Sounds like what I get from my garage and the casting pot! NO SHIPPING as a matter of fact.
Once I get this pesky "working for a living" thing out of the way...
Berry's Bullets - Report Your Recent Experience
- Thread starter blujax01
- Start date
Once I get this pesky "working for a living" thing out of the way...
rromeo
Member
I just bought some for my .44. Does anybody have good crimp advice?
FloridaFlier
Member
Rromeo, I've been shooting Berry's .44's 240gr plated FP in for a while. There is no cannelure. Use the micrometer for COAL, and taper crimp just enough to remove the belling. I've been quite happy with a COAL of 1.475" and 5.8gr of HP-38 powder.
Edit: My numbers above are for .44 Special rounds, not .44 Magnum.
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rromeo
Member
Thanks. The reloading store guy suggested the Lee Factory Crimp die, but he had never used this bullet.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
You have to decide. Left is 12 shots @ 7 yards one reload in 18 seconds. Right, 18 shots, 6 standing, 6 kneeling, 6 sitting, @ 21 yards in 80 seconds.
FWIW
FWIW
drhenzler
Member
I've been looking for some inexpensive bullets for practice shooting, and have considered the Barry's Bullet due to leading in the hotter cartridges used in semi autos. However if a person is really interested in an all around bullet solution that is potentially less expensive purchased in case lots, the Montana Gold company offers some real jacketed hollow points that are on a par with Hornady's premium bullet. Bullets are like toilet paper you will always need more. So I am going with this solution for practice, and defense loads, at least in my 9mm and 45acp loads.
I have no issue with Barry's or Rainier except for price. I think these shold be a couple pennies less in quantity. Then the choice would be clear.
One reporters opinion.
I have no issue with Barry's or Rainier except for price. I think these shold be a couple pennies less in quantity. Then the choice would be clear.
One reporters opinion.
It's hard to compare jacketed with plated but the price difference is already rather large.
Montana Gold ............................Berry's plated
9mm124 FMJ - $126/1000...........9mm 124 PRN - $88.67/1000 (37.33)
38 spl 125 jhp - $151/1000.........38 spl 125 php - $93.51/1000 (57.49)
45 acp 230 cmj - 201/1000.........45 acp 230 prn - $140.88/1000 (60.12)
Montana Gold ............................Berry's plated
9mm124 FMJ - $126/1000...........9mm 124 PRN - $88.67/1000 (37.33)
38 spl 125 jhp - $151/1000.........38 spl 125 php - $93.51/1000 (57.49)
45 acp 230 cmj - 201/1000.........45 acp 230 prn - $140.88/1000 (60.12)
IAhunter
Member
I shoot the Berry's .357 158 grain FP out of 38 special brass. They are cheaper than others, and good for practice & plinking. They will shoot < 2" at 25 yards out of my 686 off sand bags.
For magnum plinking, I like the Hornady 160 grain Cl-Sil, that are now discontinued. I just bought a bunch of those that were on sale and sold as bulk blems from Midsouth for about the same price per thousand with shipping. With the right dose of 2400, these are more accurate than I am able to shoot at 25 yards off the bench. The 158 XTPs do well for me too.
For magnum plinking, I like the Hornady 160 grain Cl-Sil, that are now discontinued. I just bought a bunch of those that were on sale and sold as bulk blems from Midsouth for about the same price per thousand with shipping. With the right dose of 2400, these are more accurate than I am able to shoot at 25 yards off the bench. The 158 XTPs do well for me too.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
And don't let me give you the cost rundown for my home cast boolits in comparison to even plated! Most of my lead was acquired for free, so, even if you only retain 95% because of scrap from that lead, what does it cost in raw materials to make boolits? I can run any lead bullet I cast in any handgun I load for, so.........Why would I buy now?
hahaharromeo
Member
I would love to cast, but right now, my time is worth more than fake money.
I bought some Berry's and X-Treme plated bullets and tried them out in 357 and 45. I could not figure out how to seat them without damaging the plating or how to crimp them so that they would stay put, without damaging the plating. Also found they shot all over the place. Same problem with Precision polymer coated bullets. They sure look nice, but I'm sticking with Lead, where I have no problems working up loads from existing data.
I understand that some folks have no trouble with these bullets and get excellent results with them. I can't make them behave. And I'm not sure what purpose they are intended to serve, other than limiting your lead exposure. If you have a leading issue and are looking at plated bullets to cure it, I suggest trying some gentle bore lapping instead. Running a strip of cloth with a little Simichrome on it through the thoroughly cleaned bore 100-200 times will work wonders on a bore that tends to lead up quickly. The idea is to just take the tooth off of the badly bored bore.
I would really love to have someone prove me wrong about plated bullets, but I don't see anybody being forthcoming with expanding/seating/crimping info that produces reproducible results.
I understand that some folks have no trouble with these bullets and get excellent results with them. I can't make them behave. And I'm not sure what purpose they are intended to serve, other than limiting your lead exposure. If you have a leading issue and are looking at plated bullets to cure it, I suggest trying some gentle bore lapping instead. Running a strip of cloth with a little Simichrome on it through the thoroughly cleaned bore 100-200 times will work wonders on a bore that tends to lead up quickly. The idea is to just take the tooth off of the badly bored bore.
I would really love to have someone prove me wrong about plated bullets, but I don't see anybody being forthcoming with expanding/seating/crimping info that produces reproducible results.
1sailor
Member
I use the lee 4 die set that includes the factory crimp die. I only load for 9mm but have had zero problems. I have had to pull a couple of bullets for one reason or another (my mistakes, nothing to do with bullets or dies) and have never found the plating to be compromized. With either my M&P or my Beretta 92fs I can consistantly keep about a 2" group at 50ft from a sitting position. firing offhand my groups are right around 3" or so. These are all either 10 or 15 round groups. Perhaps they do not behave as well in a magnum load but I doubt they were intended to. I tried 500 cast bullets a while back but between the smoke and the lube being all over everything I decided I'd rather pay the extra few bucks per thousand and load plated.
Most plated bullets are unsuitable for magnum loads. Once you go supersonic they tend to shed their plating.
I use them in 9mm, 38 spl and 45 acp for target practice at moderate velocities.
A lot of indoor ranges will not allow exposed lead. Plated bullets offer an inexpensive alternative to jacketed bullets.
I use them in 9mm, 38 spl and 45 acp for target practice at moderate velocities.
A lot of indoor ranges will not allow exposed lead. Plated bullets offer an inexpensive alternative to jacketed bullets.
Bullseye Smith
Member
You are 100% right on that
