Hollowpointer Modified .22 Ammo Range Report

[Josh Smith]

A while back I bought a hollowpointer/accurizer tool. There were doubts expressed as to whether the modified bullets would perform.

I ran a 100 yard test. However, before we get to that test, let me walk you through the process of making the ammo.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/282e7d7b.jpg
Here are the components to the hollowpointer...

Fairly simple setup, but precise.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/329dafff.jpg
The first step is to put the round in the bottom block.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/bdbf6c38.jpg
Assemble, and put on some sort of press - even a hammer will work.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/7179d269.jpg
Pull the handle...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/d4bc80bd.jpg
... and a gaping hollowpoint (depending on depth settings) results.

But how do they perform?

They do shoot more accurately than unmodified ammo, but to the same point of aim. This is probably because they've been set to a standard size, and because the center of mass is further back. This is speculation however. I just know it works!

I set up four water jugs at 100 yards, and fired into them.

These are the results:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/a879aa44.jpg
This is the first jug. It's pretty well shredded.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/93ecf6a8.jpg
A line of all four jugs...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/19542b88.jpg
Here's a bullet I recovered from right beyond the fourth jug...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/e84dfe34.jpg
Two more stopped inside the fourth jug.

I believe the variation in penetration is due to the fact that I fired 10 rounds, and kept firing after the jugs were pretty well empty. I tried this test before with three jugs and failed to recover any. I therefore added a fourth jug and kept firing until empty to try to get a few decent samples.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/9de66a41.jpg
This is a picture of the unmodified round, modified round, and the three bullets I was able to recover.

Keep in mind that this is CCI 40gn LRN I modified. Their website lists the velocities thus:

Muzzle 1235

50 yards 1092

75 yards 1040

100 yards 998

So, when the bullet impacted, it was acting as a heavy .22 short. Yet, it still expanded to over .36".

These are doing better than my old standby, Winchester Xpert, and are of course more consistent.

I'm impressed.

Josh <><

[warf73]

Very impressive indeed, I have one silly question. Were does the displaced lead go?

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

It appears to go out to the side. The nose is definitely thicker on the hollowpointed bullets as compared to the original.

I also like to adjust the tool so that, if the original nose is slightly off center, the hollowpointer will put in the hollowpoint, then flatten the nose just a bit. This seems to help accuracy.

D Rock at Rimfirecentral makes these. He says he makes custom orders as well.

I've not asked yet, but I'm thinking about seeing if he'll make one for case bullets - just the bullet, not the entire round as the internally lubed style would preclude that.

I figure if there's enough interest, perhaps he could be persuaded to do this.

Josh <><

[garandsrus]

Joshua,

Interesting... I have several questions:
What holds the bullet in the bottom block?
Is the hollowpoint formed by pressing the top piece together (through the middle guide) with the bottom piece? If so, does the top piece just go part way through the press opening (top) and get stopped by the washer?

Thanks,
John

[Josh Smith]

Joshua,

Interesting... I have several questions:
What holds the bullet in the bottom block?

The press ram. Notice how I have to offset the tool a bit? Others use arbor presses or hammers.


Is the hollowpoint formed by pressing the top piece together (through the middle guide) with the bottom piece?

Yessir.


If so, does the top piece just go part way through the press opening (top) and get stopped by the washer?

Thanks,
John

Yessir, again. The lock ring is adjustable and you can set the depth of the hollowpoint to almost nothing to as deep as the tool will go.

Mostly, from what I understand, the lock ring is for consistency.

Josh <><

[shooterg]

Whose tool are you using ? I've seen a die set from this guy that uniforms and makes either a "wadcutter" or hollow point . Pretty cool but about $125 !

Email: WALTZ@SSSNET.COM
Contact: NEAL B WALTZ
4105 HYATT N.W. MASSILLON, OH 44646 USA

[longbow]

Here is an alternative from Paco Kelly:

http://accurateshooter.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/pacos-acurzr-tool-for-shaping-lead-rimfire-bullets/

Be a thrifty sort, I made my own and it works just fine.

