Hollow point accuracy

[Trifocals]

I attempted a search on this subject without success, so here comes the question. Take a given mould ie: 311291, work up your best accuracy load with the velocity recorded. Have that mould converted to hollow point. Using the same alloy and powder as the solid point bullet adjust the powder charge for identical velocity as the solid point. Will the hollow pointed bullet give better accuracy? :confused:

[beagle]

From my experience on approximately 70 moulds, HPing a mould almost always improves the accuracy over the solid to some extent.

I'm thinking it shifts the center of gravity of the bullet farther back which aids in stability. But, what do I know, I'm no engineer. I don't even like trains.......

In three instances: 429360, 357446 and 357443, HPing had no affact on accuracy either one way or another./beagle

[sqlbullet]

Beagle nailed it. Bullet becomes more stable, and therefore more accurate.

[rhead]

Not only does the center of gravity shift to the back it is also "lowered" due to the spin. The outer edge of a spinning bullet is very much down with respect to the center. Any area of lower density caused by uneven contraction from uneven cooling cooling in the mould would likely be reduced by hollow pointing.

Beagle: Were those 3 moulds perhaps single cavity ?

[Buckshot]

...........I disremember who 'twas, but long back about the late 1850's early 1860's when the British were the kings of long range (800, 900 & 1000 yard) match shooting with their 45 caliber muzzle loaders, they discovered HPs. Even their .577 Snider used a HP Minie', but the nose of the slug was 'spun' to cause lead to close over the HP. Notice most, if not all match type jacketed bullets are HP'd. I've never tested but I'd think accuracy improvements won't really be visible until you're well beyond 50 yards.

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

[beagle]

No, all were DC.

Now, I'll say this, they all shoot but within a certain velocity range and I may not want to use them at that velocity. I'd rather be hassle free when I'm loading and I've fired a bunch of each and arrived at this conclusion. I have better moulds and designs to use than messing with these "orphans"./beagle




Not only does the center of gravity shift to the back it is also "lowered" due to the spin. The outer edge of a spinning bullet is very much down with respect to the center. Any area of lower density caused by uneven contraction from uneven cooling cooling in the mould would likely be reduced by hollow pointing.

Beagle: Were those 3 moulds perhaps single cavity ?

[jdgabbard]

Like Mr. Buckshot said, most match rifle rounds are hp'd. On cast boolits it depends a lot on how center the hp is. But anyone offering this service should be able to have it centered very nicely.

[Bret4207]

I'm also in the camp that think it seems to help-usually. But remember that the boolit has to fit right to start with. There's no sense in going to the expense and trouble of HPing a mould that produces a boolit .003 undersize and hoping it'll turn a leading, 8" grouping boolit into a tack driver.

[Jumptrap]

Well, opinions are like AH's....everybody has one..many would say I am one...hehe, but in my camp, I haven't found HP's to be worth the extra effort it takes to cast them. They look wicked and may improve terminal ballisitcs a little.....however, I have found that playing with the alloy improves terminal ballisitcs better than a hollow 'point'. Terminal ballistics wasn't your question..I know that. But, after having shot a pile of HP'ed cast bullets, I've never noticed a marked improvement over their solid counterparts....not enough to warrant the extra effort in casting them.

I would venture to say that when you begin to split hairs and are following the trail of the Holy Grail of utmost accuracy..yep, you'll find some solace by the fact that all match grade bullets sport a HP for a reason.......empirical evidence proves their worth. However, me thinks that the average shooter will not enjoy the enhancement of the HP until ranges are greatly extended. For 100 yards and less (rifle) the couple 10th's difference in group size doesn't warrant the effort in making the damned things.

And yes..it has been a while since I took my hiatus from CB's, my opinions on the reading of private messages by a nosey and childish Willy hasn't changed.

[fredj338]

I find HP often improves accuracy. I believe the reason that most jacketed match bullets ar HP is it's the best way to form the enclosed base. Then you can tweek the HP cavity size for accuracy, but there should be little downside to a HP bullet for accuracy.

[Bret4207]

Holy jumping crap!!!!! Jumptraps back!!!!! [smilie=w: It's about time!!! Welcome home!!!!:drinks:[smilie=p:

Hows the garden doing?

[HORNET]

Hokey-Smoke!!!! The return of Jumptrap!! Glad to see you're back.

[beagle]

Yeah, Jump's got a new wife and she's made him get back out in society again./beagle

[twotrees]

I just hung round here and figured you'd see the light sooner or later.

Black Prince and Black Water will be along directly to Welcome you back too, I bet.

I drove by Rt 204 North of Anniston Alabama today and the wife and I gave GB the "Salute" for us and you too.

Welcome Home:-D

[Jumptrap]

My sabbatical has not been in vain..I found other things to occupy myself. I was single for 6 years, raising my kids alone and never found more joy and reward in any other thing I ever did. I chased women in my spare time and by and by that past time grew old, so this spring I cut a keeper out of the herd and slipped my neck in the noose and said, I do.

