HP Experiment.

[dk17hmr]

I dont mean to bring this up again but I finally got around to tryin it. To be honest I was a skeptic about hollow pointing cast and improved accuracy.

I started out hollow pointing some of my .452 RNFP 255gr bullets. To make the hp centered I took an old center drill I got from a shop I worked at a summer in high school, chucked it in our drill press, I also set up the vice in the jig I made for jeweling rifle bolts. Once I had everything perfect I used a bar clamp and clamped the vice nice and tight and set the center drill (right side of pic) in the vice.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/dk17hmr/DSCF0003-1.jpg

After a few test bullets I became aware the bullets were slipping in the chuck, they were going up. So I took a 380 case and chuck it in the drill and spun it off with a file to make it the about the right size (left side of pic above).

After a few more test bullets I got the hang of hand tightening the chuck so it doesnt mare the bullet. Soon I was making very nice hollow points, in the 240gr range.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/dk17hmr/DSCF0010-1.jpg

I loaded the bullets with the same load I use for the parent bullet, 6.0gr of Unique in 45 ACP brass, muzzle velocity with the 255gr bullets is 850fps so the HP's are doing that then some I would say. I loaded 20 rounds and shot them out of my Springfield 1911. I have to say it made a heck of a difference, my groups were about 1/2 the size they normally were.

The hollow point is deep and wide, the bullet is WW quenched out of the mold. I want to do an expansion test, maybe next weekend if I get home. Should be an interesting bullet for deer hunting.

[Buckshot]

.................A typicly typical hair brained scheme that only one so abberant and bent as a cast boolit shooter would dream up :-). Good thinking dude! Looks lke it did a very good job of it too!

Not that those FLGC guys might not have their moments mind you, but it is ONLY a true believer in the silver stream (crafty devils) who can gather up a manhole cover, a hair dryer, four 30-30 cases, a busted toaster, a handfull of clothspins, and a box of old lawnmower parts and figure out how to utilize them in the enrichment of his hobby, :drinks: [smilie=w:

.................Buckshot

[Dale53]

Many years ago, I had a friend who was really keen about shooting groundhogs with a .44 Magnum Smith. He shot as many as 37 one year. He was not happy with the 250 gr Keith bullet (it only killed them dead). So, he made a jig out of WOOD that held the Speer hollow point "half jacket" bullet. He used the hollow point (which was not near big enough for groundhogs, after all they only KILLED them) to help line up the drill. He then drilled them with a rather large drill and seriously increased the size and depth of the hollow point (the 240 gr bullets ended up weighing about 200 grs). He drove them with a serious load of 2400. We didn't have chronographs in those days but those bullets, under 100 yards, would put a fist sized hole in Mr. Groundhog! Now, that was as humane as humane can get (after all, we don't want Mr. Groundhog to suffer).

Seriously, it takes a good hunter to get within 50-75 yards of Mr. Groundhog and Ohio in those days hardly had any deer. At that time, ypu were not allowed to shoot them with a revolver or rifle. So, that was definitely a sporting proposition.:drinks:

Dale53

[Bass Ackward]

To be honest I was a skeptic about hollow pointing cast and improved accuracy.

I loaded 20 rounds and shot them out of my Springfield 1911. I have to say it made a heck of a difference, my groups were about 1/2 the size they normally were.


DK,

Ain't it weird?

I still can't bring myself to do this for GP handgun rounds, but "I HAVE" adopted this as a load quality test for cast. I will say that you don't have to go anywhere near as deeeeep to test the concept. If fact, if you want to use a small center punch and just tap them in before you size, (it will bump the nose) works too.

I have been running more tests on this in different calibers and it has always come out with the same results. If you have or create a problem either loading or shooting, or stabilization, there will be improvement in groups. This is a good way to grade yourself if you don't mind the answer.

Like that fella the other day asking if 2.5" was good for lead. Why not hollow point 5 and test. If you get better groups, then you have room for improvement. If not, then you have your answer.

[Char-Gar]

Good show.. Jolly good show!

I had a friend, (Fred Picker) now deceased, who was a great teacher of fine art photography and printing. He received many, many letters from people asking if this or that would work.

He had a rubber stamp made up that said "TRY IT". Even if he knew the answer one way or another, he stamped each letter and sent it back. His feeling was the only knowledge worth having , is the knowledge you have acquired yourself. Whether it worked or know, something was learned, the craft advanced, and confidence in one's ability increased.

[dk17hmr]

Bass Ackward,
I only went that deep because it looks pretty bad ass..lol I showed my dad and he said that thing just looks mean.

Yea I could go 1/8" hole 1/8" deep but, heck why not.

Anyone curious about this go ahead and try it, if you mess up really bad just throw it back in the pot.

[looseprojectile]

I use an RCBS bullet puller collet in the drill press it is threaded and makes it easy to make a stop inside to adjust depth. You will have to have a larger than half inch chuck though.
Happy shooting

[Bret4207]

Chargar- I knew Freds twin brothers Butt and Nose. ( Hey, if Carpetman misses the chance, somebody's got to do it!)

[dbotos]

Cool! Are those from a Lee 452-255-RF mold? What size center drill? Approx depth? For what those Lee molds cost, you could get another one and get the mold modified so it drops HPs. :mrgreen:

[dk17hmr]

Yeppers thats the bullet. I dont know what size it is off hand, I am at college and cant really just go out to the garage and measure it, but if I had to guess it would be about 1/4". There is a pic of the drill in the I drilled down into the bullet about 3/8" or so, its a pretty deep hollow point.

I bet someone that has a little bit of money could just buy an extra mold and HP it but like I said I am in college, no its not that bad I could but I dont need another of the same mold when I can take some extra time and hand HP them.

[dbotos]

Yeppers thats the bullet. I dont know what size it is off hand, I am at college and cant really just go out to the garage and measure it, but if I had to guess it would be about 1/4". There is a pic of the drill in the I drilled down into the bullet about 3/8" or so, its a pretty deep hollow point.

I bet someone that has a little bit of money could just buy an extra mold and HP it but like I said I am in college, no its not that bad I could but I dont need another of the same mold when I can take some extra time and hand HP them.

I scaled the drawing from the Lee website for that bullet and the flat appears to be about 0.3125" across. #2 and #3 center drills are 0.1875" and 0.25" body diameter, respectively. So if you went deep enough to catch the body, #2 would leave a 1/16" lip around the hollow and #3 would leave a 1/32" lip. Based on your picture, I'm guessing it's a #2 center drill. Fryxell said the Lyman Devastator .45 has a 0.25" cavity (with the lip looking appropriately a little thinner):

http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=7