berrys vs Montana gold

[technetium-99m]

FMJ's have an exposed lead base while JHP's don't. You get lots less smoke and depending on who you ask there are various reasons JHP's are inherently more accurate.

They don't cost any more than FMJ's and I can promise the less smoke thing is real.

Oh and plated bullets have always given me problems.

 

[Glocktogo]

why would one shoot jhp over fmj in competition?

As TUL and Tech stated, less smoke and more accurate. The heel of the bullet is the most important area for top accuracy. The way a JHP is formed promotes a more concentric heel than the other bullet types. They also cut a cleaner hole in the target, which can help in scoring.

I've also found the MG JHP nose profile to actually feed smoother in some autos than FMJ RN. In my Wilson KZ-45, there was a noticeable difference.

 

[Mitch H.]

If we were all shooting bullseye competitions, then I might agree about the difference in accuracy. However, most of us aren't. I grabbed some of the 180gr Berrys plated bullets from the shop the other day and decided to load up a major PF load for my STI. My shot group, unsupported, was less than 2" at 25 yards. That's good enough for me.

Comparing by price, the 180gr. 40S&W from Berrys is $116 and the same bullet from MG is $130. Not a big difference, roughly 10%, if you are buying them 1k at a time. Then again, that $14 is 500 primers or almost a pound of powder.

 

[Glocktogo]

I should point out that I have no issues whatsoever with shooting plated or hard cast bullets, including Berry's. However, I do shoot major sanctioned matches exclusively with MG jacketed bullets. When you're spending big $$$ for entry fees, lodging and travel arrangements, it seems silly to scrimp a few dollars on your ammo. JMO, YMMV

 

[mr ed]

For target practice and plinking ( 38 & 9mm) I use J&K hard lead. For serious stuff and hot loads (40,44,45) I use MG's.

 

[DrJeff]

I have used both Berry's and Montana gold. I shoot major power factor on my 40 with Berry's just fine. All rounds are flown through my custom 1911's with outstanding accuracy. The copper plating on Berry's are just right and hold up well during the loading process. A major plus is the outstanding customer service from Berry's. Question on recommended loads or bullet types, no problem. They answer my questions with a smile (if you can sense a smile on the phone)

I am relatively new to reloading (less than a year). So, what are the thoughts on power factor when reloading Berry's (cautions, consequences, etc.) (this smile emoticon was just too fun not to post).

 

[technetium-99m]

You can get MG's from Manny Bragg for cheaper than from MG.

My last order of 165gr JHP's were $107/K.

For economy I'll shoot hard lead bullets (J&K's perform great for me), I can drive them just as fast as jacketed and there is real savings. If I want a high quality bullet I'll go jacketed every time after I had so many headaches with the Rainier bullets.

What Mitch pointed out is true though, you have to buy the MG's by the case to get a decent price. Buying them per the thousand is mucho expensive and for someone who may only shoot 1K/year it may not make sense to get 3,000 plus bullets at a time.

You can save even more if you get a few guys together and buy the year's bullets all at once. Which I've been examining the possibility of for next year. I'm going to see at what point MG would give a nice price break.

 

[technetium-99m]

I am relatively new to reloading (less than a year). So, what are the thoughts on power factor when reloading Berry's (cautions, consequences, etc.) (this smile emoticon was just too fun not to post).

In theory velocity is a plated bullet's enemy. I can tell you that I had less than stellar results with 115gr bullets at minor pf going around 1100 fps(7-8 inches at 25yards). The same gun will do 3.5 inches at 25 with MG 124 JHP's. I don't even want to think about what a 115 or 124gr major load would do to a plated bullet.

I've never loaded any 40 with plated bullets, but you only need 920 fps or so to make major with a 180gr bullet, so it may work alright, you'd have to experiment.

If you're gonna go plated, Berry's is probably the best plated bullet out there, I'll never buy another Rainier again.

 

[Glocktogo]

I have used both Berry's and Montana gold. I shoot major power factor on my 40 with Berry's just fine. All rounds are flown through my custom 1911's with outstanding accuracy. The copper plating on Berry's are just right and hold up well during the loading process. A major plus is the outstanding customer service from Berry's. Question on recommended loads or bullet types, no problem. They answer my questions with a smile (if you can sense a smile on the phone)

I am relatively new to reloading (less than a year). So, what are the thoughts on power factor when reloading Berry's (cautions, consequences, etc.) (this smile emoticon was just too fun not to post).

Plated bullets are not meant to be driven at magnum velocities. The electroplating is much thinner than jacketed and the cores are usually softer than hard cast lead. That's why load data for them is usually closer to lead than jacketed.

A lot of what you can drive them to is dependent on the type and condition of your bore. If you have a relatively smooth bore with sharp lands and you keep it clean, you'll be able to drive them faster with better results. A rough, heavily fouled or polygonal bore, not so much.

All guns will have bullet preferences and some will shoot a particular bullet better than others. While anecdotal evidence from numerous shooters will usually point to trends, your gun may differ on what theirs shoots well.