Berry's plated bullets ---loads

1
I have had trouble finding a good load for 148 plated wade cutters. I am looking for accuracy . Loads for cast bullets are way too lite, Any suggestions? I Have been looking at 158 plated but have not bought until I can find a range of loads. I am using a 38 special.
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" Ben Franklin
Beto in wisconsin

Re: Berry's plated bullets ---loads

3
I have never used plated bullets before, the subject has come up here before and it has been pointed out that plated should be loaded to normal cast lead levels. It seems to me the advantage to using plated over cast lead is that if cast bullets are not sized properly to the gun they will lead the barrel.

Re: Berry's plated bullets ---loads

4
When I used standard starting loads on the cast bullets they were not stable and some hit the paper tumbling. When increased the charge the bullets stabilized but the accuracy was marginal at best (and I need all the help I can get). I switched between unique and bullseye for powders. Should I increase the charge above the max for standard pressure 38 sp? These are not the hollow based WC but the dewc (fool proof you cann't load them upside down). I am using them in a 357 and plus p rated 38 special. If I have to increase the charge I'll stick to the 357.
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" Ben Franklin
Beto in wisconsin

Re: Berry's plated bullets ---loads

8
Plated bullets do not have a stellar reputation for accuracy, probably because the plating is usually uneven. They also may give bad groups if too heavily crimped. If you are shooting wadcutter or hollow based wadcutters, there are some specialized techniques needed to get best accuracy out of them. There are a lot of discussion threads about them on the Bullseye forum:
http://www.bullseyeforum.net

The wadcutters need to be the diameters of the cylinder throats. If the cylinder throats are not all the same, you'll probably have some shot holes that will shoot noticeably better than others, so measure them with pin gauges. The cartridge cases need be expanded to the outside diameter of the bullets, to the depth the bullets will be inserted, but not deeper. Frequently bullets will be marked as one diameter, but be several thousandths larger or smaller, so have & use a good micrometer. Optimum velocity for Lead wadcutters seems to be about 750 fps.

I have used these techniques with .38 Special, and am now using them with .32 S&W-Long, getting absolutely marvelous accuracy out of a Walther GSP, but it takes a lot of fiddling to get it.

Re: Berry's plated bullets ---loads

9
Been shooting plated bullets a long time. If one breaches the plating they are not good. If you don't muscle them they rock.

My opinion: don't roll crimp plated bullets. Ever. Just enough taper crimp to retard set back. If you break the very thin plate they tumble or veer like a baseball with broken or loose stitches. If you load with kindness and precision they rock the shit out of cast. Clean and accurately.

Ham handed loading or quick and dirty progressive loading is not good. My hand loaded .32 and 9mm ( and plated. 38 and .357 and .380 ) are clean, accurate, and fabulous. But they need precision loading and set up...can't bang em out. Break the plate and they suck.

VooDoo
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