Harder vs Softer Boolits

[Old Ironsights]

This is the second deer I've taken now with the GB C358-180RF and I'm not sure I like how the hard cast bullet works.

Granted, it's done the job, but the bullets I've recovered have virtually no deformation - so I'm only getting a .358 - .375 hole.

I'd really like to see the nose flatten out more, say to at least .45.

What wold be the disadvantage/advantage of softening up the alloy a bit to 50/50 WW/pb?

The other option is trying the Soft Nose technique.

I'm running these to 1800fps.

[BABore]

Not a thing. There are several of us that shoot that alloy exclusivily. Air cooled it runs 9-10 Bhn. Water dropped it's 18-22 Bhn. Water dropped bullets expand nicely at 1,800 fps. The lower antimony content solves alot of accuracy woes too.

[Bass Ackward]

You have begun a process that may take you a few years to work out until you get exactly what "you" want. But right off, I would say ACWW is both hard enough and soft enough to meet your needs. It ain't going to 45 caliber though, as your bullet will wear away before that.

[45nut]

It ain't going to 45 caliber though, as your bullet will wear away before that.



Can you clarify that for me BA?

[45 2.1]

Can you clarify that for me BA?

What he means is that WW is brittle enough, with its higher antimony content, that any expansion over a certain amount will break off the petals of expanded boolit. That is something that lower antimony alloys don't do as much. The 50/50 water dropped alloy BaBore mentions acts like a Hornady XTP at that velocity.

[45nut]

"I see", said the blind man.
Of course, with a 45 caliber hole one doesn't need to rely on expansion. Fluids generally flow quite well through such.

[Bret4207]

Have you considered hollow pointing?

[MT Gianni]

Did you measure your exit hole and tissue path? Are you saying that the meplate did little more in tissue disruption than a RN? Or just that the bullet did not expand. Gianni

[Old Ironsights]

...The 50/50 water dropped alloy BaBore mentions acts like a Hornady XTP at that velocity.

That's what I was wondering.

Yes, I have considered hollowpointing. I just got a nice single cavity from Mountain Molds that I may have Buckshot hollopoint, but I'm not sure yet. If I can make the alloy do what I want it to, then I'm not sureit will be necessary.

MT: I have recovered only one bullet from my deer.

That bullet penetated 13" or so of solid ham and stopped just under the hide.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_0538.jpg

One unrecovered bullet was a clean passthrough the chest cavity. Entry was diameter, exit was not much more than bullet diameter - maybe .40.

The bullet that hit the shoulder joint was unrecovered/unrecoverable. All I found was the gas check.

If I can get somthing to flatten out more like the XTP I'll be very happy.

[OLPDon]

Old Ironsights: Do a search on soft nose Boolits there was alot of research on that subject not sure were its posted..... But someone on the board has it down to pretty much science as to were soft lead nose and hard base stay together and won't seperate on impact.

I feel casting for a specific perpose is as much enjoyment as the shooting aspect, (hunting encluded)
Don

[Old Ironsights]

I'm aware of the technique and saved the thread a while back. My biggest concern with that method is leading from the bore-diameter pure lead nose.

[RANGER RICK]

This is a .500 DIA bullet at 440 Grains shot out of a S&W revolver .
It is a air cooled Wheel Weight bullet.
As you can see a great mushroom after it went through a moose . One shot kill and notice the Gator Gas check is still on it .
The penny is .75 and the bullet did not loose any petals .
Vel right at 1650

RR

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/RANGERRICKQUIGLEY/HPIM1654.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/RANGERRICKQUIGLEY/HPIM1656.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/RANGERRICKQUIGLEY/HPIM1658.jpg

[OLPDon]

I don't know as to the leading I have not yet got to casting or shooting of the 2 tear boolit but seeing as how you are using GC I would venture to guess the scraping action of GC would rid any lead left behind. Also the amount of shooting under hunting conditions would be kind of a moot point. After 2 or 3 shots if you have not connected with said target bhn hardness is not the problem...... ( :kidding: ).

All kidding aside the amount of shots fired under hunting conditions I would think that the amount of lead build up if any would be so min. that it would be so unnoticable that it wouldn't effect a 2nd or 3rd follow up shot.
But that being said, I would sure like to someone to post pic of said recovered post boolit. I'm willing to bet just as good ifen not better the the Condum.

Keep us informed as I live in NJ and no rifle hunting allowed. Shotgun slug only or Muzzle loader only. I have taken quite a few Bambi's with 54 rd ball and its knock down deadly, Ball just about inverts and most of the RDB are pass though only recover 1 ball and it just about inverted itself venture to say prolly 60% increas in dia.
Don

[OLPDon]

Ranger Rick:

Looks better then them condoms Thanks for the pic's
Don

[OLPDon]

I have done some shooting into wet phone books and recovered boolits have exact same mushrooming with no loss by shearing. Guess wet newspapers and or phone books do simulate body mass.

Now thats the advantages of casting with ww. They work on tires too, now I wonder which came first ww or the Boolit? Kinda like the chicken or the egg.
Don