Just wondering has any one dived into the world of hollow pointed cast bullets for rifles, at velocities of 2000-2200fps...is there a alloy that can be made up that is not to hard so as not to shatter on impact and that is not so soft ,that it will pancake out
just wondering is that goal achievable with hollowpointed cast bullets

Daniel

Danial; I may be talking out of turn here. But I think a round nose gas check design cast from an alloy that will bhn at 12-15 and water dropped for toughness. ???????

Hollow point cast bullets were quite popular in the old Winchester express rifles and the English double rifles. I have several moulds from each.
But, at a much slower velocity--say 1500-17-- fps.
One reason for the hollow point in the old days it resulted in a longer bullet for the express rifles. A 50-caliber bullet of only 300 grains was pretty short.
Cal

CFT
funny you say that ...i was thinking along the same lines....start at 1500 fps and shoot the bullet into wet phone books, if it mushrooms and holds together go up another 100 fps, and repeat the test at 25 yards until you loose the mush room and them work on a slightly tougher alloy ...if they mushroom at 25 yards and dont lose there shape, the bullet will mushroom and hold together at 50, 75 and 100 yards if the muzzle vel is reasnable to start of with...i guess will need to wait and see

Daniel

I am using a 220 gr caste hollow point in my 35 Whelen. I chronographed it at approx 2160 fps. I haven't shot a deer with it yet, but I did shoot a ground hog... stem to stern at 100 yds, nice exit wound... I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a deer. Lyman #2 alloy, and a Hornady gas check, using the Lyman Allox (NRA) lube. Quite accurate at 100 yds, and just a trace of leading after 5-10 shots... very easy to clean out with a brush.

MIKE
the exit hole can be very deciving....i shoot a 416 ruger 400 gn LBT flat nose cast bullets...i shot numerous rabbits and the exit holes are 4-6 inches....this is with a solid...i have also shot a number of foxes with the same proj....exit holes about 6 inches, and im sure the bullets are not shattering...there to soft BNH of 13-15....but at the same time im adamant there not expanding, as rabbits and foxes are pretty soft......PLUS those loads are only being launched at 1500 fps at the muzzle...chronagraphed numerous times
have you ever shot it into some type of media ( wet phone books) to see weather the proj retains it mushroon status at 25 50 75 and 100 yards...thats the only thing that concerns me is if at that vel( about 2200) which im aiming for, the mushroom will retain its integrity .the best way i can put it is , it needs to have enough maluability to expand at 25 yards without splattering or breaking up....i think the further you go out the less stress will be on the bullet so the more likley it will be that it will retain a mushroom.....if you can work out a alloy compsition that expands from 25 to 150 yards i think you would be on a winner
what type off hollow do you have is it a straight bodied hollow point or a v shaped for quicker expansion

Daniel

CAL
what mix do you use with the hollow point bullets
Daniel

I have been casting the Gould hollowpoint for several years now for my 45/70s. Lyman 457122. Drops about 340gr from my mold with straight wheel weights. It is devastating on deer 1400-1700 fps. Very easy too make shoot. I have only used smokeless.

Daniel,

I do not have access to a range that I may place items down range for checking expansion, as range rules prohibit such a practice. I wish I had a place to set up a long box of water filled 1 gal freezer bags to test bullet expansion.

Still, I would contend that a groundhog is a worthy creature for testing bullet performance. They have a thick skin, are quite heavy for their size, and from nose to tail, are longer than a white tail deer is wide.

Regarding the type of bullet, it is a Brass MiHec 2 cavity mold, with V shaped pins. I can also change the inserts, and produce Flat Point bullets. I have only tried the Lyman #2 alloy as I purchase it from Rotometals. The hardness is supposedly around 15 on the Brinell Hardness scale.

I have another alloy I use for pistol and 22 Hornet bullets that is a 1 to 1 mix of Lyman #2, and pure lead, with a pinch of tin to top it off. That should be close to Electrotype which is about 12 on the Brinell hardness scale. Those bullets work exceptionally well on groundhogs at approximately 1300 fps out of my .357 magnum. They also work well for practice ammo in my 40 S&W.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

MIKE
no worries thanks for your input

Daniel

Mark,

I have a friend in southern MS who shot a very large hog with a Gould. He became rather concerned for his safety before he got several in the hog and it finally expired. He now uses 500 gr. round nose bullets that penetrate enough to kill.

Clarence

Sir,
It is an achievable goal I would say as long as you understand without a jacket, you must pick the range you want what performance from. No lead alloy is going to give you 25 yard to 200 yard consistent expansion performance. Hunting with a BHN 10-15 flatpoint at 1500 to 2100 in a 35 to 458 caliber bore will certainly kill well. Even a good old true RN like the Lyman 280 grain 35 caliber will do that. Put it through the center of the chest from about any angle and it works every time on typical NA game.

quote:

Originally posted by M 98:
CAL
what mix do you use with the hollow point bullets
Daniel

Just saw the post. I'm sorry for the delay.
I use just wheelweights for most of my shooting but do mix wheelweights and soft lead 50-50 for hunting bullets.
Cal

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ClaMar:
Mark,

I have a friend in southern MS who shot a very large hog with a Gould. He became rather concerned for his safety before he got several in the hog and it finally expired. He now uses 500 gr. round nose bullets that penetrate enough to kill.

Clarenc3


I hear you on that. Like I said they are great on deer. Then my son and I ran into that 400lb hog a few years ago. Won't do that again with the Gould. Cast a nice 405 fp for them.

I seem to remember 30 years ago people were pouring a soft lead nose with a hard base to make a mushrooming cast bullet. Did that idea fizzle out?