44mag and 240 grn Berry plated bullets

LOLBELL · March 5, 2011, 11:16 PM

I am having a hard time finding data for Berry plated bullets. Anybody got anything for 44mag with 240 grn plated HP's . I want a plinking load with Unique. Will be shooting it in a Ruger SBH with 7.5" barrel I've heard load at about mid range for hard cast lead. Is this correct?

testuser · March 5, 2011, 11:30 PM

I shoot these in my Model 29. If you're interested in a plinking load, then check out lead data for the .44 special or .44 magnum and load as you would for a lead bullet. If using jacketed data, then Berry's recommends not to exceed mid range load data, which to means me 5% under max. I start 10% under the jacketed data and go from there.

Sevens · March 6, 2011, 12:55 AM

You might find some folks that shoot more actual Berry's bullets than I do (maybe they shoot steel every week in competition), but only in volume. I don't know of anyone in this forum that shoots a larger variety of Berry's plated slugs than I do.

I shoot their .32 cal 71gr plated RN, the flat base 100gr .380 slug, two different 9mm plated slugs, a .38 cal plated flat point, a 180 grain .40 cal flat point, two different 200 grain .45 slugs and I love their .30 cal 110 grain bullet in .30 Carbine outta my Blackhawk.

But I don't anticipate using their .44 cal bullets... because when I load .44 Mag, it's .44 Mag. It's got a heavy crimp (as it should) and it's got nuts, as a .44 Mag ought to. Neither of these conditions is good for plated bullets.

Any kind of a real roll crimp (as the .44 Mag begs for) is seriously detrimental to any plated bullet. And Berry's suggest that all the typical handgun bullets don't exceed 1,200 FPS, which .44 Mag certainly does.

For .44 Special loads? Perhaps, but I don't shoot the Special.

32dgrz · March 6, 2011, 07:08 AM

I load those at 8 gr of unique for plinking

LOLBELL · March 6, 2011, 10:20 AM

Thanks for the onfo guys

dawico · March 6, 2011, 01:07 PM

I load them to the max with Unique and haven't had any leading problems. I have shot a ton of them.

Clark · March 6, 2011, 01:50 PM

Any loads at all hot in 40sw or 10mm will cause my Berry's bullets to spin off jacket material and make the target ragged with little holes.

That would not be a good bullet design for my 44 mag loads.

... as much as I like to deal with the nice people at Berry's Bullets

March 5, 2011, 11:16 PM	#1
LOLBELL Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2010 Location: Fayette AL Posts: 226	44mag and 240 grn Berry plated bullets I am having a hard time finding data for Berry plated bullets. Anybody got anything for 44mag with 240 grn plated HP's . I want a plinking load with Unique. Will be shooting it in a Ruger SBH with 7.5" barrel I've heard load at about mid range for hard cast lead. Is this correct? __________________ Don't squat with your spurs on!!

March 5, 2011, 11:30 PM	#2
testuser Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2010 Posts: 495	I shoot these in my Model 29. If you're interested in a plinking load, then check out lead data for the .44 special or .44 magnum and load as you would for a lead bullet. If using jacketed data, then Berry's recommends not to exceed mid range load data, which to means me 5% under max. I start 10% under the jacketed data and go from there. Last edited by testuser; March 5, 2011 at 11:35 PM.

March 6, 2011, 12:55 AM	#3
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	You might find some folks that shoot more actual Berry's bullets than I do (maybe they shoot steel every week in competition), but only in volume. I don't know of anyone in this forum that shoots a larger variety of Berry's plated slugs than I do. I shoot their .32 cal 71gr plated RN, the flat base 100gr .380 slug, two different 9mm plated slugs, a .38 cal plated flat point, a 180 grain .40 cal flat point, two different 200 grain .45 slugs and I love their .30 cal 110 grain bullet in .30 Carbine outta my Blackhawk. But I don't anticipate using their .44 cal bullets... because when I load .44 Mag, it's .44 Mag. It's got a heavy crimp (as it should) and it's got nuts, as a .44 Mag ought to. Neither of these conditions is good for plated bullets. Any kind of a real roll crimp (as the .44 Mag begs for) is seriously detrimental to any plated bullet. And Berry's suggest that all the typical handgun bullets don't exceed 1,200 FPS, which .44 Mag certainly does. For .44 Special loads? Perhaps, but I don't shoot the Special. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

March 6, 2011, 10:20 AM	#5
LOLBELL Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2010 Location: Fayette AL Posts: 226	Thanks for the onfo guys __________________ Don't squat with your spurs on!!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

March 6, 2011, 07:08 AM	#4
32dgrz Junior Member Join Date: November 29, 2009 Posts: 10	I load those at 8 gr of unique for plinking

March 6, 2011, 01:07 PM	#6
dawico Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2009 Location: Lampasas, TX Posts: 326	I load them to the max with Unique and haven't had any leading problems. I have shot a ton of them.

March 6, 2011, 01:50 PM	#7
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	Any loads at all hot in 40sw or 10mm will cause my Berry's bullets to spin off jacket material and make the target ragged with little holes. That would not be a good bullet design for my 44 mag loads. ... as much as I like to deal with the nice people at Berry's Bullets