plated bullets
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Berry's recommends that you don't shoot their plated handgun bullets over 1200 feet-per-second:
http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq-q10-c1-How_fast_can_I_shoot_these_bullets.aspx
However, I have a friend that occasionally uses their 124 gr. 9mm in an Open gun loaded to about 1350-1370 fps and he says he has never had any problems. The plated bullets aren't quite as accurate as jacketed for him in his gun so he uses them for local matches and practice.
I can also add that Berry's didn't do well at all for me in .40 S&W in either of my Schuemann AET gain twist barrels. I don't mean a small accuracy difference like I mentioned above. I'm talking more than 1 in 10 were tumbling inside of 15 yards. When I mic'd them, most were .400 but a few would be .399. My guess is that the .399's were the one's tumbling, but I traded them to away before doing any more testing. For what it is worth, the guy I traded them to said they shot great in his gun with conventional rifling. My gain twist barrels shoot really well with jacketed measuring .400 or lead at .401.
I was about to say I don't have any experience with Xtreme, but isn't that West Coast Bullet's new name? I did shoot some West Coast plated bullets in .40 several years ago and they shot fine in my first gain twist barrel (I didn't have the second gun then). I was only shooting them at 950-970 fps though, so this won't help you much as to their maximum velocity. I liked them and only stopped shooting them because I could get jacketed cheaper.
Hope that helps some.
http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq-q10-c1-How_fast_can_I_shoot_these_bullets.aspx
However, I have a friend that occasionally uses their 124 gr. 9mm in an Open gun loaded to about 1350-1370 fps and he says he has never had any problems. The plated bullets aren't quite as accurate as jacketed for him in his gun so he uses them for local matches and practice.
I can also add that Berry's didn't do well at all for me in .40 S&W in either of my Schuemann AET gain twist barrels. I don't mean a small accuracy difference like I mentioned above. I'm talking more than 1 in 10 were tumbling inside of 15 yards. When I mic'd them, most were .400 but a few would be .399. My guess is that the .399's were the one's tumbling, but I traded them to away before doing any more testing. For what it is worth, the guy I traded them to said they shot great in his gun with conventional rifling. My gain twist barrels shoot really well with jacketed measuring .400 or lead at .401.
I was about to say I don't have any experience with Xtreme, but isn't that West Coast Bullet's new name? I did shoot some West Coast plated bullets in .40 several years ago and they shot fine in my first gain twist barrel (I didn't have the second gun then). I was only shooting them at 950-970 fps though, so this won't help you much as to their maximum velocity. I liked them and only stopped shooting them because I could get jacketed cheaper.
Hope that helps some.
Yeah, I would think so too, but Mark swears it is never been a problem for him, and he has shot a lot of Berry's through his.
Take this for what it is worth, because I am more of a Limited shooter and don't shoot much Open at all, but my favorite Open bullet is Zero's 125 gr. JHP: http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RZD&Product_Code=R162-A&Category_Code=ZBJ-9MM. That link is for the .355 version but they also sell it in .356 which is nice, as one may shoot better than the other for you. The enclosed base of the hollowpoint is preferred for minimal leading and these bullets shot very well.
I have also had good luck with Precision Delta's 124 gr. FMJ: http://precisiondelta.com/detail.php?sku=B-9-124-FMJ. The exposed base will leave a little bit of leading in the compensator, but it is pretty minor and they shot nearly as good (definitely good enough for USPSA).
If this is for action pistol and you are trying to squeak out every bit of accuracy, you might consider trying Hornady XTP's. I have never heard of them not shooting well. They are definitely expensive though and you never know, the Zero's or something else may shoot better for you. I'd be willing to bet that if the XTP's aren't far off whatever is best if they are not though.
One more thought. Several years ago I worked up a sweet steel load in .40 using Nosler's 135 gr. JHP for larger steel matches: http://www.nosler.com/sportinghandgunshowroom.htm. They were really nice bullets and shot very well in my Limited gun, and they make a couple of offerings that you might consider.
Take this for what it is worth, because I am more of a Limited shooter and don't shoot much Open at all, but my favorite Open bullet is Zero's 125 gr. JHP: http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RZD&Product_Code=R162-A&Category_Code=ZBJ-9MM. That link is for the .355 version but they also sell it in .356 which is nice, as one may shoot better than the other for you. The enclosed base of the hollowpoint is preferred for minimal leading and these bullets shot very well.
I have also had good luck with Precision Delta's 124 gr. FMJ: http://precisiondelta.com/detail.php?sku=B-9-124-FMJ. The exposed base will leave a little bit of leading in the compensator, but it is pretty minor and they shot nearly as good (definitely good enough for USPSA).
If this is for action pistol and you are trying to squeak out every bit of accuracy, you might consider trying Hornady XTP's. I have never heard of them not shooting well. They are definitely expensive though and you never know, the Zero's or something else may shoot better for you. I'd be willing to bet that if the XTP's aren't far off whatever is best if they are not though.
One more thought. Several years ago I worked up a sweet steel load in .40 using Nosler's 135 gr. JHP for larger steel matches: http://www.nosler.com/sportinghandgunshowroom.htm. They were really nice bullets and shot very well in my Limited gun, and they make a couple of offerings that you might consider.
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I have shot thousands of Berrys .40 cal. Never knew they tumbled until they were shot at paper up close (10-15 feet). still use them for yard rounds though. Geaux 68 uses the 9mm double struck and got C class production as soon as he shot enough classifiers. Thats good enough for me right now. Gonna have to load up some Zeros that I got from a friend :thumbup:
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