Our Manufacturing Process | Berry's Bullets

How We Build

Berry’s has made bullets in-house since 1961, and today every bullet and reloading product we make is built at our facility in St. George, Utah. Our Superior Plated Bullets® are what we are known for. A plated bullet uses a lead core wrapped in an electroplated copper coating, which gives it performance close to a jacketed bullet at a lower cost, with far less barrel fouling than bare lead. Every plated bullet moves through four steps on our floor: a swaged core, copper plating, re-striking, and a final inspection.

STEP ONE

Solid Core

Every bullet begins with the core. We form ours by swaging, which shapes a lead core under high pressure. Cast bullets, by comparison, are made by pouring molten lead into a mold. Forming the core under pressure gives it a uniform density, and that even density is what helps keep the bullet stable in flight. The core is the base for every step that comes after it.

STEP TWO

Copper Plating

With the core formed, we plate it with copper through electroplating. Each swaged core is immersed in an electrically charged copper bath. An electric current runs through the bath and deposits a thin, sturdy layer of copper that bonds to the lead and covers the core completely, so no lead is left exposed. The longer the cores stay in the bath, the thicker the copper, so we plate to our own specifications. Standard plated pistol bullets are rated to a maximum of 1,250 FPS. Thick-plate bullets carry a heavier copper layer and are rated to 1,500 FPS. Our plated rifle bullets can achieve even higher velocities. That copper coating is what lets our bullets shoot clean enough for indoor ranges.

STEP THREE

Re-Striking

After plating, each bullet is re-struck. It passes through a die that brings it to precise specifications for overall length and diameter. This step reinforces the bond between the copper and the lead core and smooths out any imperfections left during plating. All of our Superior Plated Bullets® go through this secondary sizing so that their dimensions come out correct.

STEP FOUR

Quality Assurance

Before anything ships, every bullet goes through inspection. We measure each one for size, weight, and plating and check it against our standards for accuracy, reliability, and performance. Only bullets that meet those standards are packaged and sent out, which is how we deliver consistent performance round after round.

More We Make

Plated bullets are our best-known product, but they are not all we make. Our jacketed bullets start with a copper cup that is drawn up into the form of a jacket, and lead is then swaged into that jacket. We also inject-mold our ammo boxes and vibratory tumblers, and our CNC shop produces the ProMarksman™ Shooting System along with our modular gunsmithing vises and tools. All of it is made in the United States.

Made in America

We make all of our products in the great state of Utah, in the United States of America. We believe we can make the best quality products in the world by producing them here, with American workers who care. Berry’s quality is top-notch and backed with guarantees, and it comes from handling every stage ourselves, starting with the swaged core and ending with the final inspection.

When you choose Berry’s, you are selecting a family-based business centered on quality, friendly customer service, and a product line that is proudly made in the USA.