Do you load plated bullets same as cast or FMJ?

[Wildbillz]

Hi All
I sat down today to reload some 45Acp rounds and ran into a little snag. I have some plated 200grn SWC that I got in a trade. I know that there not as thick as FMJ's, so what do I use out of the manual to load them? Best I could come up with is I found some in the Speer manual that were marked TMJ. Still a pretty good differance in them and cast.

So what do y'all use? Cast stats, FMJ stats or somewhere inbetween?

Next one is 185grn cast SWC. I can't find any info on them in my manual. Is there somthing that I am missing or do I just start out with the info for 200grn SWC and back off of it a bit?

Oh ya. Win 231, Unique or Bullseye. I have all three to use.

Thanks
WB

 

[mebe007]

It depends on the cartridge and brand of bullets. 44 mag revolver and rainier I load cast but Berry's I up to jacketed. Now for my rifle its all cast data. 45acp and 380 I load as jacketed since they are much slower cartridges. Have had great luck.

 

[sellersm]

What brand are they?

 

[4895]

I suggest Bullseye powder using lead bullet load data.

 

[JLDickmon]

normally lead data

 

[gahunter12]

Lead data, or low jacket data. Most of my plated loads are low end jacket data.

 

[sellersm]

All depends on the brand. X-treme plated and PowerBond plated can be loaded as FMJ. Other plated are usually loaded mid jacketed/cast data. If you know the brand, try asking the manufacturer what they recommend.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

TMJ stands for "total metal jacket". ie: it is a fmj, but where the jacket covers the base as well so there is no exposed lead anywhere. Not the same as plated...

Berrys reccomends lead bullet data. If you cut into one of the plated bullets, you will see that the copper really is a thin layer.

Curious, for those who load a lot with plated bullets, how would you tell when working up a load when you are pushing the plated bullet too fast?

 

[PO2Hammer]

Berry's recommends lead data.
Rainier recommends jacketed, staying 10% below max.

I like loads that satisfy both methods, that is somewhere above the starting jacketed load so you don't stick one in the bore, and below max for lead or 10% below max for jacketed data, whichever is less.

I've found that plated bullet velocity closely matches the predicted jacketed data from Hornady in .45acp, .40 and 9mm.

I used to use lead data until I stuck a .357" plated wadcutter in the bore of my revolver using starting lead data. Since then I never go below starting jacketed data.

Not much danger of that in a .45 auto, but plated bullets do have a lot more friction than lead.

 

[IdahoSkies]

I use Berry's plated a lot. Berry's says to use lead data. So take that for what its worth. I usually use low end jacketed recipies. However you mileage may very. use this information at your own discretion.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Same as lead in .45 but I am using it with Longshot almost to max with 180gr plated loads (7.1 gr) with no issues in my .40 cal. Shooting X-treme bullets in that load.

 

[ljnowell]

TMJ stands for "total metal jacket". ie: it is a fmj, but where the jacket covers the base as well so there is no exposed lead anywhere. Not the same as plated...

Not exactly. To the best of my knowledge, they are in fact plated bullets, the plating is just much, much thicker. A FMJ has an exposed base and a HP has an exposed front because the jacket is a flat disc of metal that is drawn around a core. In order to not have a seam or exposed base or HP cavity, they have to be plated.

 

[LiveLife]

Do you load plated bullets same as cast or FMJ?

I know that there not as thick as FMJ's, so what do I use out of the manual to load them? Best I could come up with is I found some in the Speer manual that were marked TMJ. Still a pretty good differance in them and cast.

So what do y'all use? Cast stats, FMJ stats or somewhere inbetween?

As many posted, depending on the manufacturers' recommendations.


Rainier Ballistics (.004" copper plating) recommends we use lead load data - http://www.rainierballistics.com/loaddata.php

We, at Rainier Ballistics, recommend using lead bullet load data when loading our bullets - In general, our bullets typically perform their best when shot at velocities no greater than 1,200 to 1,250 Feet per second (FPS).

Berry's MFG recommends we use low-to-mid range jacketed load data with limit of 1250 fps for their regular plated bullets (up to .008" copper plating) and 1450 fps for their thicker plated (TP) bullets (.012" copper plating) - http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq-q9-c1-How_do_I_load_Berrys_Preferred_Plated_Bullets.aspx

When loading [Berry's] plated bullets we have found best results using low- to mid-range jacketed data in the load manual.

PowerBond claims thicker copper plating and I have used jacketed load data with good results - http://powerbondbullets.com/about.html

Our copper is thicker and tougher than other bullets...between 10 and 11-thousandths.

X-Treme plated bullets have thicker plating (.010"-.012" per longdayjake who sells them) and I have used jacketed load data with good results - http://www.xtremebullets.com/category-s/1952.htm

Our Copper Plated bullets can be run at Jacketed velocities. We do not recommend velocities over 1500 fps

Speer TMJ® (Total Metal Jacket) is registered trademark under ATK/Alliant and have the thickest copper plating (.015") and I use jacketed load data with good results.

