Plated vs Jacketed

[compujas 21]

I've been seeing a lot of people lately talking about using plated bullets to save money. I've been looking around and have found sources of jacketed bullets for marginally more (sometimes less) than plated. Why would anyone use plated bullets when you can get jacketed for about the same price? The only reason I can think of is that they're fully plated, so no lead exposure, but I'd think that the velocity limit and ability to pierce the plating would overcome that. I guess for all you guys shooting .45ACP the velocity limit isn't an issue, but for 9 and .40 it can be.

 

Am I missing something?

[JonF 79]

I think you covered all the major points. It really comes down to the ultimate price and of course, how they perform in your gun.

[NJReloader 0]

Some guns actually shoot better with plated than jacketed but my main reason is to avoid lead exposure. Also, there are shooters pushing our 9mm bullets to major velocities without problems. Not all plating is created equally; I wouldn't try that with Berry's.

 

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[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Just a heads-up: Federal's "green" ammo is labeled - on the box and in all media pertaining to it, as TMJ - total metal jacketed. It is, in fact, plated, not jacketed. Not sure if this will make any practical difference in my application, but I did make them aware of my displeasure with their misleading labeling. Never heard back from them. They did inform me that the primer sensitivity of their "green" ammo is the same as their regular line, which was good to know.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[JackDaWack 2,895]

There not the only ones who do that either. I have run across a few companies who label plated as FMJ or TMJ. It can be a issue if you try loading plated bullets using FMJ data... I read you should start with lead data and work your way up with plated bullets and end up somewhere between lead and FMJ. The only time i bought plated bullets was a bulk case of federal champion .45uto, it was cheaper then the regular stuff just as good. If i did load plated bullets i would just make sure they are quality, if its thin plating you risk disintegrating the bullet at high velocities. Like stated above, if your trying to make major it may be an issue using plated, but if you want accurate rounds, plated should fall with in an safe velocity.

[Maksim 1,504]

As jon pointed out, not all plated bullets are the same.

 

Some, are merely a tiny coating to avoid exposure, such as Rainier Lead Safe bullets. Others, are as thick as FMJ and can be pushed to standard velocities. 1500 FPS in the case of Xtreme bullets. Others, like Berry's are somewhere in the middle.

 

If you are reloading, you should have a chrono and test all of your loads. Research and see what others are saying.

 

I am now loading 180 grain HP Xtreme bullets, to the same amount of N320. Shoot really well, and cost a good chunk less. Less dirty than even FMJ = Winning.

 

Look at it this way, if guys are shooting these out of compensated race guns, at high velocities, they are ok. (and keep the comp cleaner too).

[compujas 21]

Thanks for clearing it up. I wasn't aware that all plated bullets were not alike. Researching these things is dangerous on my wallet. Just when I think I figured it out and ordered a case, someone points me to a new brand/vendor. Whoever said reloading saves you money is a damn liar, but I do get to shoot more which is always a good thing. I guess I now have Precision Delta, XTreme, and NJLoader on my list of places to try out after I exhaust my case of Berry's.

 

And I do have a chrono and test all new loads.

[Maksim 1,504]

Yep, I currently use Precision Delta (40) and Montana Gold (9mm) for FMJ, and Xtreme for Plated.

[NJReloader 0]

We stock xtreme bullets.

 

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[Socom 19]

ive been a extreme plated bullet guy for the last 3 years i enjoy them.

[AS350Driver 56]

I just recently got a batch of Xtreme plated bullets. They're 124g round nose 9mm. I decide to take some measurements of them.

First I took about fifteen or twenty of them and weighed each one. They all were within .1 of a grain from 124. I also took the calipers

and measured the diameter. Most of them were .355, with a few at .356 or .354. I've loaded some and will be taking them to CJ in

the morning for chrono testing. I will update tomorrow when I get back from the range.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

I just recently got a batch of Xtreme plated bullets. They're 124g round nose 9mm. I decide to take some measurements of them.

First I took about fifteen or twenty of them and weighed each one. They all were within .1 of a grain from 124. I also took the calipers

and measured the diameter. Most of them were .355, with a few at .356 or .354. I've loaded some and will be taking them to CJ in

the morning for chrono testing. I will update tomorrow when I get back from the range.

 

 

Frank, Let me know how they crono. Like Maks I found using the same exact load just different bullets (Precision Deltas vs X-Treme) I also pick up a few FPS with X-Treme.

[compujas 21]

Yeah, I'd love to know more about the Xtreme performance. They sound like a great value if they perform like FMJ but are fully plated at the same cost as FMJ. Plus the added benefit of a local vendor. As long as there's none of the typical plated bullet problems (velocities, fouling, etc.), they sound like an awesome deal. That is at least until next week when someone discovers a new bullet vendor that is better still.

[raz-0 1,260]

Yeah, I'd love to know more about the Xtreme performance. They sound like a great value if they perform like FMJ but are fully plated at the same cost as FMJ. Plus the added benefit of a local vendor. As long as there's none of the typical plated bullet problems (velocities, fouling, etc.), they sound like an awesome deal. That is at least until next week when someone discovers a new bullet vendor that is better still.

