I had someone offer me 5000 Berry's .224 55 gr FMJs. Never used them but the price was right at 5 dollars a hundred(but have to take 'em all). Anyone used 'em?? Any good(or bad) comments on them. For plinking ammo they will be cheap 'nuff! Not like I NEED them but ummmm
Berry's Bullets
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fredj338
Member
Fine for 100yd plinking ammo. Good deal, congrats. If you don't want them, happy to take 2K at that price.
They are typical bulk bullets with accuracy similar to Winchester or Remington 55 gr FMJs.
Which is to say they are not bad for plinking purposes, but they won't shoot as well as the Hornady 55 gr FMJ and won't have as high a BC. As FMJs go, the Hornady 55 gr FMJ is among the best.
You'll get better results with them out of a 1-12 twist barrel due to the lower rotational velocity and less over stabilization. Similarly, they tend to shoot better in shorter barrels with lower velocity with similarly less over stabilization.
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A bullet has to spin around it's center of form in the barrel, and then transition to spinning around its center of gravity once it's outside the bore. If the bullet isn't perfect, the center of form and center of gravity do not lie on the same axis. Transitioning rom one axis of rotation to the other creates yaw and at high spin rates that yaw causes precession in a direction 90 degrees earlier in the rotation. That creates a spiral pattern in flight until the bullet "settles" down.
Cheaper bullets tend to be less precise and suffer from this phenomenon more than more precisely made bullets.
FMJs are, as a general design, among the worst as the bases are less precise. That adds the potential that gasses will exit asymmetrically around the bullet and also induce yaw to the bullet as it exits the muzzle.
Which is to say they are not bad for plinking purposes, but they won't shoot as well as the Hornady 55 gr FMJ and won't have as high a BC. As FMJs go, the Hornady 55 gr FMJ is among the best.
You'll get better results with them out of a 1-12 twist barrel due to the lower rotational velocity and less over stabilization. Similarly, they tend to shoot better in shorter barrels with lower velocity with similarly less over stabilization.
----
A bullet has to spin around it's center of form in the barrel, and then transition to spinning around its center of gravity once it's outside the bore. If the bullet isn't perfect, the center of form and center of gravity do not lie on the same axis. Transitioning rom one axis of rotation to the other creates yaw and at high spin rates that yaw causes precession in a direction 90 degrees earlier in the rotation. That creates a spiral pattern in flight until the bullet "settles" down.
Cheaper bullets tend to be less precise and suffer from this phenomenon more than more precisely made bullets.
FMJs are, as a general design, among the worst as the bases are less precise. That adds the potential that gasses will exit asymmetrically around the bullet and also induce yaw to the bullet as it exits the muzzle.
deerstalker
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Berry Bullets
I've used them in 9mm 45 acp, seems to be ok to me. The 45's do expand quite a bit. At $5 a hundred you can't go wrong..
I've used them in 9mm 45 acp, seems to be ok to me. The 45's do expand quite a bit. At $5 a hundred you can't go wrong..
I happen to have about 12,000 or maybe more 223 cases and I think it is time to load 'em up..Don't take up a whole lot more room loaded anyway. Have 4000 Hornady FMJs. I actually got a Bullet feeder for 223 so the 650 will go a bit faster
Had to buy them. He enticed me with an even better price. Will pick 'em up tomorrow. I'll have to try a few to see how they shoot. I got 'em for 4 dollars a hundred and I gave him 16 rounds of 30 Remington ammo for his 141 Remington. He wants to shoot it. If he saves his brass I will reload it for him...or instruct him while he does it.
Berry's sells drawn jacketed bullets from time to time and the available calibers vary.
However, X-treme is perhaps more likely given that they stock .223 consistently.
Either way, they are bulk 55 gr FMJs and the performance will be pretty typical of the breed.
Berry's currently available drawn copper jacketed bullets for .30 carbine are made by Armscor.
X-treme indicates their drawn jacketed bullets are produced with the "finest materials available in the US", but I'm not sure they are actually produced by X-treme.
I've switched all my plated bullet business to X-treme, and did so when Berry's stopped direct sales to consumers for a while during the component shortage. Obviously, they valued their large wholesale customers more than their small retail customers and I saw no need to continue buying their products.
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gmiller0737
Member
I did not find them Listed on Berry's Site either they must have discontinued them, I know they once had them as I have a 500 round box or 2 I purchased within the last year,I haven't loaded any yet so I have no review.
