HI guys. Just wondering if anyone has ever run into undersized Berry's bullets. Got a box from Cabela's 2 years ago. Recoverd a few from loose dirt banks and found rifling on one side of the bullets only went halfway up the bullet,the other side fully engraved. Went home and miked them and they ran .427 to .428, nothing any bigger. Btw shot in ruger sbh. Just a fluke? Other cast or jacketed bullets are always fully engraved. Appreciate any feedback. thanks!

I've never measured mine, though those that I have found in the dirt are usually fully engraved. It could possibly be an issue of the bullet starting off crooked in the bore, but I would doubt that it would be so crooked as to not rifle one half of the bullet. Did you measure any unfired bullets?

I miced about 20 unfired boolits and they ran .427 to .428. Methinks thats way too small. "like a .38 in a washtub"

Sounds small to me...

Ever mic any jacketed .44s? You might be amazed to find that they also can run .427" to .428".

Yes, jacketed generally seems to be made on the small side whereas lead is the opposite. If accuracy seems to be lacking, might bump up the charge a bit or change powder to increase velocity.

I hope i'm not doing a double post but can't find my last one.I was pushing those Berrys out at 1169avg. with 2400.What got my attenion was how hard the lead was, it shattered rather than mushroom or expand, and the copper platting could easy be peeled of with your finger and, in fact was sometimes mostly gone. But these are plated not jacketed boolits and they don't perform like one either. I don't know if a hotter load would make them obturate into the bore or not. Could try it.

Were you shooting steel? I haven't recovered any of the Berry's that I have shot against steel. But I have recovered many of them that I have shot into stumps and dirt. Some have them have been very deformed, but usually the copper plate is still bonded to the lead core. I have found some that peeled the copper back, but usually the lead has come with it.

That is with 40 cal round shoulder bullets.

. . . I don't know if a hotter load would make them obturate into the bore or not. Could try it.
Forget what I suggested about increasing velocity. If you are already pushing 1169 fps with 2400 and having this problem, would try another brand of bullet instead. IMO, your bullets are moving at a decent velocity and should obturate fully in the bore. Hope you find a way to eliminate your problem.

Quote from Berry's FAQ page:

*How fast can I shoot these bullets?
Velocities depend on the caliber, but as a rule of thumb, we recommend you don't shoot our plated bullets over 1200 feet-per-second. Our 44's actually shoot best around 1150 fps. 45's are generally good at 850-900 fps. Our bullets are not recommended for magnum velocities.

If a load is shattering the soft core and peeling the molecularly-bonded copper plate, my intuition is that load is way too hot. It would seem Berry's agrees.

I was shooting these bullets into loose and packed dirt, but there were some golfball sized rocks in the mix so that probably wrecked a few. I think I'll pawn these Berry's off on my brother.:D Thanks for the input guys!