Plated Bullets in 38 Special question

[deano186]

I was looking for another bullet to use instead of Remington 125 JHPs because I'm about to run out of them and haven't found anymore locally.

I bought package of Rainier 125 Plated Flat Point bullets and loaded a small batch of them to the same specs I had been using with the Remington JHPs.

At the range before I touched off the first one I wondered (Belatedly) if the 5.2 grains of W231 I had behind those bullets was too much for a thinly plated lead slug. I went ahead and shot them and they were very accurate at 50 yards and 100 yards. (5 out of six in the black on a 50 yard pistol target at 50 yards sitting at a bench, and 4 out of six in the black on the same target at 100 yards).

My question: since they shoot so well at long range does that prove they aren't being deformed or otherwise damaged by the load I'm using?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Jim Watson]

I would say "proof of the pudding." If they shoot well, they must be good.

I note that 5.2 gr W231 is between .38 Spl standard and +P for 125 JHP in Lyman. I trust you are shooting them in a good stout gun.

 

[loadedround]

I second Mr. Watson's opinion.

 

[Walkalong]

Like folks posted, if they shoot well at 100 yards, they will surely do well farther out.

Speer #12 shows 5.0 to 5.7 Grs with 5.7 being +P.

Speer #13 shows to 5.6 with jacketed 125 Gr bullets, and says "do not reduce".

I don't believe that is pressure tested data though. Do you know what velocities you were getting?

 

[deano186]

I don't have a chronograph, so I don't know what kind of velocities I'm getting.

The gun is a K frame S&W Model 68 (That's a Model 66 frame in a special order LAPD 38 Special gun) so I think it's rated +P+.

Thanks for the responses.

I'm going to go ahead load up some more of them and probably try them in a Hunter's Pistol match on Sunday.

 

[ants]

Congrats on finding a good load so quickly.
Just for laughs, go to the Rainier web site and look at their load recommendations. If I'm not mistaken, they suggest the use of loads for lead bullets, not jacketed. Berry's and Xtreme make similar bullets, and recommend mid-range jacketed loads. To each his own.

 

[deano186]

I finally won at Hunter's Pistol with my Model 68

I've been going to these NRA Hunter's Pistol Silhouette matches for about 9 months now and I finally won my class (AA) on Sunday!

Considering I'm shooting a police revolver in 38 special against single shot 22's and 22 hornets, etc. I'm quite happy to have broken through.

I ended up using the Rainier 125 grain Plated Flat Point bullets at all four ranges (40 meters, 50 meters, 75 meters, and 100 meters) but I'm using 3.0 grains of Bullseye on the 40 and 50 meter targets and 5.2 grains of W231 on the 75 and 100 meter targets.

The thing that probably made the biggest difference is that a couple weeks ago I went to an Optometrist who is also a shooter and he set me up with new shooting glasses that are customized to give me the best possible sight image in my shooting eye (left). He had me bring my Model 68 in and, starting with a fresh prescription as a baseline, he fine tuned the recipe.

It's great to actually have a sharp front sight image again.

 

[Walkalong]

That is outstanding shooting. Congrats.

 

[ants]

Good shooting, friend. And very nice revolver.

 

[coop923]

Congratulations!