9mm Berry,s Bullets Load Data ?????

[mike88605]

This is my first post here and I hope you guys will help me out.
I just bought some Berrys preferred platted 124 grn RN's and 124 grn HP's for my XDm 9mm.

I will be using Win Brass CCI-500 primers and W231 or Unique powder. These are the 2 powders I have on hand and would like to use these up before I buy a differant kind.

First question is what are you guys using for a Min and Max Load with unique or W231. If you are not using Unique what would you suggest as a Min and Max with Unique or W231 for each of these bullets?

Second question what are you using or suggest I set my OAL at for each of these bullets?

Third Question would a .375 to .377 crimp work?

Fourth question which of the two bullets I have bought have you found to me more accurate?

Any help help with this would be Great.

Thanks Mike

 

[rfwobbly]

Mike -
First, welcome to the board !!

Secondly, for your own safety, you need to get a reloading manual and/or start consulting the on-line resources published by the powder manufacturers. May I suggest a Lyman Reloading Manual and/or the on-line Hodgdon Powder reloading data base at: CLICK HERE

This, not becasue we're mean, heartless and cruel folks, but becasue the internet just barely nudges out the White House for a first place position in the "Tell the Most Lies" category. Follow?

For Berry bullets, read their own website to see that you load these the same as jacketed bullets, but never to full load. The truth is, the plating tends to fly off when the speeds get too high. But for plinking loads or IPSC shooting they are just dandy.

That being said, OAL will depend on your chamber and the exact bullet nose design you chose. I think you'll be very happy with 231 in the 4.2 to 4.3 range.... but verify this first for yourself in published data.

Again, welcome!

 

[Walkalong]

Try here for some data.

Welcome to THR - W231 will work just fine.

 

[schnarrgj]

Again, Welcome. First of all get a couple of manuals, I like the lyman too. With W231, I find it does very well with the Berry Bullets that I use for my 380,9mmMak and 9mm with mid range loads. Have fun but most importantly be safe.

 

[D. Manley]

Third Question would a .375 to .377 crimp work?

On the Berrys, I'd crimp no more tha .377 for two reasons. First reason, it's a plated bullet and you don't want to cut into the plating. Secondly, Berrys are sized .356 (not, .355) and over-crimping can actually resize the bullets also, not good. Basically, just remove the bell of the case mouth. FWIW, I set my 9MM crimp to .377/.3775 and I'm yet to see a brass/bullet combination it doesn't work well with.

 

[paperpuncher49]

Mike,

I've done thousands of 9mm loads using 124 grain Berry's with 4.2 grains of W231. The only time it did not work well was during the first 500 rounds I put through one of my pistols. It would not cycle the action reliably but as soon as the gun was broken in, it functioned flawlessly. I crimp only enough to flatten out the slight bell created with the expander die.

 

[rcmodel]

Third Question would a .375 to .377 crimp work?

As already pointed out, just straighten out the case-mouth bell.

SAAMI spec for a 9mm case mouth is .380". Crimping to .375" would compress / cut into the bullet .006" on a .356" Berry bullet.

rc

 

[mike88605]

Thanks Guys I have loaded the jacketed bullets and this is the first time I have loaded the platted bullets. I just wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing. You guys have answered all my questions and I really appreciate it.

I loaded up 10 of the Berry's 124 grn HP's today with 4.2 grns of Win 231 with an OAL of 1.050 this is what my chamber would accept with out touching the rifling and they cycled flawlessly and were very accurate.

I also loaded up the same combination but with 5.3 grns of Unique and again they cycled flawlessly and they showed better accuracy then the Win 231.

I also loaded up 10 of the Berry's 124 grn Rn's with 4.3 grns of Win 231 and 5.3 grns of Unique with a OAL 1.135 for both same results. Cycled Flawlessly and were very accurate but Unique won out again.

I also used a .378 crimp I had no tumbels and no pressure signs.

With all four of these loads I could put each of the ten round strings inside the 9 ring on a 50ft Pistol target at 50 ft off a sand bag.

Thanks again guys you were a very big help nothing better then getting great results from your own loads.

Mike

 

[Walkalong]

Congrats.

 

[D. Manley]

And so it begins...................