Plated vs Cast vs Jacketed in 45 ACP--seeking guidance

[CHeatermk3]

I've got a box of Berry's plated 185gn hollow-base 45 bullets and none of my manuals show loads for this bullet.

Should I treat this projectile as a cast boolit? I think it's gotta be easier to push(less pressure needed) than jacketed, but I just don't know. I wanted to use some ETR-7 I have on hand but this powder doesn't meter well thru my Dillon at the charge weights I'm comfortable loading for my autos. It burns really clean in the 45 Colt but I throw all those charges thru an RCBS powder measure. I want to load the acp ammo on my Dillon, using 231 or Bullseye.

Any suggestions? These bullets shoot well out of my Blackhawk 45 Colt but I want to use them in the auto.

[Josh Smith]

Treat it as cast.

Josh

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Yep treat it as a castboolit

[bangerjim]

Plated is NOT jacked! Very thin.

As said treat them as cast. I do with no problems.

[Reddirt62]

Light crimp as well....they can crease.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[gray wolf]

Start at about 4.2 of bulls eye 4.5 and your near the sweet spot.
It's a soft good shooting load, and yes treat as a lead bullet.
You don't have an O A C L so don't start to short, probably arround
1.200 and plunk test them, crimp about the same as a lead bullet.

[gtrpickr]

good to know was wondering about plated bullets myself

[rondog]

I personally won't buy plated bullets anymore. I've experienced the plating coming off and bullets going wild and inaccurate, with slice marks beside the bullet holes in the paper from a big flake of plating hanging off. Pretty obvious the plating wasn't staying on. Wasn't impressed.

[smokeywolf]

CHeatermk3, be sure to do your taper crimp in a separate operation from seating. As already stated, the plating is very thin and if you try to seat & crimp in the same operation the plating will tear and pile up on the case mouth.

[Josh Smith]

I personally won't buy plated bullets anymore. I've experienced the plating coming off and bullets going wild and inaccurate, with slice marks beside the bullet holes in the paper from a big flake of plating hanging off. Pretty obvious the plating wasn't staying on. Wasn't impressed.

If I recall, Speer Gold Dots are plated.

Research that. Don't take it as gospel.

Regards,

Josh

[44MAG#1]

"If I recall, Speer Gold Dots are plated."

Yes they are but then there are plated and then there are "plated" bullets. Speer bullets are "plated" and I mean plated. Meaning HIGH quality job done on them.

[ole 5 hole group]

The Speer Gold Dot is a completely different animal - the lead core is bonded to a high quality jacket of sorts that many refer to as being plated - completely different process. In my opinion the 45 ACP Gold Dot Bullet is top-shelf for either self-defense or hunting purposes - great expansion, maintains its weight and penetrates deep - what more can you ask of a bullet? self-guidance maybe???;)

[44MAG#1]

This from the #14 Speer manual. "After swaging and cleaning the cores are placed in a computer-controlled electro-chemical PLATING system to receive the copper jacket literally one molecule at a time."
So Speer says they are plated. They use a chemically applied system which is a HIGH quality plating like I said previously.

[Josh Smith]

I'll accept that. Seems to be the gist of what I read, and seems logical.

I have nothing at all against plating.

I've often wondered why manufactures use jackets on expanding bullets instead of just using a thin plating. Seems Speer plates, and that's just fine.

Regards,

Josh

[ole 5 hole group]

Ahhh - I think we on are the same page - I just looked on there website "Uni-Cor technology bonds an incredibly uniform jacket to the core—one molecule at a time"

I reload Gold Dot's for my carry and hunting rounds and have done so for many years - not a better bullet made in my opinion.
http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/gold_dot_const.aspx

192936Shot from a rest at 25 yards from a Les Baer PII 1911 with a milled slide sporting a Leupold Deltapoint Red Dot. - This is a typical group with that load from my 1911 - 0.500" to 0.750" variation depending upon if I maintain a consistent grip.

[gray wolf]

In all fairness I must agree that,
there is plating and then there is plating.

I had a chance to handle some plated 158 grain HP bullets from
Rocky mountain reloading R M R bullets, they looked better than most jacketed bullets I have seen. Nice canalure, weight was right on and it took short while to file through the plating, definitely not thin. Best of all they are priced well and shipping is free.

https://rmrbullets.com/shop/bullets-for-reloading/bullets-for-reloading-357-38-13/357-38-158-gr-rmr-round-nose-plated-hp/?v=7516fd43adaa#prettyPhoto

https://dj8fpe56sshck.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/357-158-gr-RN-HPP-w_cannelure.jpg

[FergusonTO35]

The Berry's "thick plate" 9mm 124 grain truncated cone is an outstanding boolit. My Glocks eat them up with awesome accuracy and perfect function. They are a bit spends compared to cast, around $27.00/250. I recently ordered a bunch of plated flat points for .380 from The Bullet Works. $73.00/1000 shipping included. Hopefully my Glock 42 will like them. It will eat the Lee 356-102 sized to .357 just fine but, at this price, I may just stick with them for that particular gun. Glock barrels get along with plated slugs just great, like a K-38 with wadcutters.

[CHeatermk3]

Thanks to all for the replies...I'll try Grey Wolf's suggestions--4.5 of BE seems kinda light but--at least it's a starting point--I shot 6.0 W231 under H&G #68 hardcast boolits but need to get some more 231 first.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I will 2nd on the Berry's thick plates, they are good bullets, they are all I use for competition and I shoot LOTS of them. If you talk to Berry's they will tell you that the bullets will handle more tha their rated velocity on the box if you need it. The key to successful plated bullet shooting is this: light crimping, have a decent and burr free mouth flare, and seat and crimp in separate steps. Failure to do any of those steps can cut through the plating and you will probably have issues from the plating shedding in-flight. It will probably leave a distinctive lead swirl on the target. My 115gr 9mm Major load chrono's at 1530fps at 10' from the muzzle and shot very well. Im back to a 124gr right now and loving the 124gr hollow base thick plate TC. I can seat out far enough to almost mimic .38 Super Comp case capacity which is a good thing for me.

I have also shot Rainier's and Xtreme's plateds and they did well also but neither can be pushed as hard as Berry's and the Xtreme's are a little tougher than the Rainier's.

If you can follow the simple rules for success, plated bullets are lovely!