berry's bullets

[free1954]

anybody ever use this bullet? https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018181724/berrys-superior-plated-bullets-38-caliber-357-diameter-148-grain-plated-double-ended-wadcutter. any reviews? thanks for looking

[gwp]

I loaded 250 for a S&W 52 but I never got around to trying them. I have used other Berry's pistol bullets and they worked fine. I like that they are less expensive than jacketed bullets and they work well for target practice.

[JimF]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but . . . .
Just returned from the range after trying a copper plated, 150 gr., .308" dia., bullet in my 30-30 rifle.
WHAT A DISASTER!!
Shot them at 100 yds., and could NOT keep them on the paper, . . .let alone the bull!
Load was the STARTING load for cast lead bullets . . . 20 grs. #5744.
Have some left, so will try them at 50 yds. next. --Jim

[Tuna]

One has to remember plated bullets are just a coating of copper over a soft lead bullet. What is listed for lead bullets is a good guide for the plated ones in general. I have heard all those who come out with BS saying they drive them as fast as a jacketed one with no problems. The fact is many of them strip in the bore leave the copper behind if driven too fast and all that is left is the soft lead core acting like it came out of a smooth bore rifle. I once had some set for the 7.62x39 and shot them in an SKS. The maker said to load them to full power loads. At 25 yards they were key holing. So I then tried to load them down some and still had problems. It was not till I got to about 1300 to 1400 fps that they started to hit the target but would not function the action of the SKS. I have never used plated bullets again in a rifle. No advantage over a proper lead bullet.

[leftyo]

no problems with their pistol bullets.

[JimF]

. . . . . .No advantage over a proper lead bullet.

Tuna . . . .

I am VERY RAPIDLY coming to the same conclusion!!! --Jim

[Sunray]

"...No advantage over a proper lead bullet..." Friggin' things are more trouble than they're worth. They have created a great deal of confusion. Plated bullets are made for indoor ranges. Supposedly to reduce or eliminate lead in the air. Too many people try to use jacketed data with 'em. Mind you, Berry's site(who refuse to provide load data) says you can use regular low to mid range jacketed data by the bullet weight. https://www.berrysmfg.com/faq#FAQ5
"...the STARTING load for cast lead bullets..." For 150 grain cast bullets? 20 grains of Alliant 5744 is the start load for jacketed 125's.
Anyway, you load those WC's just like any other 148 grain WC. 2.5 to 2.8 of Bullseye and flush with the case mouth.

[gwp]

In the 80s I shot PPC using Star Reloads because they were a local company and I could buy cases of their 38 WC for under $50. They used 3g WW231 for a velocity of just over 700 fps. Their reloads were so good I could sell the cases for $100 at the matches. I used the reloads, with once fired brass that I sorted by head stamp, for matches but the regular reloads were very accurate too.

[leftyo]

there are plenty of reasons to choose a plated bullet, they arent just "made for indoor ranges".

[Matt Anthony]

I have used berrys 150 gr. 30 caliper bullets for years and years. What I have found is sorting the bullets by weight insures great accuracy. The berrys vary by a full grain and a half. I keep them in groups of within 3 tenths of a grain. My 308 and 30/06 load is 12 grains of green dot, 1,500 fps. 1/2 inch groups all day long.
Matt

[free1954]

thanks all for the replies. just wondering, having never used plated wadcutters before.

[psteinmayer]

FWIW, I've used Berry's 158 gr hollow base bullets for a few years now to reload .45 ACP for use plinking and practicing. They seemed to work well enough for that.

[AZshooter]

Berry's plated wadcutters aren't worth squat for a Smith Model 52.

I've still got several hundred that work OK in some (heavier than lead match WC) .357 loads, however I don't shoot .357 light loads all that much.

And Double-ended wadcutters, plated OR lead are pretty worthless for accuracy compared to a hollow-base lead wadcutter.

[jjrothWA]

Am using the 125gr FP-CuPltd bullets for .38Spl., over 6.5 gr a HS-6, had reloaded some earlier and was pleased with result.

According to berry's website and carton, max velocity no more that 1250fps, once weather breaks will chronongraph load, using in my revolver.

What i remember from those that had a M52, needed to duplicate the WW 700pfs wadcutter loads for best functioning.

Keep us posted on your results.

[free1954]

I never bought them. went with SPEER instead.

[Liam]

I bought 500 before I read any negative comments - especially concerning HK and Glock polygonal barrels. My HK USP40 shoots them just fine: 165 gr with 5 gr of VV N320. Granted, I don't shoot enough, or with such scrutiny, to detect any minor accuracy differences between Berry's and other makers' bullets. Haven't noticed any increase of copper fouling since I started using them either. But, I'm merely a plinker.