bigjeff Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I keep thumbing through many different loading manuals from Lyman, Sierra, Lee, & various powder manufacturers and haven't been able to spot a load for a 135 Gr. Berry's plated bullet. I have been forced to interpolate between what is recommended in the Sierra Manual for a 150 an a 170 grain and then figure out what a passable starting load for a 135 might be. Do you have any experience with loading the 135RN plated heads? Any advice would certainly be appreciated.... I'd rather be safe than sorry, so any advice you could render would be a big help! Thanks! - Big Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 At the longer OALs - >1.180", whatever one uses for a major PF load should push a 135 @ ~1000fps. YMMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I've moved this to the main reloading forum. Load data doesn't really go in the beginners section. If you try a search and specify to search within the 40 section...you should get some hits. - Admin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Hodgdon, Alliant and acurate all have published data for 135 gr hollowpoints. Granted it isnt plated but the data should be much closer than guessing with 150gr data. Laser cast also has 140 gr cast bullet load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGT80 Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 I shoot a SA XD 40 4" and my favorite load is as follows: 135 grain berrys plated RN over 5.3 grains winchester 231 seated to 1.125" in 40 brass This seems accurate and has low recoil. Berrys says to use low to medium jacketed bullet data for their bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjeff Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 I shoot a SA XD 40 4" and my favorite load is as follows:135 grain berrys plated RN over 5.3 grains winchester 231 seated to 1.125" in 40 brass This seems accurate and has low recoil. Berrys says to use low to medium jacketed bullet data for their bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 I have loaded the Berry 135gr 40 at factory length with 7.2gr of IMR7625 this produced @1300 fps or a pf of 175. If you wanted to use this powder with a non compensated 40 drop it to about 6.8 and work up. IMR7625 is on the fast side of open and the slow side of limited or production type powder loads. With a very light bullet it takes more powder to push it and going with a little slower powder will reduce the pressure. This load shot much softer and flatter than the Federal 135gr CQB ammo that I have shot. That stuff is super snappy. You might find more info on this weight bullet from that 40 open shooters unite bunch, as they would be more likely to shoot a light bullet in a 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufDog Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I tried loading up some of the berry's 135gr bullets with clays. I couldnt load them to the length I preferred due to the bullet being shorter and..... ended up popping a case before I made it to major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WDB Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 5" kkm barrel open loads mind you all loaded at 1.160 with Fed sm pistol mag 8.6 Power pistol 170 pf 9.1 3n37 167 pf 8.8 longshot 163 pf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic_jon Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I have some data at home on a 135gr Berry's round I was shooting that used Universal at about 1050 FPS. I think it was in the 5.5 to 5.7 gr load range with a 1.130 OAL. I shot it out of my Springfield XD 4" service. (I'll check and post it when I get home tonight) It shot very accurately but was *very* loud. At my IDPA matches the SO's would actually move a bit away and one guy asked me if I had switched to a 10mm because of the boom. My 2008 Sierra manual has 135gr bullet with Universal listed in it and I used the middle numbers for a jacketed bullet. With Berry's just stick with the middle of the road loads that are generally under 1100fps and you should be ok. Much over 1050 fps or with "hot powders" and you will probably start ripping the plating off or watching the rounds to strange things at range...like blow apart.... Found this out by loading a Berrys 135gr FP with 9.2 gr of HS-6 (just below the max recommended load in most books for a stock pistol) and shooting it at a target a little over 10 yards away... I could *see* the plating flakes fluttering down to the ground in the sunlight. I chronied the HS-6 rounds and they were pushing 1350fps. Glad I only loaded up 10 of them! I had a 1000fps load of a Berry's 155 gr with some HP-38 I was testing a while back peel the plating off and make a whizz-whizzzzz-WHIIZZZZZZZ!!!!! noise as it went down the range. My buddy and I both stopped shooting, looked at each other, and cracked up laughing. the moral to all of this is to not shoot berry's much over 1000 and not over 1100 if you can help it. My recommendation is to use a moderate powder and not something that is "hot." Honestly, from personal experience, I would not go to a faster powder than titegroup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic_jon Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 I have my notes now and here are some of the 135gr berrys loads I have shot with my XD .40 service. All loads are at 1.130 OAL that seems to function well in my pistol. HS-6 8gr 1070fps HS-6 7.5 950fps HP-38/231 5.7gr 975fps (notes say this is a very comfortable round) Universal 6.5 gr 1100FPS Avg (has a LARGE boom report but very accurate) The rest is up to you with the usual disclaimers to use common sense while loading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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