Berry Bullets - pistol loading

[Colorado Cowboy]

I shoot in a weekly Bulls Eye Pistol League. My centerfire is a S & W Target Masterpiece in .38 special. I reload all my own loads. I normally use Speer Bullets, but havn't been able to get any recently. Some of our shooters use Berry Bullets (a copper coated lead bullet ((not jacketed)). I use 148 gr hollow based full wadcutter. I use 3.5 gr of Titegroup powder (700 fps).

Last night I got some strange results from the load. I appears the copper coating peeled off some of the bullets causing a very unusual hole in the paper target.
Anybody use coated Berry Bullets and have seen this problem?

 

[Winchester]

No. I've never seen anything like that.
Looks like a one-blade broadhead type hole !!
You may be onto a whole new type of bullet !!

 

[buckbull]

Man that's wild.

Looks like Berry's recommends that loads not exceed 1000 fps, which you are under by quite a bit.

Some recommend only using lead loading data.

I found this on gunbroker's forum:

quote: Plated bullets occupy a position between cast bullets and jacketed bullets. They are soft lead, but have a hard outer shell on them. When loading plated bullets we have found best results using low- to mid-range jacketed data in the load manual. You must use data for a bullet that has the same weight and profile as the one you are loading. Do not exceed mid-range loads. Do not use magnum loads.

 

[mallardsx2]

Tell Mr. Berry to send me some to try! If the keyhole cuts the bullseye on my target I'm calling it a win for the good guys!
I need all the help I can get. haha

On a more serious note though do you think that you have a cylinder alignment issue thats "peeling" some of the bullet coating?
I would mark my cylinders and see which one it is doing it from. If its random then I guess I would look at the bullets? Not an expert just where I would start if I was scratching my head.

 

[mallardsx2]

I have 1 cylinder in my 5 shot tarus tracker .44 that throws bullets 4" to the left at 10 yards with my cast bullets and makes a strange sideways shaped hole. I never really cared though because I figure if I ever use it the perpetrator or bear will be much closer than that and if the bullet doesn't hit them the muzzle flash will blind them and the blast will certainly blow both of our eardrums out. lol

 

[buckbull]

On a more serious note though do you think that you have a cylinder alignment issue thats "peeling" some of the bullet coating?
I would mark my cylinders and see which one it is doing it from. If its random then I guess I would look at the bullets? Not an expert just where I would start if I was scratching my head.

good idea!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

The targets were shot at 50'.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Talked to Berry Bullets today and they said that the copper coating was peeling off. I sent them the pictures I posted here. After discussion, they think I am seating the bullet too deep. I seat the bullet with a slight roll over the bullet with the case crimp. That is what is peeling off the copper. I am going to adjust the seating die and we will see if it solves the problem. I am also going to use a different gun so I can eliminate any problems with the particular gun that I was using when the problem started,

 

[Sawfish]

I use both Berry's and Xtreme Double End Wadcutters with 3.3 gr. of Tite Group and have had no problems with
either bullet. You might lighten up on the crimp and see if that helps.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Found the problem. I shot today and Berry was right. No crimp on the case. I adjusted the seating depth so about 1/10 of an inch of the bullet is protruding out of the case and no crimp. Shot 50 rounds and no problems.

Thanks for all your input and comments.