Calling all Beretta cast bullet reloaders

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

I'm a little perplexed and hoping someone here can help me out. I cast my own bullets for my pistols and this includes 4 pistols (2 H&K, a P229 and a Beretta) which are 40 S&W. I've slugged the barrels on each of them and only 1 has a bore diameter greater than .400. That is a Beretta 96 Centurion. It measures approximately .4035.

I found another Calgunner who had a Beretta 96 Centurion barrel (the whole upper actually) and he sent it to me. I slugged it today and it too measures approximately .4035.

Does anyone else have a Beretta 96 that they have slugged?
What were your measurements, if you don't mind sharing?

[buffybuster]

IME Beretta barrels (either 9mm or 40cal) run slightly oversize. They all seem to shoot well enough nevertheless.

[stilly]

I'm a little perplexed and hoping someone here can help me out. I cast my own bullets for my pistols and this includes 4 pistols (2 H&K, a P229 and a Beretta) which are 40 S&W. I've slugged the barrels on each of them and only 1 has a bore diameter greater than .400. That is a Beretta 96 Centurion. It measures approximately .4035.

I found another Calgunner who had a Beretta 96 Centurion barrel (the whole upper actually) and he sent it to me. I slugged it today and it too measures approximately .4035.

Does anyone else have a Beretta 96 that they have slugged?
What were your measurements, if you don't mind sharing?

Heh. the centurion is the 96 only? I have a centurion, I THINK, but it is a 9mm.

Well, whatEVER the compact 9mm is from mid 90s, I have that one. NOT the 92 FS, but a 92 something else...

[rsrocket1]

Baretta's are notorious for having wider barrels.

Your best bet is to cast big and powder coat. The PC will add about 0.002" to the boolits and you should be dropping them at 0.401" or hopefully bigger (unless you are unfortunate enough to get a Lyman). "Beagle-ing" a mold will also increase the dropped bullet size. You can also do a "Lee-ment" which will be easier to cut with aluminum molds rather than with steel molds.

My 401-175-TC's drop at 0.403" and after PC measure 0.405". I've shot about 2k at this size by seating to the cone, but now I size them to 0.401" so that I can seat them out further without jamming into the throat.

In any event, powder coating will help eliminate leading/tumbling so long as the finished bullet can engage the rifling.

[buffybuster]

Don't cast the bullets too hard. Make them soft enough to bump up in diameter to provide the perfect gas seal. If you make them too hard, they won't bump up and you'll actually get more leading because of gas cutting.

[Carcassonne]

I'm a little perplexed and hoping someone here can help me out. I cast my own bullets for my pistols and this includes 4 pistols (2 H&K, a P229 and a Beretta) which are 40 S&W. I've slugged the barrels on each of them and only 1 has a bore diameter greater than .400. That is a Beretta 96 Centurion. It measures approximately .4035.

I found another Calgunner who had a Beretta 96 Centurion barrel (the whole upper actually) and he sent it to me. I slugged it today and it too measures approximately .4035.

Does anyone else have a Beretta 96 that they have slugged?
What were your measurements, if you don't mind sharing?

It is normal

Mine is also bigger than .400.

Several people on the Beretta forum also said their 96 barrels are larger than .400


Taurus 45 ACP barrels measure .456.

Here is a bullet design just for Taurus barrels http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/bin/...let/sketch.jpg

Notice it says "Designed for over-diameter bore on all Taurus 45 ACPs" in the bottom left corner.



.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Don't cast the bullets too hard. Make them soft enough to bump up in diameter to provide the perfect gas seal. If you make them too hard, they won't bump up and you'll actually get more leading because of gas cutting.

The lead I'm using is almost pure. No real issues in my other three pistols, but the Beretta is a different story.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Baretta's are notorious for having wider barrels.

Your best bet is to cast big and powder coat. The PC will add about 0.002" to the boolits and you should be dropping them at 0.401" or hopefully bigger (unless you are unfortunate enough to get a Lyman). "Beagle-ing" a mold will also increase the dropped bullet size. You can also do a "Lee-ment" which will be easier to cut with aluminum molds rather than with steel molds.

My 401-175-TC's drop at 0.403" and after PC measure 0.405". I've shot about 2k at this size by seating to the cone, but now I size them to 0.401" so that I can seat them out further without jamming into the throat.

In any event, powder coating will help eliminate leading/tumbling so long as the finished bullet can engage the rifling.

I'm sizing to .401 and lubing normally. Going with as cast means I have to tumble lube or PC. Not a big fan of either even though PC makes some pretty bullets.

If I can't find a proper sized barrel at a reasonable cost, you all will be seeing a 96D Centurion on the market (no! That is NOT an offer to sell).

[rsrocket1]

What are your bullets dropping at?

Maybe you don't need to size them at all. I know they will be theoretically better if they are perfectly round, but it doesn't hurt to experiment. The worst that can happen is you get leading and spend 45 seconds with a bore mop and Chore Boy.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

What are your bullets dropping at?

Maybe you don't need to size them at all. I know they will be theoretically better if they are perfectly round, but it doesn't hurt to experiment. The worst that can happen is you get leading and spend 45 seconds with a bore mop and Chore Boy.

I've no doubt I could get by without sizing, but I'd still need to pan/tumble lube or PC. I've no patience for either.

What I'm curious about is, is the bore size I've seen in two beretta barrels so far, typical for Beretta's?

If you have a Beretta 96 and wouldn't mind slugging it, THAT is the information I'm looking for.

[rsrocket1]

Do a Google search on "beretta 96 slugged barrel", you'll see that oversized barrels are very common with 96's. If you will only believe people with first hand ownership, have fun asking around. c-ya

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Do a Google search on "beretta 96 slugged barrel", you'll see that oversized barrels are very common with 96's. If you will only believe people with first hand ownership, have fun asking around. c-ya

My goal here was to find out what other owners experience is with this particular model, ergo, what is typical, not how to solve a leading problem in this particular pistol. I already know how to do that; as do many others. I tried to make that clear in my initial post. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough.

Thank you for the google suggestion; why I didn't think of that before is beyond me. It does appear that what I'm seeing, a bore diameter of .4035, is pretty typical after all.

Descision time. Buy a new barrel or sell it go with another brand. My H&K P2000 and P229 are slightly undersize.

[Carcassonne]

My goal here was to find out what other owners experience is with this particular model, ergo, what is typical, not how to solve a leading problem in this particular pistol. I already know how to do that; as do many others. I tried to make that clear in my initial post. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough.

Thank you for the google suggestion; why I didn't think of that before is beyond me. It does appear that what I'm seeing, a bore diameter of .4035, is pretty typical after all.

Descision time. Buy a new barrel or sell it go with another brand. My H&K P2000 and P229 are slightly undersize.

Mine measures 0.403"-0.4035"

http://berettaforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=104507

I shoot Lee TL401-175-SWC bullets from my 96 and don't have any problems with leading or accuracy.




.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Calling all Beretta cast bullet reloaders

Mine measures 0.403"-0.4035"

http://berettaforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=104507

I shoot Lee TL401-175-SWC bullets from my 96 and don't have any problems with leading or accuracy.
.

Thank you for the info.
Mine is not so accurate and I'm getting quite a bit of leading. But then, I'm sizing my bullets to .401 too. That's not helping the situation. Plated bullets (Berry's) are more accurate.

[r.harrow]

ta-g