Thin plated bullets in general have some speed restrictions.
Berry's lists two speed limits for their bullets - 1,250 fps for their thin plated bullets and 1,500 fps for their "thick" plated bullets.
X-treme has similar suggested limits of 1200 fps and 1500 fps for their regular and heavy plated bullets.
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It's somewhat dependent however on the load and the bore. For example, I use X-treme's 150 grain .308 FP plated bullet on top of a charge of reloader 7 in .30-30.
I get very good accuracy with them in my 30" 1885 High Wall, with 5 shot groups of 1" at 100 yards and 10 shot groups a bit under 1.5" at 100 yards. The velocity is right at 1775 fps, which is well above the 1500 fps limit. However at 1,800 fps I start getting some significant fliers in about 10% of the shots fired and at higher velocities the percentage of fliers sharply increases, and I suspect that is do to damage to the plated jackets at the higher pressure and or velocity of the heavier loads.
Consequently, in a .30-30 you're giving up about 400 fps - but X-treme strikes their cores before plating and then strikes the plated bullet again after plating and the result is a uniform bullet that can produce good accuracy.
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What I would like to see is a heavy plated bullet in .38 caliber in a 158 gr RN or FN configuration. That would allow near full power loads in .357 rifles and carbines.
I'd also like to see a 170 gr FN or RN heavy plated bullet in .308 as it would allow greater efficiency in a .30-30.
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Ben_hutcherson
Member
I've shot a lot of Berry's Bullets, although not in 223.
As said, they're fine plinking bullets and that price can't be beat. I've mostly stopped using plated bullets as a whole because their price has risen to the point where they're similar to good jacketed bullets. When they were only a few bucks more than lead(and I didn't know how to load let optimally) they were a no-brainer.
As said, they're fine plinking bullets and that price can't be beat. I've mostly stopped using plated bullets as a whole because their price has risen to the point where they're similar to good jacketed bullets. When they were only a few bucks more than lead(and I didn't know how to load let optimally) they were a no-brainer.
Magload
US Veteran
Yes you are right on both counts. I think reading the description they are made by Amcor probably got the spelling or the name wrong.
I bought X-Tremes 223 FMJ bullets and they seam to work fine.
Magload
US Veteran
These bullets are not plated they are metal jacketed. I looked a couple days ago and they had them in 223 but as of yesterday they don't.
I used to shoot their plated a lot but have switched to X-Treme for all my plated. I now only shoot coated in one load for my 9mm as I do like Missouri 125gr SWC in 9mm.
I used to shoot their plated a lot but have switched to X-Treme for all my plated. I now only shoot coated in one load for my 9mm as I do like Missouri 125gr SWC in 9mm.
I agree, and I think that's an artifact of Berry's primary focus on the whole sale business. They don't want to have website prices that undercut their dealers' over the counter prices.
For example, if you look at a .357 158 gr RN bullet at both Berry's and X-treme, X-treme's prices are significantly less:
X-treme 500 count = $46.98 ($93.96 per 1000)
Berry's 250 count = $32.01 ($128.04 per 1000)
Berry's 1000 count = $113.32 (113.32 per 1000)
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To be fair, in comparison if you look at 158 gr bullets from Missouri Bullets you'll find 500 bullets from $35 to $43, - but flat rate shipping will cost you $14.00 and if you buy in quantities of 2000 that still adds another $7.00 per 1000 to the cost - so the end cost is $77 to $93 per 1000.
If you're shooting at .38 special velocities, the regular $77 per thousand cast bullets work fine, but if you're shooting at .357 velocities the apples to apples comparison with a plated bullet is the powder coated cast bullets, and their cost is identical to plated bullets at $93 per thousand.
The end result is that I usually buy cast lead for most of my .38 Special loads and I usually buy plated for most of my .357 loads.
Picked up the bullets and yes they are marked Berry's and they were evidently bought at Cabela's. Oh and the Cabela's in Billings has them listed as in stock... for much more than I paid. For blow away ammo they will be just fine. In a bunch of reloading stuff I bought last week I got about 500 62 gr bullets. The box is marked SS 109 62 gr.... and 10 boxes of Hornady 55 gr FMJ's w/cannelure. I think I have enough bullets for the 223 now.
Magload
US Veteran
Bullets are like guns you never have enough.
