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Old 03-10-2010, 06:31 AM
whelenshooter whelenshooter is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Grangeville, Idaho
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I like Rainier plated bullets, but their information about using lead bullet loads allowed me to bulge the barrel on my 627 with a 158 grain plated FP! They may be a bit softer than regular jacketed bullets, but they have a much higher coefficient of friction than lead bullets! Don't push Rainier bullets over about 1200 fps, but use jacketed data that keeps them under that velocity.

I discovered I could actually stick a bullet in the barrel at will. I won't repeat the load because it is useless, but it was a higher end lead bullet load for 38 Special. The load worked fine on warm days, but at 20 degrees F the first shot on the draw ALWAYS stuck the bullet in the barrel. Evidently the draw was tossing the powder to the front of the case (WW231) and it wasn't igniting properly. It did ignite, and it made a fairly loud report, but it felt and sounded a bit different. Unfortunately I didn't catch it, and I was shooting fast double action. The second round shoved both bullets out the barrel, but left me with a bulge.

With the .45ACP I use standard jacketed bullet data and I've never had a problem. Of course you can't push a bullet over the 1200 fps velocity limit with a .45 ACP. With the .38 Special I still use the same load with a 158 grain lead SWC and have never had a problem no matter what the temperature. With Rainier plated bullets I went to a load that filled the case more. I haven't tried it in cold weather, but I feel better about it. I can't see how I could have less than perfect ignition with the better load density of the new load. I think Rainier bullets are great, but you have to be careful about the load, and lead bullet loads are NOT the way to go.

Last edited by whelenshooter; 03-10-2010 at 06:35 AM.
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