Berry DEWC with W231 in 38 spl.

[gvsteve]

I have a supply of Berry's 148gr plated DEWCs, some 231 Powder and WW sp primers. I'm looking for a good target load. The powder companies don't list a load for these bullets. Has anyone here had any experience with this combination?

Thanks

 

[Nevada Ed]

That bullet is a lead bullet with a very light coating that
helps keep leading down and can be loaded with standard 148 lead wc data but.......................

Crimps can damage the coating, so don't get carried away if you need to crimp this style of bullet and they do better with....
light to medium velocities in most loadings.

 

[arizona98tj]

Go to Berry's web site and looked up the recommended loading procedure for their product....or....I'll post it here for you....since I copied it from their FAQ page. (emphasis added by me)

Plated bullets occupy a position between cast bullets and jacketed bullets. They are soft lead, but have a hard outer shell on them. When loading plated bullets we have found best results using low- to mid-range jacketed data in the load manual. You must use data for a bullet that has the same weight and profile as the one you are loading. Do not exceed mid-range loads. Do not use magnum loads.

 

[tlay]

You can also use HP 38 instead of W231. It is the same powder just a different label. It is also usually cheaper.

 

[F224]

I use 4.2gr of WW231 for targets with the same bullets.

 

[Dr. D.]

I use 3.5gr of HP-38/W231 with 148gr LDEWC, a little lighter load than the above, but OK for punching holes in paper.

 

[Born2Lose]

I had good results with 3.2 grains of 231. 4.2 seems a bit too much. Berry's recommended 2.9 grains of Bullseye.

 

[358156hp]

Use std 148 gr wadcutter data. If you don't have a manual, go to Hodgdons website and start perusing.

 

[F224]

I also use 4.2gr of 231 in my 45acp bullseye loads. Makes setting the powder measure easy. They 38spl load shoots pretty flat out to 50 yards for PPC.

 

[Skipw]

One thing to keep in mind is that Berry puts a speed limit on their plated bullets of 1250 fps.

 

[riverrat38]

Some of the information given above might not be safe.
Berry's has a special note for the 148 gr DEWC.

"When loading for these bullets, you need to use data that will attain 800 fps as a minimum. Most of the data for this bullet weight was created using a dead soft lead projectile with velocities under the 800 fps and will not work for a this bullet at those lower velocities."

I have stuck a Rainier DEWC in the barrel of my M14, about 5 inches out. The situation with the copper plated DECW is that there is a large amount of bullet in contact with the barrel.

Best,
Rick

 

[Leonard]

3.5 231 in my 52-2 w/ berry's 148 gr.

 

[Coastie762]

I have not used the Berrys plated bullets. However, my notes show that a load of 4.0 grains of W231 under a 148 gr Missouri Bullets cast DEWC clocked an average of 822 FPS from a 4" M15-3 and 857 FPS from a 6" Pre-14. This is an accurate and pleasant to shoot load out of both revolvers.

MB uses a "softer" cast alloy for these bullets, but they are definitely harder than the dead soft swaged HBWCs and should provide a better comparison to the plated Berrys bullets.

 

[scwv67]

Also, make sure you don't use loads meant for hollow based WC's when loading for DEWC's.

 

[Calliope]

Some of the information given above might not be safe.
Berry's has a special note for the 148 gr DEWC.

"When loading for these bullets, you need to use data that will attain 800 fps as a minimum. Most of the data for this bullet weight was created using a dead soft lead projectile with velocities under the 800 fps and will not work for a this bullet at those lower velocities."

I have stuck a Rainier DEWC in the barrel of my M14, about 5 inches out. The situation with the copper plated DECW is that there is a large amount of bullet in contact with the barrel.

Best,
Rick

Pay heed to this warning. I stuck a Berry's 148 DEWC in my 4" revolver by using the starting load for lead wadcutters.

I no longer load them flush. I load them so that the base is in the same spot as a base for a 158 JHP and use starting data for the 158 JHP.

IMO the plated bullet companies need to do some testing and put out some real data for plated bullets.

 

[*chris*]

I use 4gn of w231 and average low 800FPS out of a 4" S&W 681. It is a small load and pretty position sensitive.

Chris