Looking for suggestions of powder weight using Unique with a bulk boxed 124 gr plated bullet.

I see Alliant lists 124 gr GDHP with Unique at 5.8 grains.

Not looking for a hot load just one that will cycle a semi auto.

Thanks

I don't know the difference between a plated bullet and the GDHP (I assume it stands for Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point)

This has been a good load in a S&W MP plain or powder coated Copper plated bullet I would start at about 4.2grs and work up

Thanks for the reply.

Glad I asked for help. I may have started with too much powder otherwise.

After more search I found data at Speer's site for a lead 125 grain bullet. 4.1 to 4.5 grains of Unique.

I figure the plated bullet is closer to a Lead bullet than a jacketed bullet. This matches well with your data of 4.2 to 4.7 grains

Thanks again.

I think 4.7 is just what you want. According to AmmoGuide, you can go to 5.4 grains with 124 grain Rainier plated bullets. If you want a useful, mild load, I think 4.7 would be about perfect. I believe you have room for error.

Click image to embiggen.

quote:

I don't know the difference between a plated bullet and the GDHP (I assume it stands for Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point)

Gold dots are a plated bullet with a hollow point formed into the nose.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

I don't know the difference between a plated bullet and the GDHP (I assume it stands for Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point)

Gold dots are a plated bullet with a hollow point formed into the nose.

Are you sure? I always thought GDs are made of a separate jacket and lead core, and the two electrochemically bonded (like an Accubond).

With plated bullets, the lead is dropped into an electrolytic bath where pure copper rods are given a positive charge (anode), and the lead is given a negative charge (cathode). The liquid is the bath will form an ionic solution.

Direct electric current is applied which causes the copper to ionize then oxidize and dissolve into the water. The lead begins attracting and building a thin layer of copper.

The lead is removed when the copper plating reaches the desired thickness, and viola! You have a lead bullet that is copper plated. ( Source )

quote:

Are you sure? I always thought GDs are made of a separate jacket and lead core, and the two electrochemically bonded (like an Accubond).

Seems like there isn't a whole lot of difference They start with a lead core no mention of a sperate jacket.


https://www.speer.com/performa...dot-performance.html

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Are you sure? I always thought GDs are made of a separate jacket and lead core, and the two electrochemically bonded (like an Accubond).

Seems like there isn't a whole lot of difference They start with a lead core no mention of a sperate jacket.

https://www.speer.com/performa...dot-performance.html

Speer talks about a jacket being bonded to the core by their magic process:

quote:

Gold Dot was the first handgun ammunition loaded with true, bonded-core bullets. Using our exclusive Uni-Cor method, we bond the jacket to the core one molecule at a time at the very beginning of the bullet construction process. This virtually eliminates core-jacket separation. With options for both standard handguns and short barrels, there’s a Gold Dot load to fit any shooter.

I think that's different from plating.

A Gold Dot consists of 2 parts glued (bonded) together: core and jacket. A plated bullet consists of a lead core with a wash of copper on it.

As I conceptualize it, a plated bullet's coating (copper wash) cannot separate from the lead core, but friction can remove it.

A conventional bullet's jacket can separate from the core.

The bonded bullets (like Gold Dot) introduce a way to fix the conventional bullet's jacket to the core to prevent separation.

From the same site I referenced above: "Think of plated bullets as a nice middle ground between cast lead and jacketed. They are cleaner than lead but still cant be driven at upper end jacketed velocities."

I'm wide open to the possibility my understanding is incorrect.

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I'm wide open to the possibility my understanding is incorrect.

I think it is plating with a fancy name.

I could be wrong but I never see a sperate jacket

But they could use a different process for different calibers.

these are jacketed the Hornady on the right has a canlure
and stay with the lead core the Speer will shuck the copper jacket on an occasion and had jacket hang up in the barrel. I have some copper plated bullets as well for the 44 mag.

44 mag platter:

I never had a problem with the Speer half jacketed bullets; 357, 41, & 44. Do not load below what they recommend. In one of the older manuals they state the same data for all styles of bullets; in a latter manual they call out the half jacket bullets needed a bit more powder to be safe.

I really liked the .357 160 gr SP SWC. I don't think they make those any more.