Berrys 200gr FP 45ACP

[mohunter55]

I'm trying to figure out what to use as an OAL for these bullets. The bullet is .536" long. The 200 gr LSWC's I have on hand are .64", which i load them to an OAL of 1.25. If i want the same amount of space in the case, that means i would load these to 1.146? Does that make since. Right now I have a few loaded to 1.171 and they look about right and they cycle fine in the gun when i pull the slide back and drop it. Powder charge is 5.2 grains of w231? am i going to blow myself up with this charge and OAL? i did a search and saw where others use rainers with an oal of 1.2, but that just doesnt seem short enough. What are you guys using as an OAL and powder charge for this bullet?

 

[k4swb]

Proper seating depth is whatever gives the case sufficient grip to hold the bullet from the press through the magazine and into the chamber without being too long to fit the magazine and chamber.

Proper powder charge on the low end is whatever it takes to get the bullet out of the barrel and to the target whatever distance it is. On the high end it is solely a product of the chamber of your gun and these charge weights may or may not coincide with the manuals charges.

There are no all inclusive seating depths or powder charges for all guns.

 

[matworz]

I load those to 1.18". Over 6.7 gr of Unique. A fine load. I don't use 231, so I can't help you there.

- matworz

 

[LiveLife]

Determining max/ideal OAL should not be a guessing game, regardless of the bullet type/weight/shape.

Max/Ideal OAL and load work up in 3 easy steps:

1. First, determine the "max OAL" using the barrel out of the pistol - Start at the SAAMI max OAL and decrease the OAL of the dummy round (no powder/primer) until it drops into the chamber freely without hitting the rifling (you should be able to spin the bullet without marking the bullet).

2. Next, determine the "ideal OAL" by feeding/chambering the dummy round from the magazine by manually releasing the slide. Incrementally decrease the OAL (by .005") until you have reliable feeding/chambering.

3. Then, work up the loads from the start charge and identify charge(s) that will reliably cycle the slide and produce accurate shot groups.

 

[mohunter55]

berrys responded to my email. the guy said he loads his to 1.25 and they work fine. well that is where i started, then i dropped it into my springfield milspec 1911 barrel and they stuck up way to high. i had to size them down to 1.200" at 1.200" they fit just right, so that is what im going to go with. 1.200" and 5.2 grains of w231

 

[LiveLife]

I load for multiple pistols/calibers and found different pistols/barrels prefer different length OALs.

Ultimately, it is the ideal OAL that will reliably feed/chamber in YOUR pistol/barrel from the magazine that is the final word.

5.2 gr of W231/HP38 should be an accurate load.

Keep us posted with a range report.

 

[jfrey]

I load mine at a 1.200 OAL over 6.2 gr. Unique. Makes a good target load. I went down as far as 5.8 gr. but had some function problems in a S&W 845 so I stay at 6.2 for reliable function in all my .45's.

 

[SuperNaut]

1.25 works in every single one of my pistols

 

[mohunter55]

jfrey, thats for the advice, im going to try that loading out as well. I'll post back with my results.

 

[Berry's MFG]

200gr COL

I've had quite a few emails recently regarding the COL for this bullet. I've never really had much negative feedback on the COL, but I have loaded them at 1.25" quite a bit. I'll have to try seating them back to the specs you guys are at and test.

 

[mohunter55]

thanks berrysmfg, I'll be very interested to know your results. I went out and tested the rounds today. I went with 1.200 because the 1.25 would not work with my springfield 1911 barrel(wouldnt drop in all the way). All 20 rounds cycled and worked fine. I used the Hodgdon starting data for a spr 200gr Speer JHP, which was 5.2 grains of w231. The loads felt light and left the cases pretty dirty, so I think i will try uping to 5.3, 5.4 grains and see if that helps any.

edit...after reading the speer manual, i'll probably go with 5.6, see the below post

 

[mohunter55]

jfrey - i plan to try a loading with unique this weekend as well. I see alliant lists 7.3 grains as max with the Speer 200gr GDHP and 5.4gr with the 200gr LSWC. looking in my Speer manual 14 i see a suggested range of 6.5 to 7.3, so I'll probably start with a charge of 6.5 and an OAL of 1.2" and see where that gets me. I also see the speer manual lists 5.6-6.3 as their range for W231 and a 200gr bullet so i think im going to try 5.6 as well. the bullets they list that is probably most simliar to the berrys is the 200gr Total Metal Jacket Flat Nose (TMJ FN) and they do suggest an OAL of 1.2"

 

[Steve C]

I've found if you load sharp shouldered bullets like SWC's and TC with the case mouth just a hair below the shoulder they'll work fine. If you want to know OAL then measure it but its a rather meaningless number since you don't need it to set the bullet depth.

For practice load using a Berry's or Ranier I use 5.5grs of W231. It has plenty of snap to operate with the standard spring weight and knocks down steel targets fine.

If you had JHP's then the heavier Unique loads would get your the near 1,000 fps velocity to provide expansion but for a solid target bullet I'd not go over 6.5grs.

 

[GLOOB]

I shoot for 1.234" for FP or HP, just because I like that number. So far, they all chamber fine in my Glock. If my press and calipers were precise enough for another digit, any guess what it would be?

 

[mohunter55]

ha, i dont think i've ever seen a calipers that could do the extra digit for 1.2345

 

[armarsh]

1.22 for me. Works in all of the .45's I have tried it in.

 

[csbassplayer2003]

I use the same bullets. I size to 1.20" over 5.0gr Titegroup. Fed well in my P220 and my friend's Operator 1911.

 

[340PD]

I have loaded and shot thousands of 200gr Berry's FP bullets. I shoot then in 3 different semi autos and one revolver. I do use the "drop in the barrel" test to get the best reliability for feeding. For me it is 1.23OAL with 5.6 gr of 231 that is the best compromise for all my guns.

 

[buck460XVR]

I've had quite a few emails recently regarding the COL for this bullet. I've never really had much negative feedback on the COL, but I have loaded them at 1.25" quite a bit. I'll have to try seating them back to the specs you guys are at and test.

Appreciate it Berry's. I load your .45 200gr RSFP to a COl of 1.200 over 6.7 gr of Unique and they work very well. They are one of my most accurate target loads.