Hollowpoints with some tin added

[David LaPell]

Well I cast up some 150 grain #358156 hollowpoints for my .38-44 loads using wheelweights and 5% tin. They were airdropped and have a BHN of about 12. I loaded these up like the rest I tested, using 12.5 grains of 2400 and fired into some wet newsprint. The other bullets fragmented as well, the straight wheelweights I tested before fragmented after penetrating 12 inches or so and none weighed more than 125 grains. The bullets I cast with 50/50 soft lead from recycled .440 round balls and wheelweights penetrated 12 inches but none of those weighed more than 110 grains and most were under 100 after expanding and fragmenting. These did the best with the middle bullet weighing 135 grains, and the others weighing 126 and 128 grains respectively. Penetration is the same at 12 inches. For whitetail deer these I think most would do well but the weight retention is nice with these. There were channels made by all three of these bullets of at least an inch for 3-4 inches long and one channel was nearly two inches in diameter.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss57/Smith29-2/picture2710.jpg

[fredj338]

Instead of clip ww w/ tin, cut the clip ww 50/50 w/ pure lead then add 2% or so tin. You will likely get less fragmentation. IMO, unless you get a broadside double lung shot, that level of penetration is likely to not be enough.

[Murphy]

I have that same setup, 5" Model 27 and an old Ideal #358156 mould. I have some cast using 16/1 pure lead. I've not loaded any up yet for testing, but wonder after seeing this thread if you've tried that alloy? If so, what were your findings?

Thanks,

Murphy

[lwknight]

I have had the best results in hand gun loads using pure lead with 2-3% tin added.
What you want may not be what I got though. I did test 44magnum at full power with round nose bullets. The result was a flattened out almost doughnut about 3/4" diameter.

I did have 99%+ weight retention. However this may come at a cost of lower penetration.
I think that you may already have the optimal combination going but it can't hurt to experiment with a lead + 3-5 percent tin alloy.

I imagine that 2% tin would stop the weight loss and if the mushroom costs too much in penetration you could try adding more tin to control the expansion.

My .02 adjusted for inflation anyway.

[44man]

It is just so hard to tell with wet paper. Those boolits might have perfect mushrooms on deer.
The problem is finding penetration if they do fold into perfect mushrooms that open too fast. The .38 boolits are so light they will slow very fast.
I am not sure what tin will do to control expansion.
I have always considered calibers like the .357 very hard to choose a boolit for.
At the end of the day, you need to shoot real deer with each alloy combination to make a final decision. The very best is always two holes even if the boolit drops to the ground after passage.
It is a tough job but somebody has to do it! :bigsmyl2:
Remember a boolit does not dump energy, it actually absorbs it by deforming, breaking, heating, etc.