Okay to shoot copper plated lead bullets through a Glock or HK?

[agony]

I know, dumb question. But aren't bullets like Berry's and Ranier just lead bullets with a soft copper plating, unlike normal jacketed bullets? And also, because these bullets tend to be .001" larger in diameter than your run-of-the-mill jacketed bullet, won't the copper lining expose lead quicker?

Just wondering, as I have switched to Berry's and like their performance in my traditional land-and-groove pistols.

 

[FireInTheHole]

Supposedly they should only be reloaded to less than 1200fps.

I've pushed 9mm and .40 rainers faster than that w/out leading the barrel. (in 92fs and g22 polygonal barrels)

Maybe it is just other(berry's) plated?

 

[WESHOOT2]

ACTUAL

Rainier plated bullets through Glocks: 9x19, 40 S&W, 10mm, 45 ACP.
Fact.

Oh, and no KB's!
(Good ammo, natch.)

 

[Bronson7]

Shoot copper plated bullets through your Glock to your hearts content.
However, my understanding is they should be loaded to no more than lead specs.
Bronson7

 

[Black Snowman]

Bronson7 is correct. Not only are they thin walled but the lead is quite soft. I've put a thousand or so through my Glock 24P without issue. The .44 Mag loads in my Desert Eagle have produced some exposed lead and leading issues. Sigh, guess I'll just have to buy another .44 so I can use them up

 

[critter]

I personally would not shoot them in the HkP7 I have because of what was said above-very soft lead. I am afraid the copper coating (which is very thin) might slough off into the gas port and foul up the gas cylinder/piston. I think the bullets in a poly-rifled gun otherwise is a non-issue. Just my opinion.

 

[larryw]

Plated bullets from West Coast Bullets use a harder lead core and thicker plating. Rated up to 1600fps. Use Lead data when loading.

 

[agony]

Well, here's what I did today.

Took my HK PSP to the range today and fired 200 rounds of:
Berry's 115gr plated double-swaged 9mm at 1.126" over 4.2gr of Titegroup, WSP primers. This is my standard load for 9mm 115gr FMJ loads because it's pretty clean, and I just applied it to the Berry's.

I didn't chrono this load, so I don't know the velocity.

Anyway, after shooting, looks like I had some lead build up in the angles of the polygonal rifling.

So, I think I'm gonna back the load down to 3.8~4.0grains.

 

[P0832177]

All I shoot is Berry's 185 RNHB in my USP 45F/C. They are accurate at the 45ACP velocities I shoot them at. You can get them dirent from BErry's for about 66/kdelivered

 

[MrMunster]

I use Rainier bullets almost exclusively in my glocks with no problems. These loads, however, are loaded to the lighter side (or less) of published data.

 

[Nero Steptoe]

Per West Coast's advice, I load their plated bullets according to jacketed bullet data. West Coast; Berry's;, then Rainier's, in order of plating thickness.

 

[saands]

The 1200 fps number seems to be pretty safe for Berry's stuff. I loaded some 185's in my 460 Rowland to about 1500 fps to test. I fired at a paper target about 5-7 feet away and there was one central .45 cal hole and a bunch of slashes around it from where the plating flew through the paper Test over! I went to Precision for some of their Black Bullets and they work quite well at those speeds. I still use Berry's pretty much exclusively for my USP40c and for more than 75% of my 45acp ... both of which are typically around 3-5% below max loads.

Saands

 

[Khornet]

Rainier 165 FMJ

in my G22 with 5.6 gr Unique. I think this is about a 900-950 fps load. Recoil feels like my defense loads. No lead. Whatever.

 

[MoNsTeR]

I've had no problems shooting plated bullets in polygonal bores. I would not use them in a gas-operated gun, however.

 

[s64woody]

I have used pure lead in both the P7 and various glocks for the last 20 years. I think I was lucky.
Recently bought a standard rifled barrel for my latest Glock, a G-27. Shoots better than I do, and has absolutely no problems with lead loads.
Would shoot a poly barrel with lead, as long as I inspected the barrel as I went along. Look for a ring of lead ahead of the chamber, which appears to be the area that will cause the pressure and heartache.
woody

 

[Gewehr98]

I've run the Rainier plated .358 bullets pretty darned fast...

Just over 1600fps for their 158gr FP TCJ's, through the polygonal rifling of my Desert Eagle. (Full, I mean FULL case of AA#9 behind their 158gr bullet) No leading to date, but have you ever seen a Pepper Popper stand back up on the rebound from a short-range hit?

Pee Ess: No, I'm not telling anybody how much AA#9 it takes to run that 158gr bullet up to 1600fps. There's a special Desert Eagle section in the Accurate Arms #2 Reloading Manual, go read it there. Some durned fool will decide that's just what he needs for his 4" S&W Model 19 if I post it here!

 

[SDC]

I've used the West Coast plateds in my Glocks (9 and .40) with no FOULING problems, but I couldn't get the same accuracy out of my .40 that I got with conventional jacketed bullets, so I went all-jacketed.