FMJ vs Plated?

[Low-Pressure]

I've reloaded 223's which i've only used jacketed bullets. I'm about to start reloading for 45acp and 9mm. I see that there are different options for bullets: jacketed, plated and cast (lead). I do not want to assume so I'll go ahead and ask. Do you charge a plated bullet similar to a jacketed bullet? Thanks in advance

[XDRoX]

Plated falls right in between jacketed and lead. Of course it's safest to use lead data and work your way up. But in reality it's pretty darn close to jacketed data. I believe Berry's even recommends to use jacketed data with their plated bullets.

And just make sure your not breaking any speed records with a plated bullet, it can't handle it.

Hope this helps.

[Low-Pressure]

Plated falls right in between jacketed and lead. Of course it's safest to use lead data and work your way up. But in reality it's pretty darn close to jacketed data. I believe Berry's even recommends to use jacketed data with their plated bullets.

And just make sure your not breaking any speed records with a plated bullet, it can't handle it.

Hope this helps.

Thanks , I was going to use the lowest charge for jacketed load anyways. So just as long I stay away from the max I should be good to go.

[halifax]

...And just make sure your not breaking any speed records with a plated bullet, it can't handle it.

Hope this helps.

You can say that again. I tried some Westcoast 9mm plated in 357SIG loaded fairly hot with Power Pistol. They disintegrated in flight immediately after leaving the barrel.

[XDRoX]

You can say that again. I tried some Westcoast 9mm plated in 357SIG loaded fairly hot with Power Pistol. They disintegrated in flight immediately after leaving the barrel.

Ya, but I bet you hit the target

[halifax]

Ya, but I bet you hit the target

Not at all. Pieces went all directions but straight.

[XDRoX]

Not at all. Pieces went all directions but straight.

Figures. If the ATF saw you they'd probably get you for shooting shotgun rounds in a handgun

[mif_slim]

Wow, how'd ur bullet do that? Were you pushing 6000fps??

I've shot pure lead cast bullets and pushed it to 1030 fps in a 40sw, it was still intact but heavy leading. Lol.

[halifax]

Wow, how'd ur bullet do that? Were you pushing 6000fps??

I've shot pure lead cast bullets and pushed it to 1030 fps in a 40sw, it was still intact but heavy leading. Lol.

~1400 fps. I really couldn't see what was happening but I did have some visual proof the rounds were veering sharply in different directions with each round. (Took a wand off my chronograph from only a few feet away...about 10 o'clock and 30 degrees off line-of-aim).

BTW: Rainier plated bullets didn't do that.

[RaymondMillbrae]

I shoot and reload Rainier Ballistic bullets for .45 ACP. (And 10mm).

I have tried their 200 grain SWC's, HP's, and FP's.

I initially ordered 2000-rounds of their SWC's, and I really liked them. But to test for accuracy and reliability, I also ordered 1000-rounds of their HP's, and 1000 rounds of their FP's to try them out...and personally, the SWC's are the most accurate for me.

The SWC has more sidewall length (pictures below), and that seems to give me the most even pressure, and the least FPS deviation.

I'm on my last 300 rounds of all the above-mentioned bullets (HP's, FP's, and SWC's), so I just placed my 2nd 2000-round SWC order on Wednesday. These are great plinking and USPSA pistol rounds. (For more serious stuff...well...that's a different story).







As for the plating on the bullets - like a poster mentioned above, they fall into three categories:

lead
plated
copper-jacketed (and derivitives thereof)

The lead bullets should be moly-coated (or coated with something) to prevent lead-fouling of the barrel. (Or compensators).

And the plated bullets are just that - plated. It is a very thin layer of copper that is bonded to the lead bullet by dipping the rounds in a liquid that chemically forms this copper plating. These bullets are in between a FMJ and a lead bullet in hardness/softness. Rainier Ballistic recommends keeping these bullets under 1200 to 1250 FPS, and to use cast bullet load data. (And if you do not have cast bullet load data, use copper-jacketed data...but reduce it by 10% for starters).

Copper-jacketed bullets on the other hand, have a thick and hard copper jacket. This copper-jacketing is much beefier, and will take a lot more punishment.

Below are a few pictures for you to see the difference between plated and copper-jacketed bullets. (They are rejects from my Dillon XL650). Notice that the copper-jacketed Hornady XTP HP bullets scrunched the brass when they were inserted crooked in the bullet-seating station. And then look at the plated bullets - the thin plating peeled away from the lead, instead of scrunching the brass shell.



HORNADY XTP HP (HEAVY COPPER-JACKETED)




PLATED BULLETS




Can you tell which is which? Look closely below.





Just wanted to show you a few "visual" examples.

Shoot with a purpose.

In Christ: Raymond

[Low-Pressure]

Raymond: Thanks for the visual/info very informative.

[powaybob]

RaymondMillbrae- Thanks for the photos- now I don't feel as bad about my crunched cases! I thought I was the only one who did that.

I have used Rainier and Berry's copper plated bullets, and Precision molybdenum plated bullets for 45 ACP. You can find recommended loads for the bullets on the net, though the books don't have a lot of loads for plated bullets. A rule of thumb I have seen several places is back off 10% from a charge for a jacketed bullet.

I have had problems with SWC feeding my 1911 and XD so I don't use them. I use RN or flat point bullets. AS for powder, I have tried several pistol powders including Unique, Bullseye, No 2, No 5, and Clays, and other than differences in how dirty they burn, for my purposes and shooting I don't see any difference. I am not a precision shooter so I am not about group size.

I use mixed brass, but most of it is Federal, Wolf large pistol primers (they work well and are more available than other brands), 200 grain bullets, and various powders. I just used up my pound of Clays so I'll start with my 8lb of No 5. I load to about 850-900 fps (based on what the book says since I don't have a chronograph). Most 45 loads are about 5-7 grains so you get about 1000 loads out of a pound of powder. I use a Hornady Lock and Load Progressive, and I separately crimp after loading the bullet.

[Low-Pressure]

I just finished loading some 45acp last night. I learned that 4.4grs. of TiteGroup is not a whole lot. It only fills 1/8 of the case. I tried using 200gr of plated bullets a fellow calgunner gave me and I crunched a few brass cases. I measured the bullets diameter and got a measurement of .454 compared to .451 of the jacketed bullet I purchases. Getting the hang of placing the bullet evenly into the case need getting used to. Hopefully by the end of the day, I will crush less and less cases.
Is there a tool to help installing the larger plated/lead bullets in the case with out crunching it?

[Fishslayer]

I have had problems with SWC feeding my 1911 and XD so I don't use them.

XD's are notorious for being finicky feeders.

Have you tried different OAL in your 1911?

Is there a tool to help installing the larger plated/lead bullets in the case with out crunching it?

Your charging die also puts a bit of flare to the case mouth. You might try screwing down your charging die just a scoshe. Not too much or you'll reduce the life of your brass. Your seating die and/or crimping die will squeeze the flare back into shape.

The bullet should just be able to stand up on it's own.

[Low-Pressure]

XD's are notorious for being finicky feeders.

Have you tried different OAL in your 1911?



Your charging die also puts a bit of flare to the case mouth. You might try screwing down your charging die just a scoshe. Not too much or you'll reduce the life of your brass. Your seating die and/or crimping die will squeeze the flare back into shape.

The bullet should just be able to stand up on it's own.

thanks, My only problem is that I'm using a single stage press and I'm not using the charging die.
My bullets need to be feed into the seating die by hand.
Should I run the case through it anyways?
thanks