your thoughts on plated boolits

[shaune1022]

Here's what I'm thinking. When ever I get a new rifle I break in the barrel by shooting jacketed down the pipe and copper scrubbing the bore in between shots. As this goes on and on I can feel the difference pushing the patch down the bore. Some say this is not needed or is the wrong way of doing it but it works for me.

Any ways I'm getting way off track so let me get back to the point. I just bought my first NEW revolver and it will be a cast shooter, but I want to break it in first. Will plated pills do the same thing as jacketed? I am a cheap***, but I think I can handle spending $50 for 500 plated pills.

Give me your opinions please. BTW it's a 4" sp101 357 mag.

thanks, Shaune

[contender1]

Plating is just that, a thin plating over lead core. Jacketed is two different materials. Spend the $$ on jacketed.

[runfiverun]

plus the plating is over pure lead it gives way super easily.
I'd just go ahead and go straight to cast boolits and forget the other stuff.
a good mold is gonna be 50 bucks and you'll be 5,000 rounds into the shooting by the time you realize you forgot to buy the jaxketed ones.

[Dryball]

What you prefer is ok but, it sounds as if you are going the long way around the barn. Get the fire-lapping kits (with the compound already imbeded in the bullets) or but the compound only kit...that way you can fire-lap all yours (and your neighborhood's barrels). It saves you from having to "waste" material. If I'm off base on what you're tryin to accomplish I'm sorry.

[shaune1022]

Thanks for the tip dryball, I've heard these mentioned before but kind of forgot about them. Will check it out.

[Jtarm]

Yep, one bottle of LBT fire lapping compound should last a lifetime.

[tazman]

My new revolver didn't need any "breaking in". It shot cast accurately from the very start. I doubt I have fired 20 jacketed though the thing compared to several thousand cast.

[Bryan527]

What I do is give the barrel a good cleaning with JB. Sort of the cheapskate version of lapping the barrel. From what I understand, the break in procedure of firing rounds is to smooth out the bore. The JB does that without using up hard to find components.

[robertbank]

The problem I and others have found with plated is they seem to work in most handguns at the low velocities and then as velocity increases accuracy can fade depending on the gun and the manufacturer of the plated bullets. Drive the bullets to fast and I have seen two things happen. The rifling cuts and strips the plating or the jackets shed in flight. Obviously accuracy degrades rather quickly when either occurs. I know guys have tried them in their IPSC Open 9MM guns and found accuracy was generally poor as the jackets were getting cut by the rifling.

I use plated in my 38spl IDPA loads for competition when shooting dark stages to avoid the smoke you get when shooting cast boolits - the lube being the culprit.

If you keep the velocities to the lower end of the scale ie light 38spl loads then they should work well. I would not make a bet on them performing well at the higher velocity ranges you can achieve with a .357mag. You may find your gun to react differently. Try them and find out.

Take Care

Bob