I also picked up a lathe 3 weeks ago and I'm going to learn how to make shavings, if nothing else. I've had a dozen projects on hold for umpteen years and never could induce anybody to take them on...so by god and good luck, I'll do them myself. Expect to wait a year before I am able to show my work and not be too ashamed of it, though. If I can find a widow with a cheap Bridgeport drawing dust....I'm gonna get one of them too.

beagle has become a gentleman farmer, mowing hay and growin' vittles and such as that. I'd like to move in next door and ruin his neighborhood and if me and the wife can move our properties, I might just do that...hehe!

FRomw what I have seen on the 'net...I could probably sell half my moulds and raise enough to make a down payment on a place....have people lost their minds? The prices folks are paying for molds and equipment borders on insanity...I guess they're suffering from Obamaism.

I'm not wading back in up to my eyeballs here, but if something makes an itch that needs scratching, I might chime in.

[Buckshot]

Holy jumping crap!!!!! Jumptraps back!!!!! [smilie=w: It's about time!!! Welcome home!!!!:drinks:[smilie=p:

Hows the garden doing?

...........Yeah I noticed too. First thing I did was to look at the date on the post, HA! :-) Guess since he found hissef a woman he'll have to get rid of that 2nd warsher on the front porch to make room for another recliner!

........Buckshot

[Bret4207]

Well congratulations. My very best wishes to you both. I just hope he poor thing realizes what she hooked up with!

[Jumptrap]

I got to looking at how many posts some of you have made........7,8, 9.......THOUSAND!????

Geezus, you fellers have had too much spare time on your hands!

Bret,.......the way I snookered Shelley.......I never brought her here to the 'treller' until after the deed was done. After she took her vows, then it was too late. I had to kick ol' Bullet and Lightning off the porch and shoo the chickens out of the front room just so I could carry her across the threshold. She complained a while over the refrigerator and washer on the back porch, until I shoved'em off and into the yard. But I give her credit........she never complains about the beer cans or the spit cups......as long as I share the snuff and PBR with her. ...she runs the sweeper over the sheets every couple weeks whether they need it or not and she dyed all my shirts brown so they didn't looked so yellered from washing them in the branch (creek, brook, etc.).

Yeah boy.....life is good, and besides that..she don't look half bad when she puts her teeth in and dresses up in them new pink sweat pants and wears that Billy Ray Cyrus T shirt I bought for her at the flea market this spring. Oh......did I mention that she's a real worker? Yessir......she bucked hay all last week just so I'd have extra beer money when I take her 17 year old sister Nerlene, to the county fair next month.......poor kid never gets to go anywhere and iffin it weren't for me lookin' out for her......well, who knows what might happen. Shelley did ask me why I bought Nerlene a Dolly T shirt and I told her that I thought them two looked a lot alike.....Nerlene and Dolly, that is...hehe!

So.......there you have it in a nutshell.

[Echo]

Jump, does Shelly read your posts? I'd guess not...

[waksupi]

Jump, that reminds me of the most popular pick up line on the Reservation.

Nice tooth!~

What was the topic?

;o)

[Shuz]

Welcome back Jump! Har! Har!
Beagle's enamoured with that weedeater these day! Better git him some recipes!

[hunter64]

Back on the subject,LOL.

I do have an issue of Handloader somewhere in the vast collection that specifically took this question to task, Does HP'ing a mold make it more accurate.

They had 10 different molds for rifles HP'ed from the smaller .257 Roberts up to the 45/70 and the consensus was that hollow pointing did indeed improve accuracy. It was a well thought out experiment because they did there due diligence with the solid mold first and then HP'ed it after and rerun the loads. A lot of gun rags will try two different molds and compare them which is ok as long as both molds are exactly the same.

[Jumptrap]

Jump, does Shelly read your posts? I'd guess not...

She can't read.

[felix]

Must have relatives in AR and MS, and some might say OK too. Nah, not TX, the sand is too hot to barefoot upon. ... felix

[1Shirt]

From experiance, the 225415 non HP will not shoot or stablize in my #3 Ruger K-Hornet. The HP version will approach MOA at 100 if I do my part. In 222,223, and 22-250, accuracy at 100 is definately improved probably by half an inch or more. Buckshot has my single cav. 225438 no to be HP'd, and am in hopes that that will increase accuracy in the K. Accuracy seems better with the others that I have HP'd, but, these are all in 30 cal. and have not had time to really do a valid comparision.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[MT Gianni]

Great to read this post and say welcome back Jumptrap. Don't forget to share what you have learned.
Gianni

[303Guy]

... however, I have found that playing with the alloy improves terminal ballisitcs better than a hollow 'point'.Jumptrap, we haven't 'met' yet. I'm new here. Hi!:drinks:

I'll have to get back to you on 'playing' with alloys.

On the hollow point question, I suspect that reducing the weight of the unsupported boolit nose plays a part. I also think that moving mass away from the centre line and to toward the perifery plays a part too.