Berries bullets with bullseye

[michael.birdsley]

Right now I'm using hornaday 9mm 115 FMJ RN. I would like to switch to berries plated 9mm bullet for economy in 115 or 124 gr rn. The Lee, hornaday, or, Lyman reloading manuals I have do not have a load for useing bullseye powder in plated bullets. What reloading manual would have data for this. The Lyman book has data for a 120 grain cast useing bullseye starting at 3.8 starting. I don't really want to by a bunch of different powders yet. Confused.

[2wheelDuke]

Unless you were running the FMJ at maximum data, you should be just fine with the plated.

Actually, I just checked the Berry's site. It has this to say about their 115gr .356 bullets.


Our bullets can be loaded with any published load data for any 115gr bullet, any of the loading manuals or the powder manufacturers website should have that data for you.


They also say


We recommend a COL of 1.130"



Max velocity 1,250 fps.

[Bullwolf]

Right now I'm using hornaday 9mm 115 FMJ RN. I would like to switch to berries plated 9mm bullet for economy in 115 or 124 gr rn. The Lee, hornaday, or, Lyman reloading manuals I have do not have a load for useing bullseye powder in plated bullets. What reloading manual would have data for this. The Lyman book has data for a 120 grain cast useing bullseye starting at 3.8 starting. I don't really want to by a bunch of different powders yet. Confused.

From Berry's Plated Bullets website FAQ


FAQ: How do I load Berry's Preferred Plated Bullets? We do not research or publish the load data, but you can use any published load data for a jacketed or lead bullet as long as it is the same weight bullet. Any of the load data books or the powder manufacturers’ website should have that information for you, as long as you keep them under 1250 fps for our standard bullet or 1500fps for the bullets designated as TP (thick plate).

If a COL or OAL is needed please email service@berrysmfg.com for further information.
We recommend very little crimp on the bullet, just enough to put pressure against the bullet without denting or deforming the plating. If you were to pull the bullet out of a case with the proper crimp you would find no more than a scratch on the surface of the plating. If you are denting or deforming the bullet your accuracy will suffer and the bullet may start to tumble before it hits the target.

Here are websites with load data information,
https://www.hodgdon.com/basic-manual-inquiry.html
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-contentuploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_1-23-14.pdf

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx




I personally treat plated bullets the same as cast, and load them using Cast boolit data... But according to the manufacturer you can use jacketed data as well if you keep them under 1250 and 1500 FPS respectively.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition, and the Lyman 49th will both serve you well here.

The jacketed data will often be warmer.

Lyman 49th
9mm 115 grain JHP OAL 1.090
Start 3.5 MAX 4.8 grains of Bullseye
945-1184 FPS

Lyman 49th
9mm 125 grain JHP OAL 1.075
Start 3.9 - MAX 4.5 grains of Bullseye
979-1073 FPS
------------------------------------------------------------------
Lyman Cast 4th Ed.
9mm 120 grain RN Cast Lead (Lyman 356242) OAL 1.065
Start 3.4 - MAX 4.2 grains of Bullseye
939-1175 FPS

Lyman Cast 4th Ed.
9mm 120 grain TC Cast Lead (Lyman 356402) OAL 1.110
Start 3.8 - MAX 4.2 grains of Bullseye
1047-1024 FPS


Work your way up from a START charge of Bullseye and you'll be just fine.

From the data referenced above, and not even looking at online manufacturer data, I'd start around 3.4-3.8 grains of Bullseye with a 115 or 124gr plated boolit and work my way up to around 4.0 grains of Bullseye looking for accuracy and reliable function in my pistol. Keep the MAX charges listed above as a do not exceed point. Best accuracy will often found long before you reach the maximum charge levels.

Do a plunk test to find out what OAL your pistol wants, and as long as you don't really bury the plated bullet in the case and are close to manufacturer OAL's you will be fine. If you seat plated bullets much deeper than published load data indicates, be sure to reduce your start charges and work up again.

Start low (watching for squibs always) working your way up slowly and carefully while looking for pressure signs, you are not likely to encounter any unexpected surprises with Bullseye and 9mm. It's a very old and popular combination.

As with all load data found on the internet I would recomend you verify what you see above with published manufacturer data. Typos can and do happen. Think of this as a general guide. Personally verify that it is correct for yourself by cross referencing it with a few other pieces of published reloading data. Don't forget that the powder manufacturers and bullet manufacturers often have additional load data (other than the reloading manuals you own) easily accessible online for free.

Also check out Alliant's online Reloader's Guide - Since Alliant Powder currently makes Bullseye.
Alliant Reloaders Guide
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx

9mm Loads using Bullseye
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=1&cartridge=23



Reloader's Guide
Alliant Powder Reload Recipes
REDUCE RIFLE AND HANDGUN CHARGE WEIGHTS BY 10% TO ESTABLISH A STARTING LOAD.
9mm 115gr Speer GDHP OAL 1.125 CCI 500 primer 4.7gr of Bullseye = 1,144 - FPS
9mm 124gr Speer GDHP OAL 1.120 CCI 500 primer 4.4gr of Bullseye = 1,059 - FPS


Notice that the Alliant online data only shows MAXIMUM charges and not start loads, expecting you (the experienced loader) to reduce listed charges by 10% to establish a safe starting load.