Next one is 185grn cast SWC. I can't find any info on them in my manual. Is there somthing that I am missing or do I just start out with the info for 200grn SWC and back off of it a bit?

Oh ya. Win 231, Unique or Bullseye. I have all three to use.

Here's 1999-2005 Winchester load data. I have used load data for slightly heavier bullet for my load work up with good results.

Current Alliant load data for Bullseye - http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...owderlist.aspx&type=1&powderid=1&cartridge=35

45 Auto 200 gr Speer Lead SWC OAL 1.190" Bullseye Max 4.6 gr (807 fps)

Current Alliant load data for Unique - http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=3&cartridge=35

45 Auto 200 gr Speer Lead SWC OAL 1.190" Unique Max 5.4 gr (790 fps)

2004 Alliant load data for Bullseye/Unique

 

[gamestalker]

Plated and FMJ are two completely different bullets. TMJ uses the same load specs as does any jacketed, because it is a jacketed bullet. In fact FMJ and, or, TMJ often have a bit thicker jacket than a traditional jacketed hollow point may have. Because of this, the powder charge may be a bit larger than for a JHP of the same weight. So definitely don't use FMJ or TMJ data for those plated bullets.

As for a plated bullet the data that applies, plated can be safely loaded between lead and jacketed. So if you would take the starting charge for a 200 gr. SWC and a 200 gr. JHP and start in the middle. In other words, if the start charge for the SWC is say 4.4 grs. and jacketed start charge is 4.8 grs. you would want to start some where around 4.6 grs..

Another option would be to contact the bullet manufacturer and ask for some load data for their bulllet.

And if the bullet is a TP, or thick plated such as the line that Berrys makes, it can be loaded using jacketed data, according to Berrys. But don't just simply assume that it is a TP bullet.

GS

 

[ljnowell]

Plated and FMJ are two completely different bullets. TMJ uses the same load specs as does any jacketed, because it is a jacketed bullet. In fact FMJ and, or, TMJ often have a bit thicker jacket than a traditional jacketed hollow point may have. Because of this, the powder charge may be a bit larger than for a JHP of the same weight. So definitely don't use FMJ or TMJ data for those plated bullets.

As for a plated bullet the data that applies, plated can be safely loaded between lead and jacketed. So if you would take the starting charge for a 200 gr. SWC and a 200 gr. JHP and start in the middle. In other words, if the start charge for the SWC is say 4.4 grs. and jacketed start charge is 4.8 grs. you would want to start some where around 4.6 grs..

Another option would be to contact the bullet manufacturer and ask for some load data for their bulllet.

And if the bullet is a TP, or thick plated such as the line that Berrys makes, it can be loaded using jacketed data, according to Berrys. But don't just simply assume that it is a TP bullet.

GS

TMJ bullets are in fact plated. They are a thick plating that loads to jacketed specs, but they are still made by plating a lead core.

 

[LiveLife]

I think Montana Gold Bullet's CMJ uses the disk at the lead base of FMJ bullets. ATK/Alliant does hold the registered trademark - http://www.trademarkia.com/tmj-73833272.html

On Monday, October 23, 1989, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for TMJ by Alliant Techsystems Inc., MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55344. The USPTO has given the TMJ trademark serial number of 73833272

The TMJ trademark is filed in the category of Firearm Products . The description provided to the USPTO for TMJ is AMMUNITION.

 

[ljnowell]

I'm not sure about the CMJs, but I have talked to a rep from speer on the TMJs and they dont use the phrase "electro plated" because too many people latch onto that and lump them into the same group as say Ranier. The Speer TMJ isnt thicker than a conventional jacket, like stated above, but it is similar in thickness and strength. They simply dont like to refer to it as a plated bullet, thats why they use the phrase TMJ. The Gold Dot is the same way, its not a jacketed bullet. It is, in fact, plated also.

 

[Steve in PA]

Rainier says to use regular jacketed data. There is a you tube video of someone taking a tour of the plant recently and he asked this very question.

I've always loaded my 9mm and .45acp Rainier bullets to jacketed velocities.

 

[Steve in PA]

Here's the video on the tour of the Rainier plant.

http://youtu.be/qD1gZhtEIuo

 

[Walkalong]

From Ranier:

http://www.rainierballistics.com/loaddata.php

From Berrys:

http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq-q9-c1-How_do_I_load_Berrys_Preferred_Plated_Bullets.aspx


Some data:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6195350&postcount=11

 

[longdayjake]

BDS. Here is something you may want to add to your thickness tables. The Xtreme HP bullets are thickly plated to about .015" or more. Same as the Speer TMJ.

Also, after having visited the Xtreme plant and seen how they do their plating, I can see why they aren't posting a plating thickness on their website. Apparently it isn't an exact science which is why they double strike everything.

 

[LiveLife]

Thanks, will do.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Rainier also double strikes all their bullets.

 

[blarby]

I load them as lead.

However, I load them as FMJ in 30 carbine, and they work very accurately. Go figure.

 

[SpentCasing]

i have some RMR plated 9mm.

They say that they recommend to use FMJ data. I have yet to load any but thats what Im gonna use.