.357 HP Bullets

[youngda9]

I recently got my hands on some 358156-HP bullets for my .357 magnum by making a private purchase from a home-caster. I was wondering if there was a place that I could buy a similar bullet for .357 or .44 magnum. The hardness needs to be around 11 so they will open up.

They seem like a great bullet for a do-it-all load...cut nice holes in paper and open up on game.

Also, is there a jig or tool that you can purchase to drill holes into .357 or .44 bullets to make your own hollow pionts...as you can with .22LR ammunition?

Results from 1250fps impact...bullet weighs just under 150gr.

http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/7725/bulletsf.jpg (http://img848.imageshack.us/i/bulletsf.jpg/)
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/2746/openc.jpg (http://img651.imageshack.us/i/openc.jpg/)

I am not a caster, yet...no spare time now with job and small kids.

[fredj338]

I think the Speer swaged LSWCHP works great from 800-1000fps. I doubt they are harder than 9-10BHN. The Hornady swaged LSWCHP are a bit harder & available in 44.

[Firebricker]

Welcome to the forum. Go to the Vendor Sponsor section and do a search for hollow point jig. Jim in Phoenix makes them. FB

[youngda9]

To clarify...I am not a bullet caster (yet). I am looking for a place to purchase similar bullets. Can someone suggest places I could purchase some?

[Larry Gibson]

A standard 358156 mold and a Forster HP tool do just as well. Better yet you can taylor the depth of the HP to the desired expansion with the alloy used. I use the 1/8" tool BTW.

Larry Gibson

[HATCH]

how many boolits are you looking to purchase in 357?

[GP100man]

youngda


WELCOME toCASTBOOLITS forum !!!

I have shot a few of the Hornady swaged HPs & while they give excellent expansion ya really can`t push em hard , as they are soft & will skid on the rifling .

[Beerd]

Youngda9,
Welcome to Castboolits!.

The 358156 is a gas checked bullet.
Speer & Hornady make a 158 gr HPSWC plain based bullet that may be what you are looking for. Swaged lead, not cast, so they are pretty soft.
I don't think many commercial bullet casters turn out hollow points.
..

[youngda9]

how many boolits are you looking to purchase in 357?

1000-2000 Is there a place where I can purchase cast HPs for .357 mag and/or .44 mag?

Thanks for the welcome guys !!

[Firebricker]

Check in Vendor Sponsor section for BullShop they should be able to fix you up. FB

[youngda9]

They don't list anything for .357.

They do have one listing for .44 HP...but it is $21.75/100 rounds + S/H...that is over 2x the cost of standard LSWC.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Casting HP's takes more time, care , and effort than casting a SWC,
that's why they cost more.

I'm not in the biz, but if I were to crank up my 4 cav. NOE Mold
161 gr. HP which is very similar to the ones in your photo.
I can't imagine sellin' them for less than $20 per hundred.

FYI: For just SWC's, it's really difficult for a home caster to compete
against someone officially in the BIZ using commercial casting
equipment...unless a home caster just wants to give their time away.
ummm...If there is a juicy enough trade, I might bite.

Now if you can find a commercial caster to cast a softer alloy and HP
to your specifications, they are going to charge more.
Jon

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/cropped357tomatoII.jpg

[youngda9]

I think if someone would make the initial investment (magma modified molds from http://www.hollowpointmold.com/) they could offer a couple flavors of these bullets. They should be able to be cranked out just as fast as standard LSWC bullets IMO.

I believe they would sell like hotcakes if they were priced right, reasonable price over standard bullets....nowhere near $20+/100.

[Doby45]

The reason the HP boolit has not been mass produced is because there are really too many variables. Not all boolits release off the pins as you would think they would, then you have a jam on your nicely running machine that will do nothing but get worse. Cast them yourself or pay the price that the commercial casters ask, those are pretty much your two options for now.