New re loader here with questions

Best advice I can give would be to read as much as possible, go watch the youtube video's, follow the forums and ask questions like you did here. Then take the time to sort it all out. If there is someone to mentor you all the better.

Start small and slow. Pay attention to the details. As you suggested start with one die and work it thru. Then proceed to the next. All the while working on building a repeatable process. One that feels natural. The books will help with this believe it or not. Follow the steps outlined in any of the manuals and you will do just fine.

Many of us started long before there was an internet, forums or videos. Just manuals, magazines and other old timers passing along what they had learned.

Good luck on your adventure.
 
I would look at the powder maker websites as they tend to be the most current. Most print books can be out of date by the time they get printed.
 
T. O'Heir said:
"...with these projectiles..." You need data for a 115 cast or plated bullet. Doesn't matter who made it.
"...they just will NOT give you load data..." Means they don't test anything. They do say to use any data with Standard Plate Bullets max velocity- 1,250 fps. and thick plated (TP) max velocity- 1,500 fps.
"...Bullseye from 4.2 to 4.7 grains..." That is for jacketed bullets. and is directly from Alliant's site. No Bullseye cast data on their site. Only ever used 121 grain cast bullets with Bullseye myself.
"...are in no way the same..." Nope, but plated are in no way jacketed either. Plated bullets are such a gigantic nuisance.
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I went the plated route once or twice and abandoned them. I really see no point to them.
If I want to shoot lead, I buy lead. If I want to shoot jacketed I buy fmj.

The small cost difference between plated and fmj doesn't seem to be worth the hassle of using plated.
 
I’ll forego all the previous good advice and say this. I shoot Berry 115 gr. Plated bullets in my 9mm semi-auto’s exclusively. I load a very light load of 3.7 gr. Of Bullseye (I installed a 12 lb recoil spring) for easy shooting at a very comfortable recoil level. Experience has shown 4.0-4.2 gr of Bullseye powder with the Berry’s plated bullets to work very well and comforably under Max load. The 4.0 level works well with stock recoil springs. Velocity and accuracy levels is plenty good for 20-60 foot distances so should work well for IPSC.
 
I'm in agreement with kmw1954 here. What exactly is this "hassle" some speak of here regarding plated bullets for the handloader? Crimping? Set the seater/crimping die properly and you have no hassles. Or, do as a lot of others do and use a Lee FCD for the 4th process. Presto! Simplicity. The link kmw1954 provided for "Accuratepowder" is spot on with info regarding "plated" bullet loading data. I can only reference .38spl and .45auto with like bullets I use[x-treme plated], but, their data closely mirrors my own.
To the OP, learn and go slowly and do not be afraid to ask questions here. You're on the right track.
 
A plated bullet poses no problems with a reloader that has experience with "standard" jacketed and lead bullets. It's the "in between" cast and jacketed that becomes a grey area for new reloaders. Some companies are listing plated bullets in their manuals but not a lot and to a new reloader if it isn't easy to find info it's frustrating and confusing. Yes, there's the "recommendation" to load with "lower jacketed bullet data", but to a new reloader, that can be confusing. Also one with very little or no experience crimping a bullet with no cannalure or crimp groove can be confusing; "how do you crimp a soft bullet that has no cannalure?" is a much asked question by new reloaders.

Most of the time I don't sternly suggest anything to an experienced reloader, I'll just mention what I do, and I certainly don't really care a lot what methods, tools and components a seasoned reloader uses. I'll read what the experienced reloaders say and if it fits my reloading, I'll consider it, but I believe in keeping new reloader suggestions K.I.S.S.
 
mikld, I cannot completely agree or disagree because I do agree on certain points. I have been using plated bullets exclusively since I have restarted to load again about 1.5 years ago. Not quite sure what an "in-between" is. Does that mean not cast lead and not jacketed? Because yes plated is neither of those.

I see it stated everywhere for Plated bullets just use cast lead loads. Well that may work sometimes but by experience I can state it doesn't work most of the time with starting loads. Granted I can only judge this by only the 3 powders and 5 different plated bullets that I've used. Also the plated bullet manufactures state not to exceed 1200fps., well in all honesty I have not found many loads for 9mm that will exceed that w/o going into +P load levels.

