Berry's .452 Target Hollow Point Issue

[whitemtncruiser]

Hi,

I recently picked up a Glock 37 (45 GAP) and have been working up some loads for it. I've got a couple different bullet options in 185gr and I picked up a box of plated 200gr Berry's Target Hollow Point bullets to try as a 200gr option. I settled on a COAL of 1.070 based upon available load data for jacketed 200gr hollow points by other manufacturers. I loaded a couple dummy rounds the other night and have found that they don't "plunk" - they visibly won't chamber all of the way. I have to lower the COAL to 1.035 to get them to chamber freely. It seems that these bullets have a very long bearing surface, such that when loaded to typical 200gr JHP length it is hitting the rifling without dropping the COAL quite a bit.

I have done a lot of reloading over years and I am confident this isn't a flare/crimp related issue. I'd drop the COAL to 1.035 and give it a go working up but I haven't run into an issue with jacketed data being so far off from plated data. Though I would admit that I haven't done a lot of plated bullet loading. Adjusting loaded length in a short handgun case by .040 or so seems like a lot. I did see that Lyman lists data for a 200gr lead bullet, the Lyman #452460 popular in the .45ACP, with a COAL of 1.030. I might just start with that data and work up, just not sure how that compares pressure-wise as the lead bullet must have grooves.

Does anyone have experience loading these Berry's Target Hollow Points, especially in .45ACP or .45 GAP, and having to adjust COAL?

 

[mdi]

I had chambering problems with some Berry's 9mm bullets. To make sure it was the bullets I colored the loaded rounf and plunked and twisted. Yep the Berry's had a different ogive (full diameter extended a bit farther forward).

 

[whitemtncruiser]

I think that is what I am running into. I measured the diameter and they are within spec so I am not dealing with an oversize bullet issue. I think I will drop the COAL to the 1.035 and start low. Any other input is appreciated!

 

[Kaldor]

I dont suspect youll have any issues shortening the COAL by 40 thou unless you are getting into the very top of the load range with some heavy loadings.

Having to shorten COAL due to ogive is a pretty normal thing. The rounder the bullet, the shorter the COAL Ive always found, but the "plunk" is the best way to be sure.

 

[Zygodactyl]

It's not just Berry's several cast bullets I tried required a shorter COAL.

 

[rfwobbly]

Any conical bullet can have that problem, not just the Berry. Try some Hornady XTP or HAP bullets and you'll have the same issue as the cartoon (below, left) tries to show.



Inherent in your thinking is an assumption that the correct OAL that can be had from a book or manual. That may be true for revolvers, but not for auto-pistols. Just because the manual's reported OAL has always worked in the past, means nothing when working with a new-to-you bullet. As brokers are fond of saying. "Past results are no indicator of future performance." For your own safety, each new bullet needs to spend some time being analyzed and measured in your chamber. At that point, If the useable OAL seems to be shorter that the OAL reported in the load data, the reloader is free to drop the Starting Load by 0.1 or 0.2gr to accommodate. Then, ALL that information should be recorded in your personal reloading notebook. It's the only safe way.

► And your issues may not be over. The Berry THP has a particularly wide mouth which can affect the feeding. I have a Kimber that simply hates that bullet.

Hope this helps.

 

[dcarr]

Kind of reminds me of my blackhawk with the .45acp cylinder in, if bullet doesn't look like the generic round nose in 230 gr it is going to fail the plunk test and no reasonable (to me) adjustment of oal will help. Lost tract of numbers and styles (swc xtp and rnfp come to mind) that ended up loaded in 45lc for the marlin. Not much of a problem for me , .45acp generic round nose loads and flys just fine for the blackhawk. Just that the cartoon above reminded me.