125gr Xtreme copper plated bullets

[Mightyheb]

Help
Shooting a 19-5 and a 686
I just got 1500 125grain 38 Bullets from xtreme

After reading I’m a bit concerned about the issues of cracking

Has anyone loaded a copper plated 125grain 38 with alliant bullseye?

Need OAL and grains used.

Thanks in advance

 

[Rpg]

The frame cracking on M19’s was associated with light weight 357 bullets driven at magnum velocities, eg. 1,400 FPS with 125 gr bullets.

Don’t hot rod your loads and you’ll be just fine.

 

[joeraf]

Extreme has their own small manual and Lee has it all. Get a reloading manual and be safe!

 

[Mightyheb]

Extreme has their own small manual and Lee has it all. Get a reloading manual and be safe!

I have looked at my books and nothing for 125grain copper plated

 

[toc1]

From a manual use 125 gr lead. Don't over crimp. Don't soup them up to much. Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[joeraf]

The Lee 2nd edition has all the loads for copper plated bullets. Bullseye isn’t listed there for 125 gr. copper plated bullets.

 

[rockquarry]

Help
Shooting a 19-5 and a 686
I just got 1500 125grain 38 Bullets from xtreme

After reading I’m a bit concerned about the issues of cracking

Has anyone loaded a copper plated 125grain 38 with alliant bullseye?

Need OAL and grains used.

Thanks in advance

Are you getting good accuracy with this load?

 

[BRL40]

...Has anyone loaded a copper plated 125grain 38 with alliant bullseye?

Small world.

Friend just received 500 of the same bullet from X-Treme and is going to sell me half.

I haven't reloaded .38 Special in centuries and have Bullseye and Unique but no data for lead or coated.

 

[Sevens]

This comes from the HEART and backed with the experience of around 100,000 rounds loaded and fired with plated bullets made mostly by Xtreme and Berry’s, but half a dozen plated bullet makers.

It also goes somewhat AGAINST what the plated bullet makers sometimes say and have said in the past.

Here it is:

Do not treat these like LEAD BULLETS. Load them like JACKETED bullets but don’t load them like jacketed bullets in .327, .357, .41 and .44 Magnum.

-WHY-

Because these suckers give far more resistance in a barrel than any cast or swaged lead bullet. If you baby a plated bullet in a revolver, you may eventually stick one in your bore.

This happens specifically in revolvers because revolvers have a flash gap where precious, much needed pressure can bleed out at the wrong time.

If it is a pistol, the bore is sealed as long as the brass obturates, and the bullet is forced to escape with even a light load.

If you load plated overly light in a revolver you will end up sticking one and that is NOWHERE you want to be.

Again, this is experience. It is far better to read it than to have to pound one out. And it’s a helluva lot worse than pounding if you fire a second one behind a stuck one.

 

[Sevens]

Alliant’s online published data is annoying and poorly arranged. Even still, the MAX load for a 125gr Gold Dot in .38 Spl is 4.5gr and for the same bullet in .38 Spl+P the MAX load is 4.8gr.

Proper technique is to reduce the MAX by 10% for a starting load.

The Gold Dot bullet itself is a plated bullet.

I load 125gr plated bullets at 4.4gr Bullseye in .38 Special all day long. Last week I loaded 500 rounds of plated 125’s with 4.4gr of Bullseye. I have a COAL also, but I don’t have that number handy. If your bullets have a cannelure, load to that cannelure and give them a medium roll crimp. I think you will be happy with them.

 

[joeraf]

Is that why I see that the loads are larger for copper plated bullets in the manuals than ones for lead bullets? Thank you for the info.

 

[Mightyheb]

This comes from the HEART and backed with the experience of around 100,000 rounds loaded and fired with plated bullets made mostly by Xtreme and Berry’s, but half a dozen plated bullet makers.

It also goes somewhat AGAINST what the plated bullet makers sometimes say and have said in the past.

Here it is:

Do not treat these like LEAD BULLETS. Load them like JACKETED bullets but don’t load them like jacketed bullets in .327, .357, .41 and .44 Magnum.

-WHY-

Because these suckers give far more resistance in a barrel than any cast or swaged lead bullet. If you baby a plated bullet in a revolver, you may eventually stick one in your bore.

This happens specifically in revolvers because revolvers have a flash gap where precious, much needed pressure can bleed out at the wrong time.

If it is a pistol, the bore is sealed as long as the brass obturates, and the bullet is forced to escape with even a light load.

If you load plated overly light in a revolver you will end up sticking one and that is NOWHERE you want to be.

