Plated vs. Jacketed Bullets?

[PJgunner]

Years back fellow was selling a Dillon 550B for a very good price and as I was in the market for one to load up handgun bullets I bought it. it was set up for 9MM and thee was a box of 500 cast bullets and another with seveal hundred plted bullets that came with the press along with a bunch of other stuff. When I measured the diamter of the cast bullets, they were too small at .356" and I knew they would lead the barrel of my 9MM so they all went into the casting pot. No big deal and I end up with bullets of the proper size that shoot accurately. On the other hand, I loaded up the plated bullets and they were not very accurate in my gun. They might work across the room at an intruder if push came to shove but at 25 yards 8 to 9" was the best I could get. My home cast bullets would do 2.5 to 3" which is about the best I can do anyway. FWIW, that's the same grouping range I get with jacketed bullets. I took the rest of those plated bullets, cracked the copper shell with a hammer and into the casting pot they went. A bit of a PITA getting some of the lead out of the squashed shells but at least I salvaged the lead. I just sweetened the melt with a bit of linotype and had a decent alloy for my handgun bullets. I think the main problem was they too were sized at .356". I once bought 1,000 .45 ACP commercial handloads from an outfit that loaded their ammo with those plated bullets. They shoot OK but my home cast handloads are more accurate. I never did break one down to check the bullet size but my Colt Combat Commander thrives on bullets sized to .453".
You can try them to see if they'll work in your gun. As they say YMMV.
Paul B.

[Seawolf1090]

I use both Berry's and Rainier plated bullets for my .38 Special and .45ACP loads, and like them. I have used both lead and jacketed load data, with no problems - but the loads were all well below the FPS limit imposed by the companies. I would NOT use them in higher velocity loads for my .357Magnum and similar. These days I stick to lead bullet data.
Some guns can have problems with plated - a buddy had a full auto MAC11 that would NOT feed the plated 9mm bullets - ran fine with cast lead and jacketed.....

[dovehunter]

So far we have used Berry's plated bullets - 180 gr. RNFP - in my son's 40 S&W FNP and - 230 gr. RN - in m1911 knock-off and both have proven to be extremely accurate, at least at ranges out to 25 yds. I think I am going to try some of their 9mm bullets next. So far I like them better than the commercial cast bullets I had been using.