Jacketed/Plated bullets in .44 Colt question

[R.M. Conversion]

I shoot a lot of cast thru my .44 Colt 1872, but at the indoor range it's a little smoky.  I have a bunch Ranier 200g plated projectiles.  I know they have increased bore friction, but at the 3.0g of Trailboss or 4.0 Bullseye levels of power, will they be ok?

[pony express]

I believe they recommend cast bullet load data for them.

[Coffinmaker]

PLUS ONE to Pony Express.  Cast bullet load data is recommended for your referenced bullets.  "Smoky" is more a result of your chosen propellent than the bullet used.

[R.M. Conversion]

Indoors, the smoke is vaporized bullet lube.  I shoot two different .45 Colt loads with identical powders and the jacketed bullets don't have that.

[R.M. Conversion]

The Hodgdon book says you can use the data for plated bullets same as cast.  So that settles that.

[riflee]

Jacketed bullets can do a funny thing. Most don't believe it but it can and does happen. There's a reason that back in the day it was sorta standard procedure to use a jacketed bullet .001's smaller than the barrels groove diameter.

Jacketed bullets of certain types can have the friction stick the jacket in the bore and let the lead exit. That makes a bore obstruction.


Any more people don't believe that and use groove diameter bullets.  They used to mention that about the jacketed bullets in the Gun Magazines.


OK Here it is. Come and tear my post to pieces! 

[R.M. Conversion]

Any diligent reloader should know the proper velocities for cast, cast with a gas check, plated and cast.  There's no reason to try and drive .44 Colt to a high enough velocity to cause jacketed separation.

[Professor Marvel]

Rifle makes a valid point, which has been ignored by quite a few youngsters, and  the conversion cylinder manufacturers advise against jacketed bullets.

But As  Rooster Cogburn said:
"Well, you do what you think best, Ned"

good luck, stay safe -
prof marvel

[Bunk]

Back when I was still shooting that fad  smokessomewhatless stuff in .45ACP target loads they worked well. There was a little copper fouling in the barrel, but not out of the ordinary. I found the flattened remains on the steel targets and no damage was done even on my 3/8" mild steel practice targets.
Of course I was not trying to load .45 ACP Magnum loads, and cannot comment on that, but for ordinary loads they worked quite well. That plating is pretty thin not nearly like a full jacket.
Any way this is my two cents worth for what ever it is worth.
Bunk
A recovering from smolessomewhatless converted to the true real true GUN POWDER person.

[pony express]

Just for what it's worth, I bought some of the plated bullets for .30 carbine and tried them with the same load I used for regular jacketed bullets, 14.0 gr of H-110. That should be around 2000fps, and they worked fine, accuracy was good. Bullets recovered from shooting into sand filled tires, showed they held the rifling well, and no exposed lead. Seems the plating held up fine, even at 2-300 FPS above their "rated" velocity. Haven't shot enough to see if there's any different amount of copper fouling than regular jacketed.

[Professor Marvel]

I would have to concede that "plated" copper over lead would be considerably thinner and softer than an extruded jacket.
and I seem to remember from an old machinists book that copper is considered self-lubricating for whatever that may be worth...

as long as it doesn't stick or seperate or raise pressure above SAMI specs one ought to be  ok.

yhs
prof marvel

[Bunk]

The plated bullet that I have made by a prominent plated bullet maker are covered in copper completely unlike jacketed bullets that have either an open nose or open base there fore there is little chance of separation.
Just for curisoty  I will take a .45 plated bullet, drill a drain hole in it and try to melt out the core.
If it works a report will be coming.
Someone with little to do
Bunk