Berry’s Target Hollow Point

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  • CTBay

    Marksman
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    2   0   0
    Jul 13, 2021
    166
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    Bedford
    Im fairly new. I have fired only probably around 3000 9mm and .40 that I have reloaded. All of them fired. They only problem I have had 4 high primers that fired a second time through.

    I started in the era of shortage so Berrys are the only bullets I have fired. I have loaded some better rounds but haven’t fired them. I have reloaded the majority with Berry’s 124 RN hollow BASE and just plain 115 FMJ RN.

    I found these “Target Hollow Point” and they have me confused. I have 4 books and the internet and they the OAL should be 1.12. Forums say they see 1.15 but they won’t feed unless they go 1.06. With my die set just above shell holder and the seating die backed all the way out it gets me 1.04. To even get to 1.06 I have to back the whole die body about 1/8” up into the press and back the adjustment all the way out. Over seating can be dangerous and I feel like Im doing something wrong.

    Anyone else load these Berry’s “Target Hollow Point”? What was your OAL?

    I won’t buy these again.

    eedd08fd9344b6d5fbe992977a28c7c8.jpg



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    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,686
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    Camby area
    There is something called an ogive. its the curve of the tip of the bullet.
    If you set the OAL to the same depth as a RN, the fatter part of the bullet moves forward without the "missing" tip, and hits the chamber face too early, preventing lockup.

    I found ONE of the ones I loaded, and it measures out at 1.07. Take that with a grain of salt because it was in a random pile on my reloading bench, not in a box of reloads ready to go. Some of those are reference rounds, but this one wasnt marked as one, but I suspect it was simply misplaced.

    It chambered happily in my Glock.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
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    And if in doubt, load up a half dozen or so and run them through a chronograph. That will give you an idea if you are overpressuring or not. And if you are, you can tweak back the powder a bit.
     

    Jaybird1980

    Grandmaster
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    5   0   0
    Jan 22, 2016
    11,929
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    North Central
    Im fairly new. I have fired only probably around 3000 9mm and .40 that I have reloaded. All of them fired. They only problem I have had 4 high primers that fired a second time through.

    I started in the era of shortage so Berrys are the only bullets I have fired. I have loaded some better rounds but haven’t fired them. I have reloaded the majority with Berry’s 124 RN hollow BASE and just plain 115 FMJ RN.

    I found these “Target Hollow Point” and they have me confused. I have 4 books and the internet and they the OAL should be 1.12. Forums say they see 1.15 but they won’t feed unless they go 1.06. With my die set just above shell holder and the seating die backed all the way out it gets me 1.04. To even get to 1.06 I have to back the whole die body about 1/8” up into the press and back the adjustment all the way out. Over seating can be dangerous and I feel like Im doing something wrong.

    Anyone else load these Berry’s “Target Hollow Point”? What was your OAL?

    I won’t buy these again.

    eedd08fd9344b6d5fbe992977a28c7c8.jpg



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    What weight are they and what powder?
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,686
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    Camby area
    To put a finer point on the ogive... I just measured my flat points against FMJs. when I measure back a few MMs, the RN is 6.38mm. At that same distance from the flat point bullet, the diameter is 7.5mm. At that point in the chamber, the chamber is only going to be a little over 6.4mm, so the bullet wont fit.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
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    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,183
    113
    Ripley County
    Im fairly new. I have fired only probably around 3000 9mm and .40 that I have reloaded. All of them fired. They only problem I have had 4 high primers that fired a second time through.

    I started in the era of shortage so Berrys are the only bullets I have fired. I have loaded some better rounds but haven’t fired them. I have reloaded the majority with Berry’s 124 RN hollow BASE and just plain 115 FMJ RN.

    I found these “Target Hollow Point” and they have me confused. I have 4 books and the internet and they the OAL should be 1.12. Forums say they see 1.15 but they won’t feed unless they go 1.06. With my die set just above shell holder and the seating die backed all the way out it gets me 1.04. To even get to 1.06 I have to back the whole die body about 1/8” up into the press and back the adjustment all the way out. Over seating can be dangerous and I feel like Im doing something wrong.

