Berrys 45ACP Hyb HP Beta Loads?

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I purchased a box of Berry's 185gn 45 ACP Hybrid HPs(Beta) a while back as they were touted to be worthy of being usable for self defense. They supposedly will do a good job of expanding vs their other HPs that are for target use only. I will have a bit of me-time coming up and want to check how well these will work. I have AA-2, AA-5, Win 231/38, Unique, IMR 700x, Blue Dot and Power pistol. Anybody tried these bullets yet with any of these powders. I can find no loads for these exact bullets. The Accurate tables have Berry's 185 gn FPs HBRNs & SWCs and Ranier's 185 gn HPs. The latest Hornady manual has no plated bullet info but lumps their 185 gn jacketed SWC and HP XTPs in the same load table as do several load manuals. I'd like a starting point vs shooting in the dark (no pun intended). I would like to work up to a good self defense expanding load. Any suggestions?
 
I picked up a box of their 230gr recently to try out as well. I noticed on the end of the box they had a velocity not to exceed listed there. Of course I noticed this after I pulled down 3 - 5 different powders to try them out with.

So I ended up loading around a hundred of them in small batches and only using a couple of powders. I tried to keep MY top end loads withing what I hope, and have experienced with other 230gr bullets, within their spec max velocity. I haven't had a chance to get out and shoot any of them yet, so can't speak to how they do.

I know this doesn't help you much with your loads, but thought I would at least throw it out to possibly let you know you might need to stick within a similar velocity range.

I have to say, if these things shoot half as wicked as they look I will probably be looking to pick some more up pretty soon. Sheesh, I got goose bumps when I pulled the first one out and looked down in that cavity....:D
 
Thanks for the replies. I did a bit of Googling today and found out about the similarity with Speer GD HPs. I will be using the Gold Dot loads to work up my loads.
 
It would be pretty hard to excedd 1250 fps with a 185 gr bullet in a 45 Auto .

If they are heavy plated than 1,500 fps is Berrys listed max.
 
The velocity on the box isn't the maximum velocity for the bullets (the do not exceed speed). It's the optimum velocity for expansion with that particular bullet. Jay Phillips was one of the key people in the development of this bullet and he told me the expansion velocity listed on the box is the ideal velocity they found in their testing in various mediums. I've got 1,000 of the 230 gr. .45's and 1,000 of the .40's sitting on my shelves, but I haven't had a chance to load any of them yet.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
The velocity on the box isn't the maximum velocity for the bullets (the do not exceed speed). It's the optimum velocity for expansion with that particular bullet. Jay Phillips was one of the key people in the development of this bullet and he told me the expansion velocity listed on the box is the ideal velocity they found in their testing in various mediums.
Click to expand...

I am not going to argue the point, but the box of 230gr Hybrid's I have, has it clearly printed on the end, "Max Velocity 890 FPS".

I dunno what the exact, or proper, or even a top end velocity, would or should be, but I figure this was printed on the box for more of a reason than to simply fill in dead space.

I'll try these out and see how they do with the loads I have for them, even still, 890 fps with this flying washtub of a bullet is going to gain some respect on the receiving end. Sure would be nice if the hogs were coming to my feeder in the country on a regular basis. That would be a fine 25yd test medium for one or three of them.
 
890 sounds like a reasonable top end for best expansion results. It would be hard to believe they could not take more velocity as far as bullet failure goes.
 
I've known Jay for a long time, even before he started working for Berry's, but after he left Dillon. He helped design these hybrid bullets and was in on the testing of not only these bullets, but bullets from all the manufacturers of similar bullets.

He told me the velocity printed on the box is for optimum expansion and wasn't the maximum velocity the bullets could be loaded to. He advised that if the impact velocity exceeded the 890 fps that all that would happen is the expansion would exceed the design limits and the bullet may fragment upon contact with the medium they used in their testing.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
41 Mag said:
I am not going to argue the point, but the box of 230gr Hybrid's I have, has it clearly printed on the end, "Max Velocity 890 FPS".

I dunno what the exact, or proper, or even a top end velocity, would or should be, but I figure this was printed on the box for more of a reason than to simply fill in dead space.

I'll try these out and see how they do with the loads I have for them, even still, 890 fps with this flying washtub of a bullet is going to gain some respect on the receiving end. Sure would be nice if the hogs were coming to my feeder in the country on a regular basis. That would be a fine 25yd test medium for one or three of them.
Click to expand...

No one is "arguing" the point, I asked as I did not see where anyone had listed the velocity printed on the box.:confused:

Thanks, Relaoder Fred for the info.
 
I also used Gold Dot data because they are also plated. I don't have a crono, so I fired 5 factory rounds, and then I started firing my loads using Accurate AA5. When I got up to 9.7 gn. I stopped. My empty shells were landing about 6 inches from the factory shells. The accuracy was very good in MY 1911. I then shot the same load in MY 4in., 3.5in, and 3.3in pistols. I'm very happy with that load in all guns. Again, those were MY guns. Work your way up with your guns.
 
Anyone know when they are planning on releasing these in other calibers? .355-.356 and .357-.358 would be nice.
 
ReloaderFred said:
... He helped design these hybrid bullets and was in on the testing of not only these bullets, but bullets from all the manufacturers of similar bullets....He told me the velocity printed on the box is for optimum expansion ....Fred
Click to expand...

Fred, I find this post interesting, as I've been waiting for the 9mm version. In your contact with Jay, did he give you any info on those?

Thanks, Artofgolf
 
Mad Chemist said:
Anyone know when they are planning on releasing these in other calibers? .355-.356 and .357-.358 would be nice.
Click to expand...
When Berry's first starting advertising their hybrid HPs, they were only listing for 45s, 40s, and 9s. It seems that was about 2 years ago. Don't remember them mentioning anything about 38/357 bullets.

Their 45s and 40s have only recently be in stock on a constant bases. Hopefully the 9s are soon to follow.
 
Artofgolf,

They were hoping for sometime this summer on the 9mm bullets. He said it had proven to be a little harder to mass produce than the larger calibers. I've got a thousand of the .45 and a thousand of the .40 bullets to load and test, but just haven't had a chance to get to them.

Jay told me only one bullet had consistently performed as well as their hybrid in all their testing, but it's not available as a component, only in factory ammunition. He asked that I not say which one, so I won't, but it used to be confined to only law enforcement use............

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
Does the .40 cal have the same velocity limits or best performance limit of 890 fps? I am interested in testing these out...
 
I've had some interest in these bullets for awhile now, but with a large pile of bullets on my shelf I wouldn't be loading them anytime soon.

What exactly makes them a hybrid?
 
Out of curiosity, where are you guys finding these in .40 cal for a good price? Berry's had a long delivery time notice on their website, Powder Valley is out...
 
cwall64 said:
Out of curiosity, where are you guys finding these in .40 cal for a good price? Berry's had a long delivery time notice on their website, Powder Valley is out...
Click to expand...
Update: I ordered 500 45 200 gr. HBFP, Seconds, and 250 45 200 gr. Hybrids on July 1st. Got an email on the 2nd, saying my credit card was charged. Received the bullets today.

So I'm not sure what it was about, their site saying bullets will be shipped within 2 weeks.
 
kcofohio said:
Update: I ordered 500 45 200 gr. HBFP, Seconds, and 250 45 200 gr. Hybrids on July 1st. Got an email on the 2nd, saying my credit card was charged. Received the bullets today.

So I'm not sure what it was about, their site saying bullets will be shipped within 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
Nice, I should have ordered them from Barry's! I ordered from Precision on the 2nd and haven't even received a shipping notice yet... Live and learn!
 
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