I also do not believe I have seen a plated bullet with a cannelure or crimp groove but then it is also my understanding that any bullet with out that should not be roll crimped anyways. So I suppose if one needs a roll crimp then they shouldn't be using plated bullets.

I also have to agree that not being able to find load data for a particular bullet can be frustrating and even disgusting. For instance the true odd ball wild card, the Berry's hollow Base Bullet. There isn't another bullet on the market like it. It is much like a hollow base wadcutter it that it loads completely different than a solid base wadcutter.

I have to agree that there is a lack of information provided by both the bullet makers and the powder makers. Again Western/Accurate has a good listing of Berry's and Rainier plated bullets in all the calibers that I use. Hodgdon is providing some and should do more. Alliant? I haven't used any of their powder since the Hercules days.

I do also believe that as Plated bullets become more widespread in use so will the published data.
 
I have tried various plated bullets and have had good success with some and a waist of time and money with some of the others. Plated bullets also do not like much of a crimp if any. I also believe in the K.I.S.S. principal and have found plated bullets take more work developing the load, they are lot more sensitive so everything has to be perfect during the load process, and they will come apart if I use them in my AR-9.

For what the good plated bullets cost I can buy bulk FMJ for about the same price. Most of my target ammo is coated lead and I can get that much cheaper.

On another note, for all new loaders I recommend that pick their powder and select the weight of the bullet and load the exact components in published data. If they get close to the same results of the starting load work it up until a good grouping is found that is clean burning and under the max recommended loads.
 
Also to the OP, you have the plated bullets, so, for now, this is your starting point. Different thoughts here on how to proceed, but, we'll walk you thru this. Plenty of folks here to make this work. Not difficult at all. Plated bullets are not the boogey man here, as they are easy enough to load. It seems to be the crimping aspect that most here are concerned with. Just enough flare to help seat the bullet. Then, when it's time, a slight taper crimp. Other's will will say what the correct taper crimp measurement should be. Let's see where this goes. And, good luck.
 
kmw1954. When I tried the 1,100 plated bullets I bough I used lead bullet data. And like any new to me component, I started with the recommended starting loads from my Lyman manuals. I had no problems with the plated bullets but they are recommended to be used with low jacketed velocities and more expensive and a bit less accurate than cast, kinda inbetween. Plated rifle bullets were not available when I tried plated so I have no opinion about them other than the velocity limits.

But I reloaded my first round in '69 and have been reloading fairly constantly since '87 and have a good grasp on the theories and practices of reloading so there was no problems for me. I have used jacketed, cast, Hy-Tek coated, PCed and have PCed a couple thousand bullets. New reloaders, on the other hand don't have the experience to load a plated bullet as easily as jacketed or even lead.
 
mikld, enjoying this conversation, Hope somebody out there is learning a little bit from all this.

When I first started there was no internet, no forums. All I had was a friend that loaded and a Speer #10 book. I started with 38/357 and was lucky enough that the local shop has Speer lead bullets. So I looked in the book to find a load for the Speer 148gr wadcutter and the 158gr SWC and then decided on which powder to buy. Of course like everyone else I started with Bullseye and CCI primers. Eventually I also started using Hornady lead.

When I got back into shooting after many years away my first gun was a 9mm and I already knew that I would start loading again only now I had this great tool, the internet. Then from previous experience I knew cast was cost effective and considered also casting for myself. That is when I found this forum and the one over at Cast Boolits and quickly learned that loading cast for the 9mm can be very problematic. That's how I came to use Plated.

I try to be upfront and admit that I only load for pistol and have not loaded a rifle case since 1982. I don't own a rifle and have no interest in that discipline. So I avoid commenting on anything rifle.

As for the cost of cast lead pistol or plated pistol bullets I find very little cost difference. I buy my bullets in bulk whenever they are on sale. Both Berry's and X-TREME. So that is not a factor to me.

Once again from what I read and follow on the few forums I belong to I see many more questions from new hand loaders having problems getting cast lead bullets to shoot straight and not lead foul their barrels in the 9mm pistols than any other question regarding plated. Which is also the reason I haven't used cast in my 9's.