    Anyone else load these Berry’s “Target Hollow Point”? What was your OAL?

    I won’t buy these again.

    eedd08fd9344b6d5fbe992977a28c7c8.jpg



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Do a plunk test for each bullet you use in each firearm. Get the maximum length that way. Then back off an extra 0.01" it should be good to go from then on. Write it down somewhere so you can reference it in the future.

    Good video on plunk testing
     
    Last edited:

    Aszerigan

    Grandmaster
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    330   0   0
    Aug 20, 2009
    5,450
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    Bean Blossom, IN
    Invest in a case gauge if you're worried. Honestly, you should have one for every caliber you load to check rounds at your bench. They're cheap and will give you a piece of mind no matter what bullet you choose to use.

    Berry's makes a quality product, I've used a lot of them over the years. And don't follow load data advice you find on the internet unless it's from a manufacturer.

     

    gregkl

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    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
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    Bloomington
    Like Dadsmith said, measure with your barrel, then chrono to check for pressure unless you are loading light loads to begin with. Then you are probably okay, but don't take my word for it.

    I worked up an OAL that works in all my Smith's and my 1911 and I run the same load in all of them. It just worked out that way for me.

    I sold a CZ I owned partly because the chamber on those was much different than my other pistols and I didn't want to bother with two different loadings. Yeah, I guess I'm lazy.

    BTW, I have had good success with Blue Bullets.

    I load on a single stage (for now) and I case check every round.
     

    russc2542

    Master
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    24   0   0
    Oct 24, 2015
    2,111
    83
    Columbus
    Keep in mind all the loading data in every book disagrees a little bit, all the data is gathered using different tools and conditions (especially the test guns). The same round in different guns will have different pressure peaks from a thousand different variables. Do the books you're using list that EXACT bullet? Unless you're using the exact same components down to new cases of the same manufacturer and loading in the same conditions, then firing in the same gun you'll have (slightly) different results. If you're using mixed brass, that'll cause more variation than than your change in seating depth. That's why a chronograph is good to have to check YOUR loads in YOUR guns.

    When I was loading bulk .223 with mixed brass for a big class a few years ago some cases would have the powder halfway up the neck, others would be down to the base of the shoulder. Not exactly precision loads but 2" group from my Tavor prone w/ sling with a magnified red dot was good enough for my needs for that ammo.
     

    DadSmith

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    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,183
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    Ripley County
    Like Dadsmith said, measure with your barrel, then chrono to check for pressure unless you are loading light loads to begin with. Then you are probably okay, but don't take my word for it.

    I worked up an OAL that works in all my Smith's and my 1911 and I run the same load in all of them. It just worked out that way for me.

    I sold a CZ I owned partly because the chamber on those was much different than my other pistols and I didn't want to bother with two different loadings. Yeah, I guess I'm lazy.

    BTW, I have had good success with Blue Bullets.

    I load on a single stage (for now) and I case check every round.
    My CZ P10F has the shortest OAL and that is what I load for all of my 9mm firearms.
    My daughter, sister, and son have different pistols. Taurus, Canik, and Ruger. The CZ OAL works in them as well.
     

    t-squared

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    7   0   0
    May 9, 2012
    1,765
    113
    Crown Point
    Those have a similar truncated cone profile as the Hornady XTP/HAP bullets. Hornady's data shows relatively short oals of 1.075" for the 115gr and 1.060" for the 124gr. Also, you'll need to find the max oal for the gun, or guns, you'll be loading for.
    I made myself these for testing various bullets in various guns and keep a chart of what the max oal for each bullet/gun combo. To simplify things, you can just load to your "shortest" chamber and know the ammo will run in everything.
    Started with cleaned/ deprimed/resized cases. Then with a dremel tool cutoff wheel cut a slit in the case to relieve tension on the bullet. A little cleaning up of any rough edges and you now have the patent pending T-Squared OAL Tester Thingy-ma-bob.
    Push a bullet in a bit and then push the case into the chamber until it bottoms on the case mouth. Carefully pull it out and measure the length. Do this a few times and you now know the max length that you can load that bullet in that gun.

    oal gauge tools.jpg
     
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