need Berry's 200 gr. plated FN info:

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Joe's

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Got a box of these from Cabelas the other night. Seemed like a fair price but didn't realize there was such a difference between plated and jacketed as far as powder charges go. None of my loading manuals state how much powder to use. Their website only says to use low to medium charges.
Question #1: What powder and charges should be acceptable for this bullet?
Question #2: What is the proper COL for this bullet?

Thanks and have a Very Merry Christmas,
Joe's
 
Go to Berry’s web site. They have contact section and ask your questions. They’ll reply to your questions. I know this because they’ve replied to questions I had concerning their 200Gr-SWC.
 
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I use 5.0 grns W231 with Berry 200 grn swc. No issues with thousands of rds.
Suggest you use data for lead bullets and stay with the low-moderate loads.
 
Question #2: What is the proper COL for this bullet?
Click to expand...
Proper COL is always whatever allows the round to work in the magazine, chamber without jamming the bullet into the rifling and keeps the bullet from falling out of or into the case during the trip.
Any length within those parameters is correct.
 
You can load using Lead Load data, all the way up to mid Jacketed loads. Just need to stay under 1200fps which is not a problem with the 45acp.

I have used WST, WSF and 231. WST is my far the cleanest burning.
 
When I tried that bullet, I loaded it at 1.200 as well. Worked okay, but I much preferred the Berrys 200 Gr HP over the Berrys 200 Gr RFN, which I also load at 1.200. the HP over the right amount of N310 or N320 shoots outstandingly, and feeds in almost anything.
 
rfwobbly,
Yes I do. 6 at last count. None that I have show any data for the plated bullets.
Thank You all for your data. Spoke with a gentleman from Berry's yesterday and he said use 2.200 for a good starting COL. Also recommended a couple of charts with different powders. I think I'll start with 6.0 gr. of Unique and work from there.

Have a Very Merry Christmas
Joe's
 
As others have stated, .45 ACP velocities are well under the limit for plated bullets. Load it as if it were a standard jacketed bullet.
 
Ive used 6.5gr of Unique, with those 200gr. JHP bullets, 1.225" OAL and .470" crimp, and CCI small and large primers with great results.
 
"Spoke with a gentleman from Berry's yesterday and he said use 2.200".

That has to be a typo; SAAMI maximum is 1.275 inch.

Berry's plated bullets are a quality product, and you shouldn't have any problems when loading .45 ACP. For that round, the main issue for COL is to find the length that functions in all of your pistols; that will probably be in the 1.235 to 1.260 inch range, which is the same length preferred by most .45 ACP reloaders.

I have no experience in reloading for this caliber and bullet weight, but (as others have said), start with data for lead bullets and stay below the values given for mid-range jacketed bullets; seek the best charge weight for accuracy and function.
 
ambidextrous1,
You are correct. 1.200". Typo!

Have a Very Merry Christmas,
Joe's
 
I've shot a lot of Berrys 200 gr PFP in all of my .45s and use 1.210" OAL.

Fits my mags, fits all the chambers and is as accurate as I am. I have one gun that has a short chamber and anything much longer with that bullet is too long for it so I just use that length for all of them.

Whatever works for COAL is acceptable.

I wish the books wouldn't print minimum and maximum OAL. They need to tell people how to determine min and max for their guns and explain it is really not a set figure since all guns are slightly different.
What works in one may not work in another and there is a lot more wiggle room than most people think. All data is somewhat adjustable and all interact somewhat with each other. Adjust one and you may need to adjust another to compensate slightly.

The whole reloading process is greatly complicated by some people. Most times too much info is a bad thing when people get bogged down.
 
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