Hex bullets

[williamhemmings]

Have a whitworth rifle, does anyone have any suggestions on lead mix for casting a hex bullet to fit a hex polygon barrel. I think I will need all the help I can get. Thanks

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[Hickory]

Round boolits are used in hexagon rifled barrels just as they are used in regular rifled barrels.
However, lead boolits do not perform very well in hexagon rifled barrels.

[Went2kck]

If you look on Utube their is a good video on the whit worth rifle and the barrel

[M-Tecs]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?155024-Diemakers-Swaging-a-Hexagonal-(Whitworth)-Bullet

https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?235017-DGW-s-Hex-Whitworth-mould-and-DGW-s-hex-Whitworth-bullets

https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?400507-451-Whitworth-PP-info

https://www.buffaloarms.com/whitworth-442-hexagonal-paper-patch-bullet-mold-for-the-pedersoli-whitworth-pedusa313450

https://www.henrykrank.com/muzzle-loading/muzzle-loading-tools/moulds/pedersoli-whitworth-hexagonal-450-mould-blocks.html

[Hickory]

I just learned something.

[longbow]

No personal experience here but what I have read is that the hexagonal boolits were cast from harder alloy to provide better penetration than soft lead. When cylindrical boolits were used they were cast from soft lead so they would obturate to fill the hexagonal bore just as bore diameter PP boolits obturate to fill the grooves of BP cartridge guns... and of course the Whitworth boolits were paper patched.

Pedersoli sells hexagonal moulds as does Dixie Gunworks.

[swamp]

I had a Parker-Hale made Whitworth years ago. It came with 500gr. round boolit mold, 451 swage(sizer die), and hex wad punch. I cast with pure lead. Had no problems hitting at any range. Most accurate M/L I have owned. Sold it in a weak moment.
swamp

[Buckshot]

.............In the first URL given, I'd responded with photos of my Whitworth and with several of the different types of slugs fired through it. As mentioned in my post, the hexagonal bore design has nothing really to do with the accuracy Mr Whitworth's rifle attained. It was due to the twist imparted to the bullet. A conical bullet well cast of 1-20 that fits the bore, and a proper powder charge will upset the bullet evenly to fit the barrel form. Only a relatively few "Upper Crust" rifle shooters during the relatively short reign of the Whitworth actually shot a hexagonal bullet. The vast majority shot conicals, and did quite well with them too.

Joseph Whitworth's other positive attributes was his penchant to work to close (for the times) dimensions. Uniformity breeds accuracy, regardless if the accuracy mentioned is applied to the projectile, powder charge, ignition method, or how the piece is held. The hexagonal bore form didn't last very long, as an indication of it's true worth :-) Years ago, with a bit more money then good sense I prevailed upon a company in Southern California to produce a one piece hexagonal push through type die for me. It was performed on a CNC wire EDM machine. I honestly think the gentleman that did the work did it on his own time. It was not a thundering triumph :-)

http://www.fototime.com/B033E90A7955F18/standard.jpg

The result was never able to produce anything that shot was well as standard conicals.

http://www.fototime.com/814918CF98F29E6/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/80075F5A81B824A/standard.jpg

The above is the Kranen Mould for a lube grooved hexagonal slug.

http://www.fototime.com/7E65342CB8600C3/standard.jpg

The Kranen bullet is 5th from the left. None of the "Hexagonal Oddities" shot as well as a regular ole boring ho-hum 'conicals'.

When I bought my Parker-Hale Whitworth, as an accessory Navy Arms was offering a 2 piece swage block arrangement. Oddly enough made by an outfit in Tennessee. The two blocks were of excellent workmanship, fit and finish. The instructions from Navy Arms said to lay a 50 caliber soft lead slug between the two halves, place then into a bench vise (RIGHT!) and squeeze them together (okay, you bet). Well 50 cal was much too large. About halfway through the op, you had to pry them apart and then use a knife to slice off the fins. Replace back into a block half, then finagle the other block half back into position and give it another go in the vice. No bueno por ca-ca to put it mildly. A fifty cal slug was much too large.

My suggestion would be to get the Lyman 457121 mould and a Lee .452" push through size die. Lube the 'as cast' bullets then send'em up through the Lee die. If you have a lube press then get a .454" lube die, lube'em and then do the Lee .452" push through die. Most any 45 Cal rifle bullet can be used with this setup for your Whitworth.

http://www.fototime.com/F5B2831828DBFE3/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/4C9F502AC298773/standard.jpg

The above is what I use now. I swage them and then paper patch. The ones on the left are 560gr HP's and those on the right to be patched are 600gr solids. Both are cup based.

http://www.fototime.com/3CB37D0E8818CC4/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/B51C3C6F26AB1ED/standard.jpg

The hexagonal wad punch.

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

[Rcmaveric]

I had a polygonal riffled barrel on my 6.5 Grendel AR15. The best performance out of all my riffles with cast. Used my normal 10 BHN alloy. Didnt do anything different and was the easiest to work up some consistent ammo. I wouldnt hesitate to use round bullets. I wouldnt hesitate on buying more polygonal riffled barrels.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk