I am looking for information for loading Berry's .38 special plated DE WC's. They say to use data for jacketed loads, however, I have never seen or heard of such a bullet. Also, they caution about using data that gives at least 850 FPS with these plated WC's. I would like to seat the bullets flush, but I know that will increase the pressure compared to longer COAL's. I would like to use Universal powder and get the 850 FPS required from a 4 inch barrel. I will be testing in my M686, but want to keep them at .38 pressure levels, so I can eventually use them in my M442. Anybody have experience with this kind of load?
Thanks

rat

I don't have exactly what you're looking for but this can be a guide. In my Lee manual it lists for a 148gr wadcutter (it doesn't say lead but I presume it is?) with Universal powder a starting load of 2.9gr for 709fps and a max load of 3.8gr for 940fps. at a mild 15,600 CUP pressure.

Hope this helps.

I think the plated wadcutters defeats the sole purpose of the low end light shooting loads. Berry's are good people just give them a call or send an e-mail to see how they load them.

If you find any lead data, I'd run them on the high side of the lead load.

I tryed a box of Berry's 148 HBWC for indoor range use and used 3.8 of Universal Clays and they done fine. It was out of a 4 inch 38 spl.

I use plated DEWC's but not Universal powder so I cannot help you with a load suggestion. I can suggest you look at data for lead wadcutters -- both double ended and hollow base -- as guidelines. I found that lead and plated are pretty darned close in performance. In my experience the plated DEWC's really do need at least 800 fps to be stable so take that into account.

YMMV.

I have tried the Berrys DEWC loaded with Bullseye powder,seated flush and roll crimped. You definitely need to roll crimp as no crimp groups were larger.
First advice is not to use Winchester cases. They are too thick in the middle and they will bulge with a flush seated bullet.
Remington cases are thinner and there are other cases which will work as well.
Loading from 2.8 to 3.5 grains of Bullseye results in a model 14 were less than stellar.
Low end loads produced large groups and the higher powder charge wasn't much better.
Loading 3 grains of BE produced the best grouping.
However these groups were still larger than shooting HBWC's or 125JHP bullets.
You may have better results, but I will try a different bullet in the future.

Bruce

I have some about 15 years old I slid under the table. Lead dewcs are more accurate in all my guns.---JACK

Thanks for the information. I can't use lead at my indoor range. I think I will stick with my X-treme plated 158 gr SWC's.
I have had trouble with plated WC's. I stuck a Rainier WC in my barrel with too little WW231. And, if they are not seated flush, I have trouble chambering them in my guns. I can't quite get them all the way seated in the chamber. I think they expand the bullet above the case mouth.



rat

I load and shoot these with about a fingernails width of shoulder above the case mouth, and crimp them with an RCBS taper crimp die for .38. Doing this puts the shoulder of the bullet into the chamber throat and makes for some really good accuracy. Using 2.8grns of w231.

I think that's where most the problems come from with plated wadcutters. People buy them for the indoor range and don't realize they have to push them so hard. So many think of the wadcutter as being a low lead round.

What was your ww231 load when you stuck that bullet? I know Berry's website has a warning with their wadcutters of around 800/850. To me having to push them that fast defeats the whole low pressure soft shooting practice round thing.

"What was your ww231 load when you stuck that bullet? I know Berry's website has a warning with their wadcutters of around 800/850. To me having to push them that fast defeats the whole low pressure soft shooting practice round thing."

I am not sure, but I think it was about 3.2 gr WW 231. I was using a M14, and the bullet stuck about 1 inch from the muzzle end. It took a lot of force to drive it out. I used a steel rod and a 2 pound hammer. By the time I got it out, the "jacket" was twice as long as normal, with the lead at the bottom of a copper cylinder!

rat

I shoot these all the time, you can not load them real light but I have never understood that thinking anyway, how light do people want to go ?
I load them in both 38 special and in 357 magnum.
The 357 magnums I shoot in my 2.5" Model 66
I shoot them both in a revolver, a Model 14 and Model 15's and in my Model 52's
Now , I do not shoot the double ended as much, I have , but I normally
buy the HBWC .
I shoot more of them then anything else and have never had a problem, you just need to think of the lead max as your starting point . That should work well, but I have gone just a bit above it too.
As far as powders I have used Accurate #2 , Bullseye and Titegroup.
They all work well for me.