My club requests lead only when shooting at their plate sets in order to minimize damage. Consequently, I've been reloading hard cast lead for years but never ventured into coated bullets. In recient years I' ve been hearing about "copper washed" bullets that produce less smoke and foulding than lead but are steel target friendly and inexpensive. I'm interested but when I go looking for these bullets, all I find are "plated " and Jacketed". I know what jacketed is but am unsure if "plated" is what I'm looking for. Can somebody educate me on the differences, benifits, sources etc of this hybred type bullet?

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Dave

Winchester use to offer a copper wash 158gr LSWC 357 that I used for a long time but they stopped selling it years ago. The plated bullets like Berrys and Rainer load like lead and are cleaner, plenty soft on plates but aren't suppose to be loaded to magnum velocitys.

The 'flash' plated are just that a very thin copper plating/wash. Don't load to mag velocity and a benefit the plating retards any lead gas/dust for those ranges that don't want lead bullets used[usually an indoor range depending on their ventilation system].

Yes I think 'plated' are what you want. I've loaded Berry's, & Rainier in the 40s&w and the 45acp & have been very happy with them. I just load them to lower/mid levels for all around use.