Copper Plated Bullets?
 

So I am beginning reloading, I have a couple of reloading books and pulled some info from the web (mfg websites) however I am missing some loading data. I know there is a difference between full metal jacket and plated bullets. From what I gather Berry's and Ranier are examples of plated bullets and they have different load data than regular FMJ's. Obviously I want to stay cheap and plated bullets are cheaper but I can't find any load data for 230 grn plated Berry's bullets (i.e. it isn't in either book I have or on the mfg websites I checked.) Does anyone know where to find this data?

The reloading guides I've read that actually mention plated bullets say to use cast lead data for reloading, and there's velocity limit for some as well. Your reloading manual may cover some of the plated information, if not check with Berry's and Rainier. I remember reading it on both sites just can't remember the exact details.

Yep- what he said up there ^^^

Plated bullets are a microscpically thin layer of deposited metal, jacketed is a substantial sheathing of harder gilding metal (usually some alloy of copper and nickel)

Rifling is going to cut through the plating right to the lead beneath it, and hardness of the bullet will not SIGNIFICANTLY vary from hardness of the underlying lead. So the makers reccomend you treat it as if it were a lead cast bullet.

That is exactly what I was looking for, thank you Midnight and C3. I thought I heard somewhere that plated and lead were similar but I wanted to hear it from a couple of more trusted sources.

So a secondary question C3 you mention that the rifling with go right through the plating, is it worth using plated bullets worth it (to reduce leading also to shoot in a Glock) or is it better to pony up the little extra cash and use FMJ?

Copper plate eliminates leading just as efectively as fmj as long as you stay in that bullets recomended velocity

I shoot about 500 rounds a month 230grn plated ranier or berry. I have 0 fouling usually just takes a wipe or two with clp to get the burnt powder residue

Thank you for the replys I really appreciate it.

Out of curiosity, is this "plating" the same as a "copper wash"? The Federal GameShok 22LR I fire is "copper washed".

Pretty much- think the "copper wash" is an even thinner version of plating.

As C3 said. The plating on the Rainier Lead-Safe I have in 9mm and 45ACP is noticeably thicker than the washed plating on the rimfire rounds. I destroyed a few of each in of "Hmm, I wonder.....?"

It's also noticeably thinner than a good FMJ or JHP, plus some of the good jacketed bullets are bonded at a molecular level.

on 22lr there isnt enough pressure for leading to be an issue. what gunks your barrel on exposed lead 22lr bullets is the wax they are coated in. they put a copper covering so you dont have to wax them. even then its not really an issue for cleaning. run a brush down the bore swab with a patch or two all done.