Copper Plated Bullet ????

[acoop101]

I am fairly new to reloading and with the cost of components and avalibility I have begun to see copper plated bullets as the only thing that is in stock many times, my question is do I load these as lead bullets or as jacketed bullets, the last thing I want to do is blow my gun up because I went with the wrong load and leaded my barrel causing over pressure or just plain used too much powder. Also if any one has experience using these as far as accuracy etc. Any way any input would be much appriciated.

Thanks in advance.
acoop101

[Jonathan Doe]

The copper plating is only a few thousands of an inch thick, usually .002"-.003", not like copper jacket which is much thicker. I don't think you would have a problem loading to lead bullet spec.

[fullspeed1]

Copper plated bullets like Berry's are to be loaded at Min-Med Jacketed powder charges. Max charges could possibly burn off the plating leaving a lot of residue in your barrel. I use the Minimum charge of 5.1gr of Winchester 231 powder under a 165gr Flat nose .40cal berry's bullet in my XD and have gotten very nice groupings with very little powder or bullet residue.

[buffybuster]

For Copper Plated bullets, use mid-range Lead loads. Don't try to drive these Copper plated bullets above 1200fps. If you drive them too hard they could shed their jackets inside the barrel. The lead part of the bullet exits the barrel but the thin copper jacket is left in the barrel. The copper plate encapsulates the lead but there is no bonding, hence the possibility of jacket shedding, if you drive them too fast.

[SVRider]

Sorry, don't mean to divert too far from the original post, but what have people's experience been with the "black coating" of Precision bullets? They say their dry lube is supposed to remain intact at 2000fps....

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[emilio]

i've loaded thousands of Rainier .451's for .45 ACP. you can load them to warm-hot on a lead bullet spec and they do great: i load the 230gr with 6gr of Unique for a practice load and everything is happy. i can run it hotter if i want to mimic a certain defense round. they seem to meet the accuracy of average factory FMJ, the thin plating doesn't wear on your bore as much, and you can save quite a bit of money. look for Midway USA to have a sale on Rainiers, and sometimes they have a case of 2000 with free shipping (pretty good for >70lbs of lead).

the only drawbacks of plated bullets, beside the velocity limits, is that they are easily damaged like bare lead. carefully inspect any bullets that you drop or knock around. use a seating plug appropriate for the bullet shape. flare cases generously and crimp carefully: if the bullet is still moving down when the crimp is almost set, the brass can scrape the plating off of the bullet. i tend to only use plastic bullet boxes or other rigid containers for plated rounds, instead of plastic bags, to protect them on the journey to their range destiny.

all-in-all, i see no reason to load anything else for handgun practice.
- emilio

[Fjold]

Sorry, don't mean to divert too far from the original post, but what have people's experience been with the "black coating" of Precision bullets? They say their dry lube is supposed to remain intact at 2000fps....

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It's a moly based lube, Bear Creek Bullets uses the same thing. Load them to lead bullet specs.

[acoop101]

Thanks guys, now it a question of finding the time to load some of these up and make it to the range!!

[cortayack]

I seen the plated stuff going for the same if not more than the price of semi-jacket bullets.....If can't get plated for cheap I'm going for lead if I'm shooting below 900FPS or semi-jacketed which I can push more than 900FPS...

Theres my .02