Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Maximizing the performance of your Rossi firearm.
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Jaybm
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Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Jaybm »

I've accumulated 158gr .38Sp's from Barry's, Extreme and Rainier over time not to mention Oregon
Trail Laser Cast lead. The OT has been the most accurate for me to date. Of course there have been
variables as always.

So I've decided to run a test. Using 4.8g of TiteGroup which thanks to a fellow member I have an
ample supply. The Berry's are RN, the others RFN. .357 mag brass that has been reloaded many
times and Federal small pistol primers. Fifteen rounds of each and I'm ready to roll.

Met the RO as he was heading down the road so I just followed him in, one other ahead of me.
He went to the 200 yard side so I had the 100 yard side to my self for a little while. Cloudy skies
and wind gusting to 10 - 15 mph, seemed like more and blew my target stand down at the git go.
Had to sand bag it. Finally got set up and ready to go.

First the Berry's, five rounds.
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Hmm. looks great to me

Let's try the Extreme, had to adjust the elevation somewhat due to the difference in targets.
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Couple of flyers than I settled in.

Well so far so good, now the Rainer's.
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Unbelievable.

Conclusion: The 4.8g of TiteGroup has to be the key to a great match for these plated bullets. It goes
without saying that the Rifle Rest made it all come together. I could never put groups like that together
without it. Still I think I dislocated my shoulder patting myself on the back.

Ended up with a good crowd by 11 am, five women was a welcome change, three shooting pistols, one
rifle and one shooting clays. The only thing missing was someone using the archery ranges. A father
and 13 yo son shooting a .22 next to me. Dad beaming as the boy was doing great with his first time
with that Winchester bolt action.

All in all it was a great morning ... now should I try a repeat using BullsEye ???

Jim
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Ranch Dog »

Jaybm wrote:…now should I try a repeat using BullsEye ???
Why not? Shooting is shooting! Looks real good with the TiteGroup.
Michael
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by donhuff »

Good shooting!

All those groups look very good for 158 grain bullets at 100 yards. Looking at loading data, that amount of titegroup should spit them out at just shy 1000 fps in a pistol. So add maybe 2-300 for the longer barrel.
Don Huff

to bad those that know it all, cant do it all!
16" SS 92 357
20" BL 92 357
20" SS 92 44
20" BL 92 44
20" Bl 92 45C
20" Bl 92 454
SS Rio Grande 30-30
Bl Rio Grande 45-70
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by akuser47 »

Great results, never stop until it doesn't work, you don't like to, or you can not afford it.
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Archer »

Very nice!
I have a mild aversion to Rainer bullets even so I've got a couple to three thousand of them in stock to load in various calibers for plinking use. WAS planning on using them in handguns but now that I've got the 92 in .357 I suspect some of them will go there. I'll have to do a few groups and check them against the Extreme bullets as well when I can get around to it. I haven't loaded the Extreme stuff yet but I've been leaning toward them recently.
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Jaybm »

hmm. interesting ... what mild aversion if you don't mind sharing.

When I started reloading all I purchased was Rainier every thing from .380auto thru .45 ACP.
That was all handgun shooting then. Never had a problem. Like you I still have a bunch but
when the crunch came I bought what I could find.

Sidenote: Noticed a "nick" in one casing after cleaning the last batch of .357 brass. Remember
double clutching one round, maybe it hung up ? Should have taken a pic but not thinking just
tossed it.
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Mrlucky353 »

Jaybm wrote:
Still I think I dislocated my shoulder patting myself on the back.
Lol.

What optics are mounted on your rifle?
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Jaybm »

Optics ... Vortex SPARC II Red Dot , loving it.

Ten rounds loaded with 5.2g BullsEye ready to test at the next opportunity.

Looks like rain every day next week ???

Jim
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Missionary »

Good morning
Looks like minute of ground hog from here. What relaxing enjoyment to proceed to the end result of that perfect load for that rifle. Then use it and enjoy a fine meal. Makes me want to get out and unload some brass.
Mike in Peru
Way down south in Arequipa, Peru till June 2020.
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Re: Evaluating My Plated Bullets

Post by Archer »

In my experience the Rainer bullets are very soft with a thin copper plating.
I haven't had problems myself but I've seen some folks load where they've sliced the bullet with the case mouth or ended up with loose bullets due to improper crimping or impacted bullets during the loading cycle or when cycled through a tube magazine due to the compression of the magazine spring.

While most of those problems are probably due to improper loading technique and as I said I haven't had those problems when I've used them I tend to be extra careful just in case. I've also noticed that some of their bullets I've used in the past that had crimping cannulars seemed to be produced the past few years without any cannular. While I don't really care on the semi auto handgun stuff I do have a tendency to prefer a cannular on those bullets I load for use in a lever action, revolver or semi-auto rifle.

I need to try the Extreme stuff I purchased a while back. I expect for the <100 yard stuff I will probably do with most of it that it'll be fine. Might push the carbines up to 200 or more though. 300 is probably practical tops although I might see how far I could get it to go on the 600 yard line just for chuckles.

I'm starting to feel the need to get the .45-70 back out and lob the far backstop...
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