Plated bullets for .357 Mag?

[precision_shooter]

Just wondering if any of you use plated bullets in .357 magnum?
Berry's states max velocity for their bullets is 1,200fps. What are the issues if you push them to 1,400fps?

Would I be better off to keep searching for a jacketed bullet for .357 and just use the plated bullets in .38spl?

 

[Bart B.]

The copper plating on lead bullets isn't thick enough to protect the lead core from rubbing against the bore when they're engraved by the rifling. Some lead will come in contact with the bore. So, their makers are letting customers know that such bullets should not be shot too fast, just like regular lead bullets. Besides, there's no lube on plated bullets.

I've shot plated 158's in my S&W Model 19 .357 Mag without problems. Light loads pushing 'em out at about 1100 fps or thereabouts.

 

[Hammerhead]

If you really need 1,400 fps, plated bullets are not a good choice.
You must be looking at light bullets.

 

[precision_shooter]

Loading 125gr bullets for both 38spl and .357 mag. Bought 300 Hornady 125gr XTP for the .357 and 500 reinier 125gr plated FP for the .38spl...
Loading these with AA No. 5. And Winchester SP primers.

 

[Nick_C_S]

Plated bullets and 38 Special are a much better combination.

Mags need true jacketed.

Do you have a taper crimp die, by chance?

 

[GP100man]

In my limited exp with plated bullets they failed , as you , I was looking for an alternative to hi$$ priced jacketed.

First I disected 1 & found the plating was not uniform , varying from .003 to .007" & as I figured the plating started to fail at 1k fps & would leave peices of the plating by 1300fps in the bore .

I was useing 38 caliber 158gr HPs & started with fast powders to ubber slow powders ,launching platform was a 6" SS GP100 with uniform throats & polished bore. This is as close as my GPs will get to "jacketed" ever again !

After researching (after shootin) I found they recommend using lead bullet loads ,so that tells me to keep em away from full master blaster loads .

This exp. made me seriously evaluate my casting equipment & skills , I found CastBoolits.com & with the info gleaned & a few bucks I can now taylor my projectiles to my needs !

Big plus is there`s never an "out of stock" button !

 

[LE-28]

From Xtreeme bullets website.

http://www.xtremebullets.com/default.asp

Load Info:
- Our Copper Plated Bullets can be run at mid-range jacketed velocities or higher end lead velocities. We do not recommend velocities over 1500 FPS (Feet Per Second) and only a light taper crimp.
Any velocities over 1200 FPS we recommend either our Heavy Plate Concave Base or Hollow Point products for superior accuracy. We do not recommend velocities over 1500 FPS (Feet Per Second) and only a light taper crimp.
- All of our Hard Cast Lead Bullets are approximately 18 on Brinell, our Cowboy lead bullets are approximately 15 on Brinell.

From Xtreeme bullets website. It sounds like your 1400 shouldn't be that much of a problem.

Berry's says I think 1450 for their thick plate. I've used both Berry's and Xtreemes and Xtreeme's quality is top notch and I will continue to use them over Berry's.

They seem to be pretty accurate at 25yds for me and are readily available at RMR's website. They cost more but are better grade plated bullets.

http://www.rmrbullets.com/banners/rotate.php

No, I don't work for him, I just also have a droopy mailbox from using his products.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=722693

 

[precision_shooter]

I do have a RCBS taper crimp die. Loaded 100 .38spl last night with 6.6gr AA #5, 1.450" OAL with a slight taper crimp. Hope to test them out soon. Will be loading some .357's today.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[g.willikers]

The wise man on the mountain sez to always use the right stuff for the job.
Trying to get away with using plated bullets for magnum loads is like putting economy car tires on a Corvette.

 

[Nick_C_S]

Loaded 100 .38spl last night with 6.6gr AA #5, 1.450" OAL with a slight taper crimp.

I think you'll be basically pleased with this round - which is good, because you chose to load 100 "test" rounds

With 38Spl, you can ignore the fact that they're plated, and just use jacketed data IMO. That's what I'd do. (357 Mag loads are a different story.)

On this load, I think you'll probably end up loading them a little hotter in the future. Just a hunch.

I'm curious what you're going to shoot these through? Model? Barrel length?

