Berry's Bullets & Velocity

[ArchAngelCD]

Just a quick question. I have never loaded Berry's bullets before. I won a few boxes of Berry's bullets at an auction mixed in with some loading equipment and I was wondering if I can load 158gr .357" bullets to .357 Magnum velocities or do they have to be kept to hot .38 Special velocities?

I know about not crimping too much and breaking through the plating and all, I just want to know about velocities.

 

[61Woody]

I would email Berry's but I'm pretty sure due to the thin plating you should not go much higher then factory lead rounds.

 

[rfwobbly]

Generally Berry bullets are loaded up to the mid-range for the same weight jacketed, with a max speed around 1200 fps. Some of their bullets are marked "TP" for thick plating and will go faster. It really depends on several factors.

Highly advise you to use a taper crimp die on those bullets because 1) there's no crimp groove, and 2) you never want to break through the plating on any plated bullet.

 

[Nomad]

I agree if you keep them at the lower end of the velocity scale for 357 you should be fine. I'd watch for leading just in case you have an anomaly.

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

I have never really seen the point. You need to shoot them as a cast bullets but they cost more...
I just shoot cast and use the savings for primers.

I suppose on a progressive with a bullet feed that wont feed cast. maybe a use there.

 

[jdownj]

In 9mm I push them quite a bit hotter than cast... ~1100fps according to load data...

 

[Hondo 60]

Directly from Berry's website...

FAQ: How fast can I shoot these bullets?

Velocities depend on the caliber, but as a rule of thumb, we recommend you don't shoot our plated bullets over 1250 feet-per-second. Our 44's actually shoot best around 1150 fps. 45's are generally good at 850-900 fps. Our bullets are not recommended for magnum velocities over 1250fps unless the bullet description denotes a thick plated bullet with a higher listed maximum for velocity.

As for the "why" of it...
Plated bullets can be pushed faster than lead.
Plated bullets are much cleaner than lead.
Plated bullets, while not as economical as lead, are almost always cheaper than jacketed.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Directly from Berry's website...



FAQ: How fast can I shoot these bullets?

Velocities depend on the caliber, but as a rule of thumb, we recommend you don't shoot our plated bullets over 1250 feet-per-second. Our 44's actually shoot best around 1150 fps. 45's are generally good at 850-900 fps. Our bullets are not recommended for magnum velocities over 1250fps unless the bullet description denotes a thick plated bullet with a higher listed maximum for velocity. .

Thank you Sir, there is also a box of 185gr .45 Auto bullets in the group.

I rarely load 158gr bullets in the .357 Magnum much over 1250 fps anyway. I can live with loading them to 1200 fps just to be on the safe side. Once I use them up I probably won't load any more anyway. My 45's are usually under 850 fps too.

 

[BBDartCA]

My box of Berry's 9mm 124g hollow points has printed on the label "max velocity 1250 fps" My 38 cal 125g FP says keep under 1200 FPS. Just sayin'

 

[Walkalong]

If you have 125's, they are not going to handle top end loads in .357. If you have 158's, it is hit and miss, depending on powder and the gun. The 125's at 750ish using fast powders from .38 or .357 brass make great plinkers and shoot very well.

 

[243winxb]

Great photos of sectioned bullets, comparing plated to jacketed. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=494465 Click link for more photos.