For my 380 and new 45acp I have reconsidered trying cast as I understand there isn't the inherent problems that are faced with the 9mm.

As I believe I've stated previously my experience with plated bullets and using beginning cast lead data has been very erratic. With the starting powder charge I've experienced most every time a failure to completely cycle the slide causing stovepipes and FTE. Once the charge is bumped up .1 or .2gr then it all goes away and cycles. Yes I agree that revolvers probably do not experience this problem because there is no slide.
 
kmw1954 and mikld: Thank you both for your very well informed thoughts on this subject.
Not only will the OP learn from this, others also. Me included. This has been a damn good thread. This is what we come here for.
 
Berry's tells you what data to use as FITASC pointed out in post 6.

You can listen to the people who made the bullets or you can ask others and get all sorts of answers.
 
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Load data is very important. You might ask yourself what you think will happen if your load is high, low or off in oal? Then ask, how will you know? Then ask yourself can the most accurate load be unsafe?

Also, what variations is your process generating? How can they be known and then improved?
 
BBarn exactly what does Barry's tell you? They don't because they have not done any testing of their product. They tell you to go find data from any source for a bullet of the same weight. So how do you know which one when they are all different? Weight might be the same but length, shape, density, bare cast lead or any myriad of jacket material.

I have in front of me a printout from Western/Accurate powder. For AA#5 there are listings for 7 different bullets for the 115gr 9mm. They range from a start load of 4.8gr to 5.6gr so which one am I supposed to choose?

A year ago Berry's even changed their data that gave a recommended OAL. Now they just list the standard for the caliber.
 
I too started reloading pre-web, when I emptied the cylinder of my first 38 Special in '69 I thought "I wonder if I could reuse these?". Most of my info came from gun magazines and reloading supply vendor's catalogs (I loved my Herters catalogs) and my first load data was from my Lee Loader. instruction sheet, followed by a Speer #11. I never got into the counting of costs for my reloading mainly because it was a hobby I enjoyed, just like I never thought of how much my rods and reels or bait cost for my fishing (red worms cost $.18 each and blood worms cost $.22, which should I buy? Or I could dig earthworms and put them in some water with red food coloring.).

While I try to keep an open mind on forums about equipment, I will speak up if I read suggestions to a new reloader that aren't quite relative or worthless to a new reloader (like telling a new reloader to use a Lee FCD instead of finding out why his reloads won't chamber and fixing the problem). I have taught Auto Electronics Apprentices and learned it's best to keep things K.I.S.S. for the student to get a good, basic understanding of the subject, and the same with reloaders. Starting with basics, with tried and true components and methods is the easier and softer way...
 
kmw1954 said:
BBarn exactly what does Barry's tell you? They don't because they have not done any testing of their product. They tell you to go find data from any source for a bullet of the same weight. So how do you know which one when they are all different? Weight might be the same but length, shape, density, bare cast lead or any myriad of jacket material.

I have in front of me a printout from Western/Accurate powder. For AA#5 there are listings for 7 different bullets for the 115gr 9mm. They range from a start load of 4.8gr to 5.6gr so which one am I supposed to choose?

A year ago Berry's even changed their data that gave a recommended OAL. Now they just list the standard for the caliber.
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If you want to use #5 (the OP was looking at Bullseye), I believe a safe approach is fairly obvious for anyone who has studied reloading manuals.
 
Directly from Berry's FAQ;

Question: Do you have load data available? COL or OAL?

Please consult load data books or your powder manufacturers' website for load information. You can use any published data as long as it is the same weight (FMJ, Lead, Plated, etc.)

-Standard Plate Bullets max velocity- 1,250 fps.

-Thick Plate Bullets (TP) max velocity- 1,500 fps.

For SAAMI MAX COL specs or OAL of the bullet please click HERE.


Consult Load Data Books! Hmmmm. So one of the load data books recommended lists 7 different bullets of the same weight with many different powders, they all have different loads so again what is this obvious selection you mention? They even list 2 different Berry's bullets and they both have different data. Does it make a difference or since they are the same weight should I just pick one? After all Berry's states they are all the same.
 
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