February 08, 2017, 01:13 PM
jhe888How fast can you drive copper plated pistol bullets?
I am getting a new .357 rifle. How fast can you drive copper washed bullets? You could easily hit 1600 fps out of a rifle, maybe even 1800 fps with light bullets.
What about lead bullets?
This is a modern Marlin with conventional rifling.
February 08, 2017, 01:43 PM
jcatWhen I was buying to potentially start reloading, I had been looking at RMR and XTreme which both sell plated bullets.
XTreme recommends keeping them under 1500.
February 08, 2017, 01:44 PM
9mmepiphanyRocky Mountain Reloading recommends that you limit their thick plated bullets to 1400fps...but they are pretty conservative
http://rmrbullets.com/?v=7516fd43adaaFebruary 12, 2017, 10:51 AM
divilBerry's recommends under 1250 fps for the 38/357 pistol bullets. Since you are going to be using a .357 rifle with decently high velocities, I would recommend just purchasing jacketed bullets in bulk and be done with it.
February 13, 2017, 11:36 AM
SgtGoldHave you thought about hard cast lead? They make them in rifle calibers and they can be pushed faster than plated bullets.
February 15, 2017, 03:45 PM
jhe888quote:
Originally posted by SgtGold:
Have you thought about hard cast lead? They make them in rifle calibers and they can be pushed faster than plated bullets.
I asked about lead, too. How fast can you push a hard lead bullet?
February 15, 2017, 06:14 PM
SgtGold Leadhead bullets has a link at the bottom of the page I linked to with relaod data for hard cast lead. I took a peak at .357 Magnum and they have load data for 1,400 FPS+ loads. Shotgun News had an article maybe fifteen years ago about hard cast lead through an AK, so it can be done for rifles as well.
Also, here's a link to a review of a
Lyman reloading manual for hard cast lead. As always YMMV.
March 05, 2017, 09:16 PM
sns3guppyMany years ago I had a lot of separations with Berry's, right out of the barrel, at higher velocities.
I haven't seen that more recently, but I don't push them.