 

[David Bachelder]

I cast my own. I shoot 150 grain semi-wad cutters all the time, in both .38 Special and .357 Mag. My 357 Velocities frequently exceed 1200 FPS. MY bullets run a BHN of 10, this is a softer bullet that what is normally available online. I feel like my hollow point bullets perform better at a 10 than they will at a 15 or higher, I shoot a lot of hollow points. I have yet to prove that, I never can find them. I guess I need to shoot into a bucket of sand or something.

Online vendors offer harder bullets .. not because harder bullets are less likely to cause leading but because harder bullets ship better than soft bullets.

I do not suffer from leading. Bullet fit is king, so put bluntly .... size matters.

 

[precision_shooter]

Hey Nick,

My Dad has loaded .38spl and .357 with AA#5 for as long as I can remember. The load I chose is one that has worked for him and they are light loads for my wife to shoot. Not really test loads. The .357's will be considerable hotter running about 1300-1400 fps for me to shoot. These will be fired from a 4.2" Ruger SP101.

 

[Nick_C_S]

My Dad has loaded .38spl and .357 with AA#5 for as long as I can remember. The load I chose is one that has worked for him and they are light loads for my wife to shoot. Not really test loads.

^^ Got it ^^

AA5 is good stuff. You can also use AA2 if you want to go even lighter; with an even cleaner burn (AA5 is very clean), and more economy.

 

[precision_shooter]

Was going to load some .357's tonight with 10.0 grains of AA5. My hornady book doesn't list load data for 125gr .357 mag using aa5. AA's website lists 9.6gr - 10.6gr for .357 with 125gr jacketed bullets.

Any other recipes I should try? You mentioned using AA2, if I can ever find any I'll give it a try.

 

[Gdawgs]

Don't be afraid to use cast bullets. A lot of old timers will tell you that you can't push them past 1,100 - 1,200 or so or else you'll lead your barrel. That was true back when they used really soft lead, but like David mentioned, fit is king, along with using the right hardness for the job.

I shoot 158 grain hard cast lead bullets (Brinell 18) out of my 357 going 1,500 fps all the time and they do not cause leading. I also shoot hard cast 255 grain bullets out of my 460 and 454 Casull, also going over 1,500 without leading.

The worst leading I ever got was when I loaded up some wimpy 38 special loads using the same hard bullet. Not a good combination. When running lower pressures, a softer alloy is needed to avoid leading. Brinell 10-12 is perfect.

 

[precision_shooter]

How are the Lazer Cast "Silver Bullets"? They are supposed to be harder than other cast bullets if I'm reading correctly. Would they fair well in .357 mag?

 

[Nick_C_S]

Was going to load some .357's tonight with 10.0 grains of AA5.

One of my recipes is 10.5g AA5 with a 125g JHP (Jacketed). It delivers 1251 fps through a 3" bbl; and 1265 fps through a 4" bbl. (both Smith 686's). It's a great round. Although I can at times run into minor case extraction problems - which is clearly a sign of pressure. So it's gettin' up there for sure. I have no intent of loading it any hotter.

I think you'll be okay with 10.0. Should be a very nice round, actually.

Did you ever mention specifically what kind of gun you'll be shooting these through?

 

[zxcvbob]

Oregon Trails "Laser Cast" bullets are very good; you won't have any problems with them. But they are way overpriced compared to other just as good cast bullets you can buy.

 

[precision_shooter]

Nick,
I mentioned the gun up above, It's a 4.2" Ruger SP101.

AA's website lists 9.6gr min to 10.6gr max with #5 and 125gr bullets with 10.6gr producing over 1,400fps through a 6" barrel with 1:18.75" twist... Seems like there published data is a little above what the real world results are...

 

[Nick_C_S]

Ah, despite my looking three times, I failed to see it Good gun.

I agree: 1400 fps is a bit . . . "ambitious" . . . we'll call it.

There's also no point in it. 1200 fps is plenty for a 125g slug. If a gun can spit out a 125g slug at 1400 fps without blowing up, then one would be better served to switch to 158g bullets and push them to 1250 fps or so - using the same amount of pressure. If that makes sense. Mass is almost always preferable to velocity. Jacketed bullets expand very reliably at 1200 fps, so there's little point in pushing them any further. Going faster is just asking for fragmentation.