Plated Bullets

Reading the 115gn/9 mm Luger thread, it started me thinking about the ammo that I have loaded and what it consists of.

I have loaded a lot of rounds which are Berry’s plated bullets. I think they are all 9 mm but I can’t be sure until I go dig through my ammo chest.

But from what I’m reading, it sounds like plated bullets should never be used in certain firearms (or certain types of firearms) and interests me greatly to know which and why.

What features of a firearm would make using a plated lead bullet a poor idea?

Do any particular folks have blanket recommendations against plated bullets?

I know some shooters in my pistol club, who seem to powder coat their cast bullets

Years ago we all tended to shoot soft lead bullets which provided built in lubrication. These worked well with the "slower" powders of the day and at reduced velocities. Fouling wasn't all that bad nor was barrel wear.

However, with the advent of faster powders and a big jump in velocity lead fouling increase dramatically. If I remember correctly that's when plated bullets first appeared. But as discussed above the plating wore off rapidly. So you traded one "problem" for another.

I suspect barrrel wear these days is more a product of aggressive cleaning than high round count. Many folks shoot a box of rounds and aggressively scrub the barrel. In reality, most modern weapons can shoot several hundred to several thousand rounds between cleaning. Cleaning, from my perspective, should occur when your accuracy degrades.

Regards

Well we are 100% sidetracked here, and nobody is answering the real question I had, which is again:

Is it a bad idea to use plated bullets in certain firearms? What happens?

Here. This is what tripped the switch in my brain.

“my GLOCK 23C which has a barrel and slide cut for compensator ports. Because of the barrel porting I should only use really fast powders and jacketed bullets, never plated or cast.”

The biggest problem I've seen with plated bullets is over crimping when loading which damages the plating to a point it flakes off when chambered and shot. However, doubt you'll have any problems If you're not pushing the velocities.

Lots of folks shoot hard cast from Glocks even with OEM barrels. On my 10mm I bought an aftermarket barrrel with conventional groves to specifically shoot cast. It gaves better stabilization of the hard cast rounds. As with plated ammo you don't want to push the velocities.

Regards

I guess I’m not shooting enough for it to make a difference to me but I did notice that tint from jacketed bullets as well.

I hit the guns quick with some anti-fouling powder solvent, neutral solvent & a nylon brush, and then oil them out good with patches & put them away like a powdered baby.

But my situation is different here guys. I don’t have any protesters or wild animals coming over my fence.

Most of my guns are locked up but if I was in a different situation they might be stashed in every nook.

Anyhow my original concern was that using plated bullets would tend to ruin the action on certain firearms or cause jamming because the bullets were not cased hard enough.

I know they’re not gonna Hold together like a jacketed bullet. But my suspicion was always that for low powered target rounds and close contact shots they would be OK in all my hand weapons.

I bought some powder coating powder a couple years ago right before I stopped reloading, and I never did try any of it.

But I have bunch of .38 bullets that I have cast and oiled and put away. I plan to try the new powder coating when I start reloading those.

I know about Ballard rifling and Microgrooving. What kind of grooving do the stock Glocks use?

Glock uses polygonal rifiling which incorporares a pattern unique to Glock.

However, polygonal rifiling style is also used by CZ, Heckler & Koch, and Walther today. Each has their own unique style.

I've has good luck with stock barrels with the exception of heavier hard cast bullets which stabilize better in more traditional barrels with lands and grooves. My experience with heavy hard cast out of polygonal rifiling is tumbling of the round. Lighter hard cast seem to do fine.

Regards

Thank You Brother.

Brother, if they have any lube of any kind on them after casting, then powder coating will be a giant fail.

Before I tried to paint them I would degrease then put some Jasco metal prep on them, which would remove the lube and etch the lead a little bit.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Polygonal rifling. They must do that with some kind of broach or button.

Copper plating on pistol bullets is just fine, even into Magnum cartridges. The rifling and the bullet would be just fine together if the velocity is within specs and the case neck tension isn't ruined by too much crimp. Heck, I have cast some .357 bullets and lubed them with ALOX or a mix of 45/45/10 and shot them screaming out of a 16"rifle barrel!!!

The only "doubt" I have with plated (vs jacketed) is thru a barrel that has cut out ports.

My powder coated bullets are GTG thru virtually any gun if I have done my part on the coating.

Except that one dang GLOCK23C with the cut ports in the barrel. Jacketed bullets or nothing........