For years I have reloaded 38 Sp. FN lead bullets over 4 Gr. of 231 for target shooting. Worked good, likely ran at least 3,000 rounds through my 38s and 357s. Just bought 500 same bullets copper plated. Can't find a published load, am not much in experimenting with reloading. Anyone know where I could find data on the copper plated bullets?

Berry has some data, lots on Brian Enos and other sites frequented by competitors.
Not exactly rocket science to take a 158gr RNL minor power .38 load with HP38 and adjust for plated with a chronograph to meet IDPA power requirements. If you start at the middle of lead loads you will be very safe and can move up to desired PF.
Hint: I use 4.3gr HP38 to meet both ICORE and IDPA PF with 158gr Berry.

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Science plus Art

Typically you use lead bullet data for plated bullets.

Just do not exceed about 1300FPS with a plated bullet

the 1300 fps limit is not a hard and fast rule. Many, if not most, of the manufacturers now make thick plated competition bullets that can be pushed to 1500 fps, you just need to look for them. I've been using plated bullets in competition for a number of years now and I load them to 1400 to get the power factor I need for major. No problems. (actually the only problem with the single plated bullets is that accuracy falls off at the higher speeds, I suspect the plating is starting to peel off). The additional cost is negligible. (IMO anyway)

I'll be the first to admit I am not a rocket scientist, and also just don't happen to have a chronograph or the inclination to get one. Just wondered if there is published data on the subject, but thank you for the suggestion.

I've been using jacketed data for plated bullets in 357 and a few other calibers. Plated bullets seem to match the jacketed data better than the lead data when shot over the chrono.

I believe Berry's website says to use jacketed data for their plated bullets.

From the Berry's web site:

Question: How do I load Berry's Preferred Plated Bullets?


We do not research or publish the load data, but you can use any published load data for a jacketed or lead bullet as long as it is the same weight bullet. Any of the load data books or the powder manufacturers’ website should have that information for you, as long as you keep them under 1250 fps for our standard bullet or 1500fps for the bullets designated as TP (thick plate).

Thank you! This points me in the right direction.

Extreme bullets also has basically the same information about their bullets on their website in a load info link on the left side of their webpage. I shoot lots of Berry's, Extreme, Rainier, and HSM in .38/.357/.40 and they all work fine. If you don't crimp the bejesus out of them you should be able to find something that works for you.

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Trucks and guns.

Everyone is making more of this that there needs to be! All of you need to compare loads for the same bullet weight, cast and jacketed, in the same manual(s)! Often you will see that Lead bullet loads are actually slightly higher than those for Jacketed in the same manual. So much for "Load plated with Lead data!"

For practical purposes both plated and cast bullets can be loaded with jacketed data if nothing else is available. The real difference that causes different data for different bullet types is seating depth, the distance a bullet intrudes into the cartridge case. Seating depth, on bullets with cannellures, is easily determined by measuring the distance from the bullet base to the point in the cannellure you will be seating to. Older manuals (Pre-WWII) usually listed seating depth, not over-all length, but this is one place where loading information and practice really has been "dumbed down" because it is directly measurable on a loaded cartridge case. Bluntly, the loading manual publishers think the average re-loader is too stupid to understand the "Seating Depth" concept!

The reason "Jacketed data" is often lower than that for cast bullets, of the same style and weight, is because the jacketed bullet is longer for it's weight as the average density is lower. The jacketed bullet is longer and seats farther into the case, reducing the powder space and increasing pressure as a result. The charge is slightly reduced to off-set the deeper seating depth and keep the pressure within limits.

As far as keeping velocity below 1300 FPS, or even 1200 FPS, this is sort of a joke really as few handgun cartridges will exceed this velocity level in and normal barrel length! So why does it always get mentioned??????

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Just use your load bullet data, you'll be fine. You might want to bump it 1-2/10gr if you want the same vel though. Plated load between a lead & jacketed. My own exp matches that statement.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I have at least 7 loads for a .44 magnum chrono'ed at over 1300 ft/sec. Also, 5 loads for a .357 magnum chrono'ed at over 1300 ft/sec. So to say that keeping loads below 1300 ft/sec is 'sort of a joke' is an ill considered statement. The warning is there because a few of us use hot loads for hunting and/or just plain fun.

My chronographs say different

I totally agree with you.

I shoot many thousands of handloads annually that chronograph up to 2000 FPS in my handguns and lever actions. These cartridges include the 357 Magnum, 41 Magnum, 500 Magnum, 9x23 Winchester, 356TSW, 357SIG and others.

For my handloads that exceed 1300FPS I use jacketed projectiles.

I have been fooling around with powder coated projectiles and they appear to have a significantly higher speed limit than plated projectiles. Plus as they become more popular they will cost less, some calibers already are less than plated.

That depends on the bullet and plating job on it. Both Berry's and Extreme make some plated bullets that are good for 1500 fps. The Berry's that are good for that velocity that I have shot are the 9MM 115 grain HBRNTP bullets. The Extreme bullets good for 1500 fps are the Heavy Plate Concave Base bullets and their Hollow Point plated bullets. Both companies websites explain this for those bullets.

No the 1300fps threshold is about the plating integrity on most plated. Accuracy starts falling off pretty rapidly after 1300fps. I load plated in my 357sig. Accuracy is pretty good at 1250fps, but the closer i get to 1300fps, groups open up dramatically.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Just for clarification, I only used jacketed bullets for loads over 1100ft/sec. However, I do appreciate Berry's warnistatement as a reminder.

Most 9mm and 38 spl lead bullets are designed from 1,000 to 900 fps .

I can see kicking the plated up 100-150fps for target work but
have yet to get a 9mm 125gr plated to do well over 1173fps in my C9.

To each his own but I like loading light, accurate target loads
that the whole family can enjoy.
I pop a few full +P now and then but just for a few giggles.