Interesting Berry 9mm problem

[rcmodel]

I have been shooting Berry 124 grain Plated HP bullets in my S&W's for awhile now with complete satisfaction.
http://www.berrysmfg.com/9.php

Then a couple of weeks ago, I loaded up a couple of boxes for my new old SIG P6.

Chamber checking the loaded rounds found about 10 -12 out of each box would not fully chamber without force. It appeared they were getting into the rifling leade before the round was fully chambered.

So, I seated them deeper.
Same problem.

So, I made a new seating die stem to match the bullet shape, thinking they were deforming during seating.
Same problem.

Today, I checked the ones that were too big for the SIG in two S&W's and they worked fine. The S&W's have a much more pronounced Leade in front of the chambers compared to the SIG.

Then, I did what I should have done in the first place.
I started measuring Berry bullets.

26% of them are .355"
26% of them are .3555"
34% of them are .356", like they are supposed to be.

But the other 13% measure a full .357"!

I may have to fire up the Lyman LubriSizer machine and size the rest of them all down to 9mm!


rcmodel

 

[sublimaze41]

Hmmmm prices up, quality down..... what the heck is up with that?

 

[IMtheNRA]

I guess you got their "sampler special". That way, you can try a few in each caliber.

 

[rcmodel]

Prices up

is an under-statement!

I got the new Caballa's shooters catalog in the mail today.

Berry 124 grain 9mm went from $16.99 last year to $27.99 this year.
Up 65%. Yikes!

Hornady XTP's went from $12.49 last year to $14.99 this year.
Or 20%.

That's bad, but not 63% bad!
And at least XTP's are all the same size!


rcmodel

 

[mjrodney]

I suspected that this price rise was coming, and I can see where quality of reloading components might suffer a bit in order to keep the costs down, so recently I bought a few extra bullets in my favorite size.

24,000 extra.

Every time I see that sticker rise in number, I say to myself that it was worth "biting the bullet" on the cost.

 

[Jim Watson]

I had some Berry's nominal 121 gr .356" plated bullets - free as an IDPA match drawing prize - that gave about four times the gauge rejects of jacketed or good cast. I ran them through a Lee CFC die and shot them for practice.

 

[rcmodel]

Jim
That's really interesting about the 4x guage rejects.

Normally, I measure several bullets out of every box, every time I buy them. But it just slipped past me on these Berry's.
I just checked a couple when I opened the box, and as luck would have it, I apparently picked up two .356" in a row!

If I had bought RN instead of theTC-HP, I probably wouldn't have had a leade problem, or even noticed the diameter variation.


rcmodel

 

[JFettig]

What are you using to measure these bullets? 99% of cheap calipers will give you readings that bad or worse just by a small difference in force applied.


Jon

 

[sublimaze41]

Just a guess, but I am thinking RCmodel's measurements are spot on.

 

[jmorris]

I set up a dealer account with Berry’s for our local IDPA club, we generally order around 25,000 at a time, the only problem anyone has had is when using the Berry’s with the AET gain twist rifling barrels.

 

[rcmodel]

What are you using to measure these bullets? 99% of cheap calipers will give you readings that bad or worse just by a small difference in force applied.

I'd be using a Starrett carbide-faced 1" Micrometer.
Or sometimes just a $20 buck Midway dial caliper.
It depends.

In this case, I used both, because I didn't believe what the dial caliper was telling me the first time.


rcmodel

 

[zxcvbob]

I like Berry's bullets, but I bought a box of those 124 grain 9mm HP's a couple of years ago and they would not feed reliably in my BHP. They were hanging at the bottom of the feed ramp because the wide meplat.

They shoot OK loaded as .38 Special +P's in my Marlin.

 

[putteral]

I bought 1000 124gr HP a while back and they are the most inaccruate bullet I've used in my KP95. Still have about 250 left will never buy them again.

 

[zxcvbob]

I bought 1000 124gr HP a while back and they are the most inaccruate bullet I've used in my KP95. Still have about 250 left will never buy them again.

The .38 Special version of that bullet is the *most* accurate I've found in my S&W 15-4. It even beats HBWC's. I should have stocked up in December. Actually I did buy 250, but you know what I mean)

 

[dow]

I bought 1000 124gr HP a while back and they are the most inaccruate bullet I've used in my KP95. Still have about 250 left will never buy them again.

I had a problem with that bullet as well in my CZ Rami 9mm, as did a good friend in his Springfield. Inconsistent accruacy, and lots of keyholes. So I slugged the barrel on mine and it ended up at .357 (Berry's 124 gr. is supposed to be .356 and my measurements confirmed that in the bullets I bought). I talked to the folks at Berry's about it, and tried the 125 gr. HP (.357 dia). Problem solved, both for me and the buddy. You might slug your barrel to get a true measurement. There is a lot more variation between guns than we'd like to think.

 

[GLOCK45GUY]

I had the same problem with Glock (fires anything, loose chamber) and sistema 1911 (tighter chamber. My crimp die needed to be tightened just a hair.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

At that price you shouldn't have to resize them or spend any time fixing them at all. I would contact Berry and lodge a complaint. At the least they will increase their QC, and the best you might get some free bullets to make up for your troubles.

 

[Iron Sight]

rcmodel

Hmmm I think that explains the problem with some .45 ACP local lead I had purchased. Finished average 4 out of 5 would drop cleanly into my Dillon case gauge but then that one that wouldn't. After reading this thread found some wildly over sized bullets.

Finding that Hornady lead .45 SWC work slick. Just as long as I make sure the the expander die is bell mouthing enough not to shave any lead upon insertion of the projectile.

I am a newbie to this and enjoy solving the problems.