Another option is to make a simple file die that leaves just a bit of the bullet tip sticking out then file a meplat. Makes an SGB style bullet that mushrooms nicely.

Longbow

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I too picked a "Waltz" die for .22's. Using the die has increased accuracy overall 20% and it gives me the chance to turn great match ammo into expanding hunting ammo that is way more effective than any standard facorty HP's...:cbpour:

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

This one is from D Rock at Rimfire Central. It ran $75 and, unlike Paco's, is steel.

I might cough up for Neal's one of these days. D Rock recommended his for use in a reloading press, and it does look faster.

Josh <><

[Bret4207]

I made a flatnoser, several in fact, from an old 22 barrel. It worked good with a file or pocket knife, Then I ground a small side electronics side cutter flat on one side. Now THAT is a slick unit. The FN is about .150 and kills all out of proportion for a 22 LR.

Joshuas HPer looks like it would work great too.

[Wayne Smith]

Paco makes them to size .221, .222, .223, and .224 - two separate units. He asks what you are shooting them in and recommends the appropriate size. I ordered the .223/.224 unit and told him I was also shooting BSAs and the Boy Scouts loved the BSAs. He sent the .221/.222 unit free because I would need that for the BSAs. A better gentlemen I've not found recently.

I use my Arbor press, it gives me more control. He also has three different rams, a flat point, a HP, and a HP with a central pin.

[broomhandle]

I too picked a "Waltz" die for .22's. Using the die has increased accuracy overall 20% and it gives me the chance to turn great match ammo into expanding hunting ammo that is way more effective than any standard facorty HP's...:cbpour:

Hi Marine Sgt.,

I'm not clear on this at all. Try to help me out!

What do you attrubute the increase in accuracy to?
Is the bullet being deformed to a point that there is more lead engaging the rifling?
If the bullet still weighs the same, how can it hit harder?
I do understand meta-plate bullet shapes.

Any idea why none of the ammo manfactures have not picked up on this development?

Thanks for any help,
broomhandle

[Frank46]

I think that accuracy is improved because in the swaging you are causing the entire bullet to be just a bit fatter in its overall diameter versus its factory diameter and quite possibly fitting the barrel better. This is just a guess on my part but if anyone comes up with something better I'd be glad to hear about it. When you swage the hollowpoint the lead has to go somewhere. either that or the center of gravity has shifted towards the rear. Fresh out of ideas. Frank

[broomhandle]

Think that accuracy is improved because in the swaging you are causing the entire bullet to be just a bit fatter in its overall diameter versus its factory diameter and quite possibly fitting the barrel better. This is just a guess on my part but if anyone comes up with something better

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the reply. I said something to that effect in a early post.

My concern is if your deforming the bullet enough to make a big hollow point.
You have to deform the bullet base & maybe the brass case moving all that lead.
At 100 yards this might make for poor aero -dynamics in flight.
I wonder if the bullets will feed well in a semi-auto?

Maybe Josh can send me a few!

Best to you ,
broom

[Josh Smith]

This post contains three topics: The first squirrel of the season, a trigger job on an Accutrigger, and an analysis of a Mini-Mag bullet that had been hollowpointed using D Back’s tool, as some have asked for a report on a live animal.

This post is extremely graphic. While I do eat what I kill, this post contains a detailed dissection of the squirrel so that the wounding effects may be observed. If blood, guts, etc bother you, please close the window now. This is most definitely not for children.

Hello,

I was reading on Rimfire Central a way to do a trigger job on an AccuTrigger. I had only been searching for a schematic so that I could stone the parts, but when I saw that a very light but safe trigger could be had simply by swapping springs, I gave it a go. I will not go into detail here, but what I did is very similar to procedure outlined in this link: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227014

The main difference is that I used new springs and saved the stock ones so that I can return the rifle to its original state at any time. The trigger now measures just a bit less than a pound, and this is how I like it: I don’t really have to think about trigger control beyond the basics; I just exhale and send the bullet.

