Jacketed vs. Plated

Probably...

I have not done a direct comparison of the components you're talking about, but my experience with other plated bullets is that accuracy is often a function of the thickness of the plating. I've seen some where the plating was very thin that wouldn't shoot too well because the rifling actually cut through to bare lead. There was also a significant improvement when Speer began to "restrike" the bullets as a final operation. That made them much more uniform and they shot a lot better.

I have had excellent experience with Gold Dot and Speer TMJ but they have a pretty thick coating.

The other question is how much accuracy do you need? Most IPSC isn't exactly an accuracy challenge for the ammo.

Accuracy?

Mr. Petty,

I'd like to say that the toughest IPSC accuracy demands would be 8" plates or upper A-B zone (head) at 25 to 30 yards. Some course designers could get mean enough to get that tiny plate out to 50 yards, but not likely.

Will keep you posted on my findings.

Cheers,
8)
Nemo

Hello. My experience mirrors that of Mr. Petty. I've had the worst luck with Rainier plated bullets when compared to others. I found them extremely finicky as to which loads would group and which wouldn't.

I THINK they're more thinly plated which goes right along with what he said.

Best.

Most of the time you can see an uneven surface on the thinly plated bullets.

That doesn't mean that they won't shoot but it might be a good idea to load them as if they were lead until you see how they do.

I generally agree with the comments above. The earlier version of Ranier plated bullets were particularly problematic, with thin plating over what looked like a lunar landscape. More recent incarnations seem to have thicker plating and give acceptable results.

Also, beware applying too heavy a crimp, which can deform the bullets to the point where they pattern instead of group.

Berrys Manufacturing

Have any of you guys tried the Berry's bullets? They show the lunar landscape/acne kind of thing. But when I shot groups with them and compared them to the Win 40S&W 180 grain FMJ white box stuff, the difference wasn't signifigant.

Anyone?... Anyone?

Re: Berrys Manufacturing

Nemo said:

Have any of you guys tried the Berry's bullets? They show the lunar landscape/acne kind of thing. But when I shot groups with them and compared them to the Win 40S&W 180 grain FMJ white box stuff, the difference wasn't signifigant.

Anyone?... Anyone?

Click to expand...

Up until, about, 3 years ago I regularly shot tens of thousands of Berry's copper-plated bullets in, both, 45acp and 9mm. Maybe things have changed, since then; but, I never noticed significant, 'acne' on any of my rounds. If I remember correctly, the Berry's were completely plated; but the Ranier's had exposed lead at the base. Accuracy within 25 yards was, always, 'as good as I'm able to shoot'.

I've, still, got several thousand rounds of Berry's copper-plated bullets under my workbench. I stopped loading them when I began using my Glocks. For all practical purposes I'd suggest treating copper-plated bullets exactly as if they were lead - because in many respects, they are.