Again, this is experience. It is far better to read it than to have to pound one out. And it’s a helluva lot worse than pounding if you fire a second one behind a stuck one.

Great information. Thank you

 

[Mightyheb]

Alliant’s online published data is annoying and poorly arranged. Even still, the MAX load for a 125gr Gold Dot in .38 Spl is 4.5gr and for the same bullet in .38 Spl+P the MAX load is 4.8gr.

Proper technique is to reduce the MAX by 10% for a starting load.

The Gold Dot bullet itself is a plated bullet.

I load 125gr plated bullets at 4.4gr Bullseye in .38 Special all day long. Last week I loaded 500 rounds of plated 125’s with 4.4gr of Bullseye. I have a COAL also, but I don’t have that number handy. If your bullets have a cannelure, load to that cannelure and give them a medium roll crimp. I think you will be happy with them.

Thanks seven. When you get a chance can you shoot me your oal?
I don’t believe they have a cannelure

 

[madmikeb]

I shoot the Xtreme 125 RNFP in matches every summer over 5.5 grains of Bullseye in .357 cases. Been doing this for 3 or 4 years and have had very good results. I don't know what the OAL is, I don't have any loaded right now. The bullets I buy have a cannelure and I lightly crimp to that.

 

[Erocksmash]

I run full nutz 158 plated jobbers in my Coonan, and my 686 ND and my 686-6, and after retrieving some out of the berm and off steel the retain there jackets.... hope this helps... I've never had a Separation issue

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Well, they do make the 125gr FP with & without a cannelure... This is where either of the LEE FCDs can come in handy. The O/P doesn't indicate whether these are being shot from 38 Special or 357 Mag brass, either...?

But, regarding 38 Special, the Hodgdons OAL for all 33 loads they list for 38 Special (and for 16 in +P, as well) using XTPs or a LRNFP is 1.455". ALLIANT says 1.44" for a 125gr Gold Dot with 4.5gr Bullseye in both as well. Nowhere near the advertised 1200 fps for these plated Xtremes.

These are 357 Magnum revolvers. Load 'em as longer as you please (within reason).

Cheers!

 

[BC38]

The frame cracking on M19’s was associated with light weight 357 bullets driven at magnum velocities, eg. 1,400 FPS with 125 gr bullets.

Don’t hot rod your loads and you’ll be just fine.

^^What he said^^

Xtreme recommends that their standard plated bullets be kept to velocities below 1200fps - which is the lower end of 357 magnum loads. As long as you follow that advice the ammo isn't going to be the "hot" light bullet loads that crack forcing cones.

That also means you aren't going to be using a hot magnum powder that will erode the forcing cone - another cause of cracking.

You will be just fine, though you may find the difference between your POA & POI will require adjusting the sights (or your sight picture). Mild loads with light bullets will likely shoot lower than full power magnums with heavier bullets (like 158gr).

Use jacketed bullet data, start with minimum charges, and work your way up. Probably won't want to go past the mid-point between min and max to keep the velocities down.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

You will be just fine, though you may find the difference between your POA & POI will require adjusting the sights (or your sight picture). Mild loads with light bullets will likely shoot lower than full power magnums with heavier bullets (like 158gr).

I usually have to raise my rear sight's elevation up by (10) clicks, from my normal 158gr load's setting, for 125gr loads at 15yd target.

.

 

[Mightyheb]

Well, they do make the 125gr FP with & without a cannelure... This is where either of the LEE FCDs can come in handy. The O/P doesn't indicate whether these are being shot from 38 Special or 357 Mag brass, either...?

But, regarding 38 Special, the Hodgdons OAL for all 33 loads they list for 38 Special (and for 16 in +P, as well) using XTPs or a LRNFP is 1.455". ALLIANT says 1.44" for a 125gr Gold Dot with 4.5gr Bullseye in both as well. Nowhere near the advertised 1200 fps for these plated Xtremes.

These are 357 Magnum revolvers. Load 'em as longer as you please (within reason).

Cheers!

38 special brass

 

[smithra_66]

Help
Shooting a 19-5 and a 686
I just got 1500 125grain 38 Bullets from xtreme

After reading I’m a bit concerned about the issues of cracking

Has anyone loaded a copper plated 125grain 38 with alliant bullseye?

Need OAL and grains used.

Thanks in advance

Plated bullets are softer than jacketed bullets. They do not behave like Jacketed bullets, but are still a bit harder than lead bullets.

Also, if you're just loading light 38 loads with Bullseye you won't have any issues.

The problems were coming from full house 125 gr JHPs loaded with magnum powder to top velocities.