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View Full Version : Best shape .45acp boolit for making noise on steel targets?



alping45
04-10-2017, 12:30 PM
I picked up several 3/8" thick AR500 steel targets recently and have been having a blast on them with my SIG P220 Match Elite .45.
I was out shooting the other day and had 2 different loads, a PC'd Lee 230gr TC doing 880fps, and 230gr FMJ ball doing under 800fps. The FMJ load had a noticeably louder "clang" than the cast boolits even though it was running substantially slower. Would a different shaped boolit be any louder or am I never going to be able to match how an FMJ sounds?

Nueces
04-10-2017, 12:52 PM
The harder jacketed bullet was louder because it caused a sharper rap on the target, like hitting it with a hammer rather than the hammer handle.

With cast slugs, I would try a harder alloy and a larger meplat. You want less crush during impact to make the momentum transfer impulse narrower in time. That makes the sonic vibes higher in frequency so it sounds sharper, though likely not as sharp as the sound made by a full jacket bullet.

Skipper
04-10-2017, 01:38 PM
The Lee 452-230-TC feeds well and has a pretty good " slap "

192940

runfiverun
04-10-2017, 06:51 PM
you'll hear a different tone with different alloys.
I could hear the guy's shooting our boolits versus the commercial stuff.
pling, pling, versus plonk, plonk.
add some tin or some tin/antimony and listen for yourself.

blue32
04-10-2017, 06:58 PM
If the plates are held in place by springs riding on bolts you can adjust the hex nuts on the post to achieve different tones.

Down South
04-10-2017, 07:51 PM
The biggest Meplat that you can find on a cast boolit. Harder alloy mix but harder may lead your barrel. 45 acp's the ones I own like about a 10 BHN. Adding tin will help.

MKN
04-10-2017, 07:52 PM
I was banging them this weekend with that Lee 230 TC, out of my S+W 460 Mag at 1100fps, sounded good, and others at the range heard them as well. Ours are hung from chain. Man that 460 is accurate, open sights 90 yrds, 6" gong, by my last cylinder, 5 out of 5. I decided then to put the gun away and enjoy the victory !
Matt

Shiloh
04-11-2017, 05:03 AM
Never had an issue. Hit the plate and you'll know it.

Shiloh

15meter
04-11-2017, 09:26 PM
Try an old gas cylinder, I had an old CO2 cylinder given to me, cut the bottom off with an angle grinder(bottom makes a GREAT dog food bowl), hung up the top, it's like ringing a bell with cast.

country gent
04-11-2017, 09:35 PM
If you look on the ground under the gongs you will see a "disc" of lead this is whatsleft of the cast bullet the rest turned to dust or very fine particles on impact. My 550 grn 45 cal bullets leave a disc of lead about .020-.030 thick is all. They are cast from 20-1 and running around 1200 fps. Jacketed bullets (fmj) wont deform as fast or as far thus giving a louder ring.

MKN
04-11-2017, 09:35 PM
Try an old gas cylinder, I had an old CO2 cylinder given to me, cut the bottom off with an angle grinder(bottom makes a GREAT dog food bowl), hung up the top, it's like ringing a bell with cast.

I like that one !

WebMonkey
04-11-2017, 09:55 PM
Put a plate behind the plate.
Lead hits plate which hits other plate.
Clang factor set to maximum.
:)
'Monkey