Hollow base bullets . . .

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Prof Young

New member
So I bought some hollow based bullets from Berrys. Near as I can tell from "reading about them" one loads them just like an otherwise normal bullet. Any thoughts?

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
Their hollow base plated bullets I load using normal data or even add a .01 of a grain for the extra space of the hollow base.

Nothing really special about them except the hollow base gives them a little longer bearing surface for the riflings.
 
If these bullets are shaped like a soda can, they are hollow-base wadcutters, originally designed to be seated so that the "nose" of the case is a flush-fit with the case mouth. This minimizes effective case volume so that lighter charges of powder may be used to propel these bullets to the desired velocity. The hollow base enables the projectile to expand (obturate) during its trip down the bore, engaging the rifling as completely as possible (ostensibly enhancing flight stability/accuracy/etc.), before exiting the barrel.

I've also seen them loaded so that the crimp goes just behind the forward-most driving band. It seems to work perfectly well, though rounds so loaded may not function through the various semi-auto match pistols chambered for .38 Spl (S&W M52, etc.).

If these projectiles are as I've described, just seat them in one of the 2 ways I mention, and use a low-to-middlin' powder charge, and you should be in for some pleasant shooting. If these are hollow based projectiles with a round-nosed or semi-wadcutter configuration, that's a slightly different critter, but still easily loaded.

One of my favorite .38 Spl. loads is 3.0/W231 or RedDot/148 gr. HBWC, or 158 gr. SWC. Depending on barrel length, velocity hovers around 750 f/s, recoil and report are manageable, and accuracy has always been far better than I can actually shoot. YMMV
 
Load as usual for the bullet weight and type.
The hollow base Berry's roundnose bullets lets them have a longer bearing surface and longer nose than a flatbase.
 
The load data is the same because the extra seating depth is compensated for by the empty hollow. Whether they shoot better in your gun or not, only testing will tell.
 
Thanks . . .

Thanks . . .
As usual, the realization that there is still a lot to learn about this sport. Yes, there are 110 grain, plated, round nosed 380 bullets. I'm loading them just like any other of the same weight and style.

The information about the wad cutters is really interesting. A bullet that sits flush with the case mouth. I'd see those but didn't realize they were hollow based.

Thanks for all the info.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
I sometimes use double ended wadcutters.

Keep in mind that one of the best things about a wadcutter round is that the powder chamber is small and well defined. Gives great burn consistency. When I opened them up and used them with 1/4 inch exposed lead groups suffered.
 
I load the Berry's 124gr HBFPTP bullets in 9mm and 357sig. The accuracy is good and I like using them.

There is probably some difference based on the design, but I have not noticed anything since we already have all these other variables also in reloading.
 
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