bullet that performs? How about the Montana gold 124 cmj's? Any opinions on them? They seem to be reasonably priced when they're purchased 3,000 at a time. Thanks

I've heard nothing but great things about Montana gold. I've never used them. 

 

I use Precision Delta. Best price. Great quality and great people. Look them up. 

 

Free shipping when you order 2k or more. 124 gr jhp are 8.9 cents shipped. 115's are 8.5 cents.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by B_RAD

[teros135]

58 minutes ago, vgdvc said:

Cost is one of the reasons I was going to try to run with plated .These are what I happen to have on hand. Do you have recommendation for a good source at the best price for a jacketed bullet that performs? How about the Montana gold 124 cmj's? Any opinions on them? They seem to be reasonably priced when they're purchased 3,000 at a time. Thanks

 

I run the CMJs, and they're the same quality and accuracy as the JHPs.  Both are easy to load.  

[RaylanGivens]

Never mind...  Just saw that this thread is for Open bullets... 

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by RaylanGivens

[Hi-Power Jack]

1 hour ago, B_RAD said:

 

I use Precision Delta. Best price. Great quality and great people. Look them up. 

 

^^^^^^^^^^    Spend a little more, and get PD's - they're the best buy right now.     ^^^^^^^^^^^

[B_RAD]

7 minutes ago, RaylanGivens said:

Not sure why you guys don't like plated bullets...  I've run Berry's plated bullets for quite a while with no issues...  I don't use them for Open; I obey their 1250fps speed limit, but they work great for PCC...  and no lead buildup in the comp!

 

I like plated but as you said they're not good for open. That's the topic. 

 

However, why go plated when they're roughly the same price?  

[vgdvc]

2 hours ago, B_RAD said:

41 minutes ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

^^^^^^^^^^    Spend a little more, and get PD's - they're the best buy right now.     ^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks guys I really appreciate everybody's input. I didn't pay attention to the fact of how close pricing is between plated and jhp. Now to determine if I really need to use small rifle primers or perhaps just harder cup pistol primers which may allow for a nicer trigger pull.....

 

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I was trying to say they only cost 2 cents more each than plated or coated bullets. Sorry for the confusion but I did get some 40 S&W jacketed bullets about 7 years ago for 3 cents a piece. Thanks, Eric

[teros135]

Aah.  Thanks for the clarification

[vgdvc]

2 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

^^^^^^^^^^    Spend a little more, and get PD's - they're the best buy right now.     ^^^^^^^^^^^

Just ordered 2k of 124 jhp. Bad news is they're closed till January 2nd! I'm going a little Cabin Fever crazy. Took awhile for the pistol to get here, powder should be here in about 4 days but all I have to load and run with is these plated bullets and some 124 jacketed round nose so they have an exposed base. I'm figuring the exposed base is a No-No for even couple hundred rounds?

[B_RAD]

26 minutes ago, vgdvc said:

Just ordered 2k of 124 jhp. Bad news is they're closed till January 2nd! I'm going a little Cabin Fever crazy. Took awhile for the pistol to get here, powder should be here in about 4 days but all I have to load and run with is these plated bullets and some 124 jacketed round nose so they have an exposed base. I'm figuring the exposed base is a No-No for even couple hundred rounds?

I'd shoot the fmj's until you get the PD.  

[ChuckS]

I ran Rainier 135 plated bullets in my .40 open gun for years. The best 25 yard group I shot was 3/4" off the bags. Somewhere he you will find a post where a guy says he just couldn't understand why the Rainiers were more accurate than the MG 155's. Funny stuff. I used them because the closest competitors was the Nosler 135 JHP which did not shoot noticeably better but did cost twice as much. I ran those bullets in the 1250 to 1300 FPS range with no problems.

 

Like the others have said, if cost is the main driver, take a look at PD and you may also want to look at RMR.

 

Later,

Chuck

 

PS: The Berry's Thick Plate bullets are rated to 1500 FPS. I am running them in my PCC at ~ 1200 FPS. Gonna try them in my open gun if I ever decide to shoot pistol at a pistol match again.

[Bkreutz]

Cost should be the last factor in picking bullets for open guns. You've already invested a bunch of cash in the gun, why cheap out on the bullets. I've had some success with plated bullets (the ones that are described as double or thick plated), but if I use the standard plated bullets at 1400 fps, they are all over the place, including oblong holes indicating that they are tumbling. Rocky mountain has FMJ bullets that are as cheap as every one elses plated bullets. I use them pretty much all the time, I can't tell the difference between them and Montana Gold (except the price).

[Hi-Power Jack]

6 hours ago, vgdvc said:

  I have  plated bullets and 124 jacketed.   the exposed base is a No-No for even couple hundred rounds?

 

Shouldn't be much of a problem - it takes thousands of "exposed bases" to lead up your comp.

 

Even better if you spray your comp each time before you shoot them, and then fire some JHP's

thru the gun to end your session - or just scrub the comp.      

[vgdvc]

11 minutes ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 

Shouldn't be much of a problem - it takes thousands of "exposed bases" to lead up your comp.

 

Even better if you spray your comp each time before you shoot them, and then fire some JHP's

thru the gun to end your session - or just scrub the comp.      

Thanks. What's a good spray for the comp with to help prevent leading?