Plated bullets in rifle

[Flashover16]

haven't shot plated from a rifle.
all I can do is offer this and you should use you own judgement.
I shoot plated projectiles all the time for range loads, I have used Raniers, Berry, and now extreme exclusively.
I shoot/own several caliber including the 38 Super and 10 MM.
I shoot 115 from the Super and 155 from the 10 MM, both are above the 1200 fps , but below the 1500 FPS and have never had a problem with them.
I use jacketed projectiles for rifle myself.

 

[a__l__a__n]

FWIW, here's what Berrys replied:

It’s once that bullet is pushed over 1,250 fps we can’t guarantee that the copper plating will stay adhered to the lead core.​

 

[1006]

Plated swaged bullets cannot even be pushed as fast as a hard cast lead bullet. Swaged bullets are only good for around the 1200-1500fps recommended. They are too soft.

I tried them in my 40 Caliber HK USP many years ago, and my targets had three small holes for each bullet fired--they flew apart.

Hard cast, with a gas check is the way to go if you want to go fast with lead. Jacketed is the better choice for speed.

 

[a__l__a__n]

Thanks 1006. Which brand of plated bullets were those? Any idea of the velocity?

Sent from my 6045I using Tapatalk

 

[1006]

It has been a while--either the Berry or Rainier

 

[1006]

I think it was the one in ten twist rate of the HK that pulled the bullets apart. Velocity was about 1100. I had good luck with the moly coated lead.

 

[a__l__a__n]

I have a few Berrys on hand and a bunch of Xtremes. I should be able to load them such that they are 800+ from a revolver and 1200 or less from a rifle. That should be sufficient for plinking. I'll give that a try and see what kind of results I get.

 

[1006]

If you gun barrels have the same twist rate, you should be able to get about the same speed out of each barrel, without tearing the bullet apart.

Since the pistol will have a lower velocity, I would find your max speed in the rifle with your favorite pistol powder and the plated bullet, and then try the same load in the pistol.

 

[a__l__a__n]

Ok, back from the range.

I shot four different loads from a 5.5" Ruger Redhawk and also from a 20" Marlin 1894 (2015 production, Ballard rifling)

1) Berry's 240 grain RNFP copper plated with 6.4 grains Bullseye, CCI 300 primers, OAL=1.62", light roll crimp

Redhawk: 839, 820, 806 (ave = 822 fps)
Marlin: 959, 977, 990 (ave = 975 fps)

2) XTreme 240 grain RNFP coppeer plated with 6.4 grains Bullseye, CCI 300 primers, OAL=1.60", light roll crimp

Redhawk: 815, 836, 829 (ave = 827 fps)
Marlin: 1061, 1063, 1068 (ave = 1064 fps)

3) Missouri #5 200 grain "Hi tech" coated RNFP with 6.0 grains Bullseye, CCI 300 primers, OAL=1.59", light roll crimp

Redhawk: 864, 892, 887 (ave = 881 fps)
Marlin: 1113, 1126, 1132 (ave = 1124 fps)

4) Berry's 240 grain RNFP copper plated with 6.0 grains Bullseye, CCI 300 primers, OAL=1.575", light roll crimp

Redhawk: 775, 784, 768 (ave = 776 fps)
Marlin: 934, 912, 925 (ave=924 fps)

Temperature was around 87 degrees F. Elevation was about 1720 feet above sea level. That puts the speed of sound around 1145 fps at the range today. So these rounds were all subsonic (some just barely).

 

[a__l__a__n]

I dug four bullets out of the red clay bank behind the target. In the pictures below, the one on the left is a Berrys bullet. The two in the center are Xtreme bullets(identified by the cannelure markings). The one on the right is the Missouri bullet. The first picture is the pretty side of the four bullets, and the second picture is the ugly side.