- Bullwolf

[michael.birdsley]

Unless you were running the FMJ at maximum data, you should be just fine with the plated.

Actually, I just checked the Berry's site. It has this to say about their 115gr .356 bullets.



They also say

I read that on the website also. I was assuming it would be the same for the 124 grns but, didn't want to assume.

[michael.birdsley]

From Berry's Plated Bullets website FAQ




I personally treat plated bullets the same as cast, and load them using Cast boolit data... But according to the manufacturer you can use jacketed data as well if you keep them under 1250 and 1500 FPS respectively.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition, and the Lyman 49th will both serve you well here.

The jacketed data will often be warmer.

Lyman 49th
9mm 115 grain JHP OAL 1.090
Start 3.5 MAX 4.8 grains of Bullseye
945-1184 FPS

Lyman 49th
9mm 125 grain JHP OAL 1.075
Start 3.9 - MAX 4.5 grains of Bullseye
979-1073 FPS
------------------------------------------------------------------
Lyman Cast 4th Ed.
9mm 120 grain RN Cast Lead (Lyman 356242) OAL 1.065
Start 3.4 - MAX 4.2 grains of Bullseye
939-1175 FPS

Lyman Cast 4th Ed.
9mm 120 grain TC Cast Lead (Lyman 356402) OAL 1.110
Start 3.8 - MAX 4.2 grains of Bullseye
1047-1024 FPS


Work your way up from a START charge of Bullseye and you'll be just fine.

From the data referenced above, and not even looking at online manufacturer data, I'd start around 3.4-3.8 grains of Bullseye with a 115 or 124gr plated boolit and work my way up to around 4.0 grains of Bullseye looking for accuracy and reliable function in my pistol. Keep the MAX charges listed above as a do not exceed point. Best accuracy will often found long before you reach the maximum charge levels.

Do a plunk test to find out what OAL your pistol wants, and as long as you don't really bury the plated bullet in the case and are close to manufacturer OAL's you will be fine. If you seat plated bullets much deeper than published load data indicates, be sure to reduce your start charges and work up again.

Start low (watching for squibs always) working your way up slowly and carefully while looking for pressure signs, you are not likely to encounter any unexpected surprises with Bullseye and 9mm. It's a very old and popular combination.

As with all load data found on the internet I would recomend you verify what you see above with published manufacturer data. Typos can and do happen. Think of this as a general guide. Personally verify that it is correct for yourself by cross referencing it with a few other pieces of published reloading data. Don't forget that the powder manufacturers and bullet manufacturers often have additional load data (other than the reloading manuals you own) easily accessible online for free.

Also check out Alliant's online Reloader's Guide - Since Alliant Powder currently makes Bullseye.
Alliant Reloaders Guide
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx

9mm Loads using Bullseye
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=1&cartridge=23



Notice that the Alliant online data only shows MAXIMUM charges and not start loads, expecting you (the experienced loader) to reduce listed charges by 10% to establish a safe starting load.


- Bullwolf

In the Lyman 49th addition manual it only shows a 125 gran Sierra JHP bullet with 3.9 grns of bullseye. I just didn't know if a extra grain in bullet weight would affect a 124 grain plated bullet. So if I used that data with the manufacturers suggested COAl I should be ok? I think the Alliant data shows a 115 grn Sierra FMJ bullet. What I mean is a FMJ data is interchangeable with another FMJ of the same weight? I have been doing the plunk test with the hornaday at a COAl of 1.104 ish they go kerplunk and go in and out easy. Most of my factory loaded 9mm according to my calipers is between 1.140-1.153.

[Larry Gibson]

My standard 9mm load for 115 - 124 gr cast is 4 gr Bullseye. That includes plated ones. Have shot a couple thousand of those with that load.

Larry Gibson

[blackthorn]

Quote: "What I mean is a FMJ data is interchangeable with another FMJ of the same weight?"

As with all things in reloading,--- "it depends"--- In this instance, it depends on the bullet profile and how much of the bullet's surface is held in contact with the bore and perhaps the measurements/condition of the bore itself. That said, I would be very comfortable using a published START load with two bullets of the same weight but different profiles. As always, start low and work up!

[Harry O]

Back when it was pretty much impossible to get a lot of bullets (especially 9mm), I ran across a bunch of Berry's plated bullets. I bought them and used them with my standard thick-wall FMJ load, 4.8gr of Bullseye with a 115gr bullet. It was considerably less accurate than real FMJ bullets. I started reducing the load and settled on 4.4gr of Bullseye. That was pretty close to the accuracy of FMJ and would operate all but one of my 9mm handguns. I got occasional failures to feed, telling me that it does not recoil back far enough with less powder. Anyway, the plated bullets work well enough, but they are not direct replacements for thick-wall FMJ bullets in 9mm.

[michael.birdsley]

Ok I think I have it figured out where I can start. Thank you