Since I shoot at an indoor range I have been using copper plated cast 240gr for all my .44 loads. Most of these are in the 900fps+ range and accuracy has been fine. Son away at school has same 5 1/2" SBH and a girlfriend who wanted to try it with light loads. I stuffed 200 .44 special cases with 5.0 Red Dot (.1 below Alliant's published max 700fps "cowboy" load) topped with plated 240gr bullet. I have shot thousands of these plain lead and plated without hitch. Near the end of the 200 rounds, one "squibbed" on him, lodging the bullet. His observation was that there was substantial flash and bang from the cylinder gap. This was not a primer launch only. I wonder if a dirty bore and the increased friction of a hard cast copper plated instead of lubed cast bullet led to this? This brand seems to be thickly plated and very hard cast. Anyone else ever seen this?
Copper Plate vs Lubed Cast Warning
- Thread starter Cal4D4
- Start date
Freedom in theSkies
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Are yopu using a powder measure, or are you weighing every charge? Progressive loading equiptment or single stage?
I shoot indoors and have use plated bullets exclusively for years with nothing but excellent results, and with some very low pressure loads around 650 FPS in 38SPL and 45ACP.
The main brand I use are the West Coast Brand. I use this brand for two reasons. #1 the quality in which they are made. They are double striked for better accuracy. #2 As far as copper plated bullets go, the plating thickness can range from brand to brand from .003 to .012" of plating. Jacketed bullets are around .014, the west Coast are around .012, with that amount of plating I can drive them at jacketed speeds. Here is there Web Site.
http://www.westcoastbullet.com/
What brand of Plated Bullets are you useing?
There is going to be some brass buildup in the barrel but it has always been less then lead or copper jacketed ammo in my guns.
I would say that this was a powder issue.or lack of Pressure, unless you had a one bullet that was to wide and low pressure.
Tony
The main brand I use are the West Coast Brand. I use this brand for two reasons. #1 the quality in which they are made. They are double striked for better accuracy. #2 As far as copper plated bullets go, the plating thickness can range from brand to brand from .003 to .012" of plating. Jacketed bullets are around .014, the west Coast are around .012, with that amount of plating I can drive them at jacketed speeds. Here is there Web Site.
http://www.westcoastbullet.com/
What brand of Plated Bullets are you useing?
There is going to be some brass buildup in the barrel but it has always been less then lead or copper jacketed ammo in my guns.
I would say that this was a powder issue.or lack of Pressure, unless you had a one bullet that was to wide and low pressure.
Tony
Tonyz:
Same brand, same results until now. Many thousands fired thru my guns, even at these low pressures. May be a short charge, no way to know. I wasn't there, I was told there was substantial flash/bang at cylinder gap. Autoloader results wouldn't have bled pressure at the gap, but you're doing .38s also. What barrel length? This was newer barrel <3000 rounds thru it. Thanks for the input, it may just have been me. To be sure, it bothers me greatly.
West Coast are double struck, so I do not question their sizing. Their quality control appears top notch. I have driven these at much higher velocities without significant fouling.
Jacketed have a possibly thicker jacket, but a dead soft core usually. West Coast seem fairly hard. I like them, but will only use them in my normal 900fps loads now.
Same brand, same results until now. Many thousands fired thru my guns, even at these low pressures. May be a short charge, no way to know. I wasn't there, I was told there was substantial flash/bang at cylinder gap. Autoloader results wouldn't have bled pressure at the gap, but you're doing .38s also. What barrel length? This was newer barrel <3000 rounds thru it. Thanks for the input, it may just have been me. To be sure, it bothers me greatly.
West Coast are double struck, so I do not question their sizing. Their quality control appears top notch. I have driven these at much higher velocities without significant fouling.
Jacketed have a possibly thicker jacket, but a dead soft core usually. West Coast seem fairly hard. I like them, but will only use them in my normal 900fps loads now.
If you are going to examine the primer......don't punch it out with your decapper in the press. Put case in lathe and turn away the base untill the primer can be taken out with fingers.
That way you have a good look at how anvil was seated in primer, whether anvil was crushed in seating, if anvil was deformed in manufacture etc etc.
Also lets you see undisturbed flash hole in case.
Punchin the primer out destroys what little evidence you have.
Sam
That way you have a good look at how anvil was seated in primer, whether anvil was crushed in seating, if anvil was deformed in manufacture etc etc.
Also lets you see undisturbed flash hole in case.
Punchin the primer out destroys what little evidence you have.
Sam