Ques about Ranier

[PinnedAndRecessed]

This has to do with .357 ranier reloads. My powder is Unique.

My Lyman loading book says for 125 grain HP the range is from 7.0 grains (minimum) to 9.6 grains max. I assume it's for jacketed HP.

The same manual says for 121 grain cast, the range is 7.2 grains (min) to 9.4 (max).

My Speer manual says, for 125 grain jacketed, 8.6 gr (min) to 9.1 (max).

So it would seem a safe range for any 125 grain bullet, jacketed or no, would be from 7.0 grains Unique up to 9.0 grains Unique.

But I use Ranier copper plated bullets. Their webpage ( http://www.rainierballistics.com/loaddataMW.htm ) says minimum for the 125 grain plated bullets is 5.5 grains Unique to a max of 6.9 grains.

I've already fired some Raniers ahead of 8.0 grains and 9.0 grains Unique, respectively, with no visible signs of excess pressure. That was before I saw Ranier's web page.

Two questions: 1) Why would plated bullets be more fragile than others, 2) Is it safe to go ahead and shoot the other bullets I've loaded with 8.0 and 9.0 grains Unique 3) why the extreme disparity in reloading info.

O.K. Three questions. But you get the point.


Thanx in advance.

 

[stans]

1) Why would plated bullets be more fragile than others,

Plated bullets start out as soft swaged lead bullets that are given a copper plating. The plating is not as strong as a traditional copper jacket and the plating can strip from the bullet if driven above about 1200 feet per second. Your results may vary.


2) Is it safe to go ahead and shoot the other bullets I've loaded with 8.0 and 9.0 grains Unique

The general rule is to load plated bullets using data for lead bullets. Remember the plating can strip if the bullet velocity is too high.


3) why the extreme disparity in reloading info.

All guns are different. Some manuals use a test barrel, others use an actual firearm, so there can sometimes be a great disparity in data.

 

[Mark whiz]

My Midway LoadMap also says the range for 125gr Raniers to be 5.7 to 6.7.

HOWEVER.................I use a lot of Hodgdon Universal Clays which sits next to Unique on the burn rate charts and I am currently getting the most accurate results shooting the 158gr Raniers with 7.2gr of Universal. And this is without any pressure signs in my 4" Ruger Security Six. So in your case, I would lean more toward the Speer data - and I have to add that I've found Speer's data to be the closest to right with my field testing of loads.

So I would say that loads up to about 8.5gr would be safe...............past that, pressure might be ok - but that pesky business of peeling the plating off of the bullets might start happening.

 

[GooseGestapo]

You'll do just fine using the Speer data for the Rainiers. I routinely see 1,275fps with the Rainier .355" 115gr PHP from my S&W PPC-9 w/6" bbl and it shoots under 1" at 25yds from a Ransom Rest.

I haven't had a problem with the Rainiers flaking or shedding their coating, but have with the BERRY's.

The Rainier's are essentially Speer's without the fancy nose punching, and high price.

 

[Maxinquaye]

I push the 335 grain Rainiers out of my .500 Mag at ~1450 fps with no problems. Rainiers are tougher then you would expect...

 

[spook]

My experience is with TNT 158 gr copper plated bullets. Recovered bullets show quite a bit of lead exposed where the lands cut into the bullet. This has to be depositing lead in the barrel so I confine myself to lead bullet velocities with these bullets. Ranier I believe advertises their bullets as double plated. This may make a difference, but I would use lead bullet loads until I examined some recovered bullets.

 

[grendelbane]

Alexander Arms uses plated bullets for some of their .50 Beowulf ammo. Of course, this is accelerated to its velocity over a rifle length barrel, rather than a pistol length barrel.

I think this is key. Abrupt acceleration, (like that caused by many fast pistol powders, such as Unique), may cause problems. Especially when used at the traditional high end of the velocity envelope.

I have loaded many of the 125 grain truncated cone style 9mm bullets over a max charge of Power Pistol in the 357 SIG. Never noticed any problems. Accuracy is as good as you would expect from a hot load, functioning is 100%, and the bore is as clean as you would expect from shooting jacketed bullets.

YMMV

 

[dmftoy1]

Maxinquaye: What powder/primer are you loading under those 335 grainer's? I don't have a chrono (yet . ..coming this week. ) but I"m putting 37.5 grains of H110 under those bullets and it seems to be a nice mild load.

Just curious.

Regards,
Dave

 

[HKGuns]

I'm using Raniers in 9mm and .45.......I expected them to be pretty fragile and the copper plating to scrape off easily. Not at all, as far as I can tell these bullets are the best value out there for target shooting and range practice.

I'm completely satisified with these bullets.

 

[Kamicosmos]

I loaded some rainier 158 grains with 15.5 grains of H110 for my Desert Eagle. It started leading up and after a few rounds, the slide quit cycling! I nearly turned my Eagle into a single shot!

So, I always back my loads way off when using rainiers or other plated bullets. I use them for my light target loads, cause they are pretty good bullets. I try to stay under the 1200fps rule in .357 and even .44 mag.

I am actually shelling out a few more bucks per 500 and getting Winchester bullets now though, much better quality and you're not spending that much more over the rainiers and/or berry's.