Plated Bullets

[ghost21]

I have a question about plated bullets. I have heard that they will strip on the rifling, at high velocities.

Is this true.

[Steve Anderson]

Most agree that above 1200 fps or so they become inaccurate, but others have no problems. I have had tumble issues with two major brands under 1000 fps so I have given up on plated.

ymmv.

SA

[SmittyFL]

Ghost,

I've used them in .40 and .45 for years. I use Rainer. I have been very happy. But you're right about the high velocity, they don't hold together with open guns in my experience.

[TBF]

Just my .02,

They work fine for low speed loads (45acp pistol)

They suck for any high velocity loads ( 125 gr357 leaps to mind-)

They also lack accuracy in carbine loads, especially fast ones.

But, some shooters really love them.....YMMV....

Travis F.

[megaman]

i ran plated in my 45 without a problem. others in my club cautioned me to avoid running any through my open blaster, due to inaccuracy issues and the plating spliting/coming off the lead bullet , and leaving the evidence on the ipsc targets.

[Tokarev]

How would a soft bullet strip rifling from a barrel?

I, too, have found plated bullet accuracy to be marginal at higher velocities.

[jkmccoy]

I've never used them at very high velocities, but I've had excellent results with Ranier bullets in .45 ACP and .40 S&W at IPSC major PF. (Over 50K rounds in .45. and approaching 10K in .40).

Cheers,

[TBF]

Tokarev,

They do not strip rifling from the barrel, they strip ON the rifling in the barrel.

this causes plating to separate. High rotational velocities also cause plating to separate

from lead core, causing innaccuracy.

That, I assume is why they suck in carbines, extra velocity kills them.

Travis F.

[Mad Scientist]

On plated bullets,

My exsperience with plated bullets has shown that the major problem with open and or high velocity loads are un stable flight caracteristics. there was evedence to suport striping and plating seperation. The main problem as I see things are as follows .

As twist rate increases plating becomes less desirable. 1in32 is better

as bullet RPM is decreased over half proportionately to1in16.

As velocity increases seperation increases. twist rate being the same the faster you push a bullet the faster it spins.

bullet rpm has to be the desiding factor keeping that down will allow

for good peformance with plated bullets.

Another factor to consider is barrel porting. as a bullet as soft as most plated bullets i have seen pass aport they presures of the exspanding gasses push the bullet up into the port , shering off anything in the port ,

this creates a bullet that is grossly out of ballance.

as a bullet woblles on its axisdown range it tends to yawn an as ranges incress acuracy is destroyed . I have seen groups open up 200to300 % with plated bullets past 20 yards.

In conclusion If you shoot limited and use 155 or above bullets you should be fine . enjoy the low cost of raniers or others. If you shoot open and have a hybrid or barrel holes avoid thme like the plage.

If you have a conventional comp gun that sports 1in32 twist use 125 flat points at 1330 to 1350 and enjoy lower pressures ang exstended barrel life. almost all plated bullets limet velocity to1550 so carbines are probbaly out of the picture.

These are my findings after testing in 7 diferent guns with various twist rates calibers and velocities. if you guys find diferently please let me know so i can re evaluate my findings.

by the way I use jaceted bullets only in my open set up.

Johnie

[ghost21]

Thanks guys. I think you have answered my question.

I was thinking of tring Rainier 200gr hp at 1050 out of my open pin gun(45acp).

As long as they dont strip in the comp I think I will be ok.

[Mad Scientist]

Ghost21

You should be fine with that combo,Provided you have no barrel holes. The 45 with a comp try 180 grain bullets with a slower than normal powder . The added presures will make the comp work better. keeping the gun flater. I regularly shoot pins at a local match using high presure 9 and super with 125 grain hollow points. they take the pins off reliably. My best center fire time on 5 pins is 2.02 sec with an average of 2.19

Thanks

Johnnie

p.s. The best time was with my open glock in 9 shooting major loads 172 as mesured at area 6 match.the gun was .20 faster at my first match . I cant wait to see how it does with some practice.

[TBF]

I do not run a comp, but 200 gr. Raniers work well in 45acp. I also shoot pins.

Ghost,

Have you tried Hodgdon LONGSHOT ?

Might be great stuff thru comped gun, slow, and plenty of gas at muzzle to work with.

I have used alot of it, good velocity and fairly clean at max 45acp pressures.

Travis F.

[jnorine]

I'm running West Cost 230gr plateds with 3.8gr Clays and couldn't be happier, never had any problems with them. Very accurate.

[Peter K]

Hi,

here in Germany the bullets made by Haendler & Natermann are very often used by bullseye-shooters and IPSC-shooters as well. These bullets are plated with copper and some plastic stuff. They work very well even at high velocities (9x21, 9x23, .38SA). I use them in most of my guns (.38SA, 9 mm, .45ACP and .44Mag).

Website: www.natermann.de/sport

Are these bullets available in the US, too?

[ghost21]

Thanks Mad, I going to be testing Vihtavouri n 340, under a 200 gr hp. And also n350 to see which of these powders will make the comp work at its best.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[texasag93]

I have been testing Barrys plated bullets in .40. I have had decent accuarcy from them in a p16 but not so good in my Glock they like to keyhole every so often.