School me on pistol powder

[Brendan2904]

I have the speer book. Titegroup powder, Winchester and CCI primers, brass, berry's bullets and also a bag of bullets I picked up at the gun show from NE Reloading Supply, now to adjust the seating die.

Ham so you suggest the OAL stated in the book over the sticker on the powder if it is different?

[Brendan2904]

On a side note fedex is a bunch of idiots. My powder was supposed to be delivered on Friday but they forgot to put the box on the truck (their words) so I had to go get it yesterday in person or it would have sat on the truck outside until Monday.

[Ham_Chu]

I'd bet that the two OALs are close, but i'd stick with the book, but start at the starting (minimum) powder load.


Good thing you mentioned Berry's....


Now, those Berry's bullets are copper PLATED lead bullets, right? These are the most popular bullets that Berry's sells. USUALLY those bullets recommend load data for LEAD bullets, not the jacketed.

The difference is a plated bullet takes an undersized lead bullet, and then applies a coating (or wash) of copper over the entire surface, resulting in a VERY thin layer...but enuf to keep the lead from being exposed. It is also very soft, and indoor ranges will usually let you shoot them w/o damaging backstops etc... (better if you shoot ur own steel, also)

A jacketed bullet usually starts with a thick copper jacket that is turned upwards (like a cup) and enuf lead is poured into that jacket to make the weight you want. That thick jacket is not soft, and will penetrate/ricochet more than a plated round (the lead usually mushes on impact, the copper is much harder, keeps its shape and either punches thru or bounces off hard). But, the hard jacket allows the round to grab hold of the rifling at much greater speeds (the softer stuff just pushes straight through the rifling, w/o spinning..and then the lead gunks up barrel pretty well and causes other problems)

From Berry's Website: (FAQs)

We do not research or publish the load data. Please consult load data books or your powder manufacturers' website for load information. You can use published load data for lead/cast bullets or low to mid-range FMJ data, as long as it is the same weight bullet. Berry's offers our standard plate bullets which can handle velocities up to 1,250 fps and 1,500 fps for our Thick Plate (TP) versions.


Question: What is the difference between Plated/Jacketed/Cast bullets?

Berry's Superior Plated bullets begin as a swaged lead core. The plating process works through electrolysis as the lead cores are tumbled in an electrically charged bath containing high-grade copper ingots. The copper clings to the lead and the longer the bullets remain in the bath, the thicker the plating. Our bullets are plated to the correct size and then taken out of the bath.


Jacketed bullets start with a copper cup, which is "drawn up" into the form of a jacket. Lead is then swaged into the jacket.

Cast bullets are made up of lead that has been poured into a bullet mould. These bullets come in various hardness levels depending upon the alloy of the lead. All of our cast bullets are lubed and all have the same hardness (about 20 bhu). We distinguish between Hardcast and Cowboy only in that our Cowboy bullets are often used in Cowboy Action Shooting events.
Comparison:

Jacketed Bullets: Generally are most expensive but can be shot at magnum velocities and require less cleaning than Cast bullets.
Plated Bullets: Not as expensive as Jacketed, cleaner than cast and will not lead your barrel. But you will have to stay away from magnum velocities when loading plated bullets.
Cast Bullets: Usually cost the least, but are very "dirty" and often cannot be used in indoor ranges

[Brendan2904]

Ham you and everyone else here who have given input are awesome.

[Ham_Chu]

Thanx, not a problem. People here are generally helpful, and would rather hear your success stories than the failures .... although they can be fun sometimes too ;-)

I remember how insecure I was the first round I loaded. I dropped it into the chamber, hid behind the partition of the indoor range with a heavy work leather glove on, and touched it off into the backstop....fast forward to the Dillon 650 and its all history.

the next recommendation is to find a local gun store that will stock your components for you. Mail order HAZ-MAT will kill you. Beikirch's up in Rochester is hands-down Da Best. Wholesaler with a store front. If they don't have it, you probably won't find it online either.

I've found Graf & Son's website to have OK prices, but the shipping won't be beat. $8 for ANY order, no matter how heavy. Midway has better prices but slaughters you on S&H.