trodrig Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 After cleaning a bunch of bullet lube out of my Redding Competition seater die and taper crimp die, I've decided I'm done with cast lead bullets. The smoke was starting to get to me too... As a replacement I'm trying Berry's 200 grain SWC's. Has anyone used this bullet? It's not the same profile as the Lasercast or PennBullets cast SWC's. I was seating those to 1.250" but I'm seating the Berry's to 1.225". Do ya'll think this is too short, too long, or about right? I'm loading with 3.7 grains of Clays, WLP primers, Federal brass. I'll be running them over the chronograph tomorrow. trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkbrd Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Took me 4.2 to make major. Shoot them and see what you get for reliability and accuracy, go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 Thanks! Yeah, I figure I'll need to pump it up to make major. What length did you use? trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 (edited) Thanks! Yeah, I figure I'll need to pump it up to make major. What length did you use? trodrig 1.250 but I'm new so.... it's just that my Kimber liked them that OAl Edited April 15, 2007 by JThompson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Forget the Berry's unless you are buying the double struck. If you want something better than lead then buy Precision and forget the shipping & lead surcharge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 I initially loaded the Berry's to 1.250 and they just looked way too long. So, I settled on 1.225. I'll see how they work out later today. I live right down the street from Cabelas and was able to buy Berry's for $20/250 which is still a good bit more than Precision's coated bullets. I worry about melting the moly coated bullets though since I like to use a fast powder like Clays. Has this been a problem for anyone with Precision or MasterBlasters? Thanks, Trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclez Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 I know what you mean. I loaded the last 500 of my Laser Cast Friday and won't be getting more. They run real rough through my press and gummed up the dies. I'll be going back to the moly coated bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted April 16, 2007 Author Share Posted April 16, 2007 Well, the Berry's worked pretty well in my Kimber. The 3.7 grains of Clays was enough to get me up to a 10 shot average velocity of ~720. Night and day difference in terms of smoke! We'll see how well they shoot as I increase the velocity. Next time will be 3.9 to see how close I can get to major PF. trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Well, the Berry's worked pretty well in my Kimber. The 3.7 grains of Clays was enough to get me up to a 10 shot average velocity of ~720. Night and day difference in terms of smoke! We'll see how well they shoot as I increase the velocity. Next time will be 3.9 to see how close I can get to major PF. trodrig Listen to blkbrd I tried 4.0 with a 230 Berry & got 164PF but 230 Precision gave 168 which is still closer than I want to be. 4.4 WST gave 172PF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted April 17, 2007 Author Share Posted April 17, 2007 Thanks! I'll be giving them a try too! So, you never had any problems with the moly coating melting when using clays? I mean, worst case scenario I change powders but right now I've still got about 2 pounds to burn up..... trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLM Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 I load the 200gr. Berry's SWC's over 5.0gr. Solo 1000 @ 1.200". I have no idea of velocity but it shoots very nice groups for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Thanks! I'll be giving them a try too! So, you never had any problems with the moly coating melting when using clays? I mean, worst case scenario I change powders but right now I've still got about 2 pounds to burn up.....trodrig I don't know about melting because there is very little smoke and their web site has pictures of what a bullet looked like after drilling a hole in it and then heating it. My only reason for leaving Clays is that I don't like the way it isn't metering consistently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted May 9, 2007 Author Share Posted May 9, 2007 Well, 4.3 grains of Clays just barely got me to 165.8 PF. Even worse was the fact that they constantly jammed. I seated to 1.225...perhaps they need to be a bit longer? Either way, I think I'm done with Berry's. I've got some Bear Creak 200gr SWC's on the way! Does anyone have any experience on how much Clays is needed to push these to around 850 fps? Thanks, Trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmon Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 the jam seems to be normal for that bullet in 1911s....I dont know why as soon as you plate the HG68, it becomes a jam-o-matic. when its all said and done, i never liked the 45 SWC anyway. Harmon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 I load 230 gr Precision bullets with 4.0 gr Clays at 1.235 OAL. They make 177 PF in my 5" Wilson single stack. There is absolutly no leading in the barrel. If I run a patch wrapped around a nylon brush thru the barrel with Kroil on it after the 4th patch it is clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted April 27, 2008 Author Share Posted April 27, 2008 I ended up switching to Precision 200 grain SWC's for 45. I've got a ton of these loaded up and they run fine but they lead the crap out of the barrel in my Kimber. I've talked to others with the same experience in Kimbers...... Trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmon Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 you may be shaving the coating off the bullets during loading, be sure you are not before discounting the bullets or the gun as the cause of the leading. i have been using WST in the 45 and it really cuts down the smoke, even with cast lead. Harmon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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