 

I've been happy with various brands of plated in multiple guns. I had trouble pushing berry's past 900 fps in my stock m&p. Thought it was the bullets, but it turned out to be the barrel. One land/groove transition was extra sharp and would cut the plating. Found out it had issues when I tried moly coated lead and the one side of one groove leaded insanely while the rest of the barrel was fine. After I got more .40 pistols, I tried some of the leftover ammo and it was fine in them as well as the new barrel in my m&p.

 

For the same charge, they will generally be faster.

[AS350Driver 56]

Back from the range, and I have to say so far I really like the Xtreme bullets. Using the same load as i've been using with precision deltas they averaged a bit higher, as was expected. For the PD's I was getting 1042fps, and with the Xtremes i'm getting an average of 1056fps. They grouped fairly nicely as well, no key holes at any of the distances I was shooting from, 7,10, and 18 yards. The thing I did notice, and this is more about my own shooting, is when I try to shoot really slowly my shots are spread out, but when I pick up the pace I can put all the shots in a nice tight group. The next step is to load up a bunch more and shoot some matches, if the weather would cooperate.

[raz-0 1,260]

Yeah, for anyone trying out plated.. one thing to check is try shooting relatively close up to a cardboard target, like 5 yards. See if you see pinwheels of lead around the bullet hole. If you do, you are compromising the plating. It may still work fine for you, but there is accuracy to be picked up adjusting your reloading process (usually belling and seating). If pushing them really hot, you may need ot back down on velocity.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

Should i put more bell on plated rounds? i barely bell my cases using FMJ bullets, I have to manually seat them at first or else they fall off(just enough to "pop" the bullet in), i can imagine the plating peeling off if i used the same amount of bell. i dont even really have to crimp the rounds that's how little i've been using for my mock up rounds until i get the hang of it.

[raz-0 1,260]

Should i put more bell on plated rounds? i barely bell my cases using FMJ bullets, I have to manually seat them at first or else they fall off(just enough to "pop" the bullet in), i can imagine the plating peeling off if i used the same amount of bell. i dont even really have to crimp the rounds that's how little i've been using for my mock up rounds until i get the hang of it.

 

 

It really depends on your dies (how much they guide the bullet in), your bullets (profile, hardness, plating thickness, and what the jacketed you are coming from were like), you (what you consider jsut enough, and how straight you place them) and to a small extent your press (mostly with how square everything is).

 

Plated are more delicate when it comes to doing battle with the case mouth, so they need to seat closer to vertical than jacketed do. If you compromise the plating, and you are dealing with higher velocities, you can start stripping the plating and accuracy can go to hell.

 

 

For example, the lee powder through belling die is a nice belling die. It flares and expands in a good ratio. It'll do plated, moly coated lead, lead, and jacketed just fine wiht nothing more than a little twist in or out. OTOH, the hornady powder through expander for their powder drop die in .40 sucks. It just expands and does not bell properly, especially earlier revisions, and it doesn't expand enough to help the bullet seat to a vertical position. If you don't jam it in there, it is pretty much the die ramming it against the case mouth that orients it. It SUCKS for moly coated lead that is made form soft swaged lead wire. It worked so-so on softer plated bullets. Harder ones it was ok for. I moved to a powderfunnels.com universal belling insert along with the hornady powder measure stop, and had much better luck at a universal setup that works with whatever I throw at it.

 

 

My recommendation is to make a dummy round and pull the bullet after. You will look for a few things. If you are too tight, even without pulling the bullet, you will see the plating shave, or serious gouging, you need more belling. If you don't, pull it and check for minor scraping/shaving damage. You can pretty much eliminate it by adjusting the belling. you also have to care more about crimp with plated. The jackets on jacketed bullets are springy. Plated, lead, and moly coated lead are ductile and tend to hold a shape. If your crimp is too severe, you will get a dented ring around the bullet with those bullets. In .45 this never caused me issue. With soft moly coat in .40, getting rid of it increased accuracy. It also decreased leading because on moly, that crimp dimple was enough to occasionally compromise the coating. With plated, you'll jsut get the dent, it shouldn't compromise the plating even on soft plated bullets like rainier. Hard plated bullets like xtreme it takes a LOT of crushing to compromise the plating. Also, with plated or moly coated lead that will hold their shape and don't have a crimp groove, do NOT roll crimp. Taper crimp only. I've used the lee factory crimp die on plated without issue, but on moly coated lead, it undersized the bullets and accuracy went to hell. Mic your dummy bullets that you pull before you seat them and after you pull them. If they are getting undersized, ditch your FCD for a normal taper crimp die without the sizing ring at the base.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

I'm using the hornady new dimension dies. I liked the bullet seating sleeve/guide. I'll check the belling die and sacrifice a case to see what it is capable of doing. And pulling a dummy round is a good idea after seating and crimping. Thanks for the help! yet again!