Is there a connection with plated bullets?

[hambam105]

Why do 90% of problems with reloading pistol ammo involve using plated bullets?

Could there be an obvious connection I'm missing?

[Devilmonkey89]

Why do 90% of problems with reloading pistol ammo involve using plated bullets?

Could there be an obvious connection I'm missing?

What are these "problems" you speak of? I load plated 230gr pills and have not had any issues.

[Fordtrucks]

Might be cause 90% of the pistol projectiles sold are plated.

Those that cast and load are more immersed in the hobby and take greater care to mitigate mistakes.

[NoHeavyHitter]

From my first-hand experience, problems that come up are almost exclusively related to the fact that cast (and plated) bullets are slightly larger in diameter. A .45acp in FMJ runs ~.451 diameter vs ~.452 for cast/plated. The reason for the extra diameter is to prevent leading the bore by increasing engagement into the rifling. Most of the time the extra diameter isn't a problem - it's mostly that some guns are more finicky than others.

This is a problem that I have found to also be exclusive to "acp" calibers. I've not had any such problems with cast or plated in rimmed revolver calibers. As always, YMMV.

[Fishslayer]

What "problems" are you talking about? The most finicky I've found to be non cannelured cast lead and that's more attention to detail than any real problems.

Most problems are usually user error.

[stilly]

Might be cause 90% of the pistol projectiles sold are plated.

Those that cast and load are more immersed in the hobby and take greater care to mitigate mistakes.

Hmmmmmmm.

You must be a statistician...

And given that I started with plated pills and I started my friend on plated pills, and my other friend started with plated pills, you might be on to something here...

My problems stem into my casting and PC though but are they really problems or is it that I just do not think that color looks good on a bullet?

[area51]

Why do 90% of problems with reloading pistol ammo involve using plated bullets?



Could there be an obvious connection I'm missing?

Can you be more specific on what the problem is??

[noylj]

Plated bullets:
Inaccurate (don't see any on the NRA Precision Pistol courses (once called Bullseye):
Tumbling/Keyholing
Cutting the plating
Swaging down
Most seem to need to be 0.001-0.002" over groove diameter to even start to be accurate--just like cast lead bullets--and several I tried years ago were 0.001" smaller than labeled.
Cost: in bulk, seem to be about the same as Zero and Precision Delta's excellent and very accurate jacketed bullets.
Loading: need to load like lead and keep velocity down, but most new loaders seem to be attracted to 'em and not know the limitations. You go to a gun store and find VERY expensive jacketed bullets from the big names, plated bullets, and, if it is a really good gun store, some cast lead bullets from some unknown company (usually local). Given the choices, plated look good.

The folks I know that love plated bullets consider 15 yards to be a long distance and groups of 3" to be more than acceptable for their purposes. Few buy in bulk and think 1000 bullets are a LOT.

[Rosamond]

I load Berry's and they are always good when I do my part.

[hermosabeach]

There was an outfit out of Florida selling ammo with plated bullets that Kb'd a bunch of glocks....


To me, played should be loaded like lead as the plating does not prevent deformation the same way that a thicker jacketed bullet resists deformation.


I am not sure what problem the OP is referencing- commercial ammo or reloads

[TexasJackKin]

I've been using X-treme plated in 9, .40, and .45. Something in the neighborhood of 25,000 in the past couple of years, without any problems. I see a lot of folks at USPSA matches shooting plated bullets without any problems. (I realize that is not precision bulls eye shooting, but does require some degree of accuracy to be competitive). I load light, but have no problems making major with .40 and .45, although just barely, more for competitive reasons, not due to any bullet limitations.

I do wish there were more plated specific recipes, as of now you kind of have to "read between the lines" between lead and jacketed.

[noylj]

So, what is your accuracy requirement?
My minimum goal is <2" at 25 yds and plated have never met this. When competing, it was <2" at 50 yds in tuned guns.
As I said, plated may meet your requirement, but they are not accurate enough for "real" competition where accuracy is the name of the game.
Not that they can't be, just that I have never tried any that were close to even inexpensive cast bullets, much less good jacketed bullets.
But, the question was why are most problems related to plated bullets and I still say the problems are caused by reloaders who don't know the foibles of plated and plated not being sized large enough.

[TexasJackKin]

I would think you could be competitive if you had a load that would do 2 inches at 15 yards, remember in USPSA matches speed is very important, but as is often said, "You can't miss fast enough to win."

2 inches at 50 yards is out of my league.

[noplay6978]

Glock says no to the lead, but okay to the plated. I shoot IDPA and some USPSA. I have used plated boolits in 45 acp, 38 spec, 40 S&W, and lots of 9x19mm for 3 years. I currently shoot a glock g19 with a stock barrel. My current load is 124 gr. plated xtreme rn. over 4.2 gr.s of VV N320. This load was offically chrono'ed at a sanctioned match @ 1070 fps. for a 133 PF, the primary reason, is that for the amount of ammo required for competitve shooting matches and practice, plated boolits give you the best bang for your buck, short of plain lead or self casting. I shoot 200-400 rounds a week, didn't clean my gun for 10 weeks and showed no signs of barrel leading or any other adverse conditions. Plated boolits give me acceptable accuracy out to 25 yds through my G 19.

[CSACANNONEER]

Why do 90% of problems with reloading pistol ammo involve using plated bullets?

Could there be an obvious connection I'm missing?

Were did you find your data? You are fully aware that 98% of the data having to do with plated bullet problems that you find on the internet is made up, aren't you?