I would not do this on a hunting rifle without an AccuTrigger.

After I concluded the safety and live fire tests, I saw a squirrel scooting up a tree bordering my range. I had not yet taken a squirrel – they seem to disappear around here this time of year until the foliage is off the trees – and I’ve been wanting some fried squirrel.

As well, it was requested that I report back about D Rock's hollowpointer tool after I had taken live game with a bullet modified with it. It did stellar in water tests, expanding to .36” diameter, but water is not flesh and I totally understand the request.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/282e7d7b.jpg
The resizer tool…

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/d4bc80bd.jpg
… and a hollowpointed and resized CCI Mini-Mag.

I hurriedly loaded a magazine of hollowpointed/resized rounds, and proceeded to stalk the critter, which had disappeared behind the tree. She popped out a couple times, but I didn’t have a shot either time, so I held off.

Eventually she showed herself well enough for a decent shot, and I took it. The distance was a bit less than 50 yards according to the parallax settings of my ‘scope, which seem to be dead on.

Because I was in a sitting position using a Hasty sling position, bipod up, I aimed for center of mass of what I could see. I didn’t want to try a head shot and possibly take the animal’s nose off.

When I touched off, the squirrel just dropped about 100 feet, like a rock. It hit the ground and did not thrash at all.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/9f05607c.jpg
My first squirrel of the season, and the rifle I used to take it.

The following is what I found after the shoot, upon initial exam and a post-mortem prior to dressing.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/9284936c.jpg
The bullet impacted high in the right shoulder.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/026da747.jpg
The exit wound was the biggest I have seen using a .22LR. The only other exit wound this size that I have observed was caused by a .22WRM HP.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/2eab98a9.jpg
The bullet path was about 20°, starting behind the left shoulder and exiting at the front of the right shoulder. It did break both shoulders.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/09459ab0.jpg
Impact was high and took out the spine.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/41e74630.jpg
The exit wound with the probe…

I found this all very impressive, and I couldn’t wait to open the animal up to see what sort of damage was done to the insides.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/d28bb0ce.jpg
The entrance wound shows more clearly…

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/9905d043.jpg
… as does the exit.

Despite the trauma, there was precious little bloodshot meat. By 50 yards, this bullet has dropped to around 1050fps, and I was almost at that range. Additionally, I was shooting about 45° upwards, so I’m sure the bullet had slowed significantly from its advertised 1230fps MV.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/032203a9.jpg
In addition to the spine being severed, I found a nice gash in the chest meat.

This probably means that the bullet had quickly expanded, and at this point was wide enough to both touch the spine and tear chest muscle. I would very much liked to have seen the bullet!

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/epic%20squirrel%20post/3704536a.jpg
Upon opening the chest cavity and observing the organs, I could not find any damage.

The heart, lungs, etc were intact, as were all other major organs. I had missed them and struck closer to the neck, severing the trachea and the arteries and veins serving the brain. My hunting dog got a treat of the squirrel head and the viscera as none of this was damaged and did not contain lead particles, showing that the bullet held together.

Tested around 75 yards in milk jugs, these bullets penetrate into the fourth jug (about 20” of water). They show extreme expansion and penetration is on par with a .380acp from a handgun.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointed%2040gn%20CCI%20test/9de66a41.jpg
Expanded rounds recovered from the fourth milk jug after the water test.

I am extremely pleased with the performance of these modified rounds. My rifle “likes” 40gn fodder best, and most hollowpoint ammunition I can find locally is 32gn to 36gn. I stumble across the odd box of Velocitors, but supply is not dependable.

Being able to hollowpoint and resize fairly consistent ammunition – in effect, making it quasi-target hunting ammo – is a very nice option to have. This is especially true given that it hits the exact POI as does the non-modified ammo, so I do not have to run it through the tool if I do not wish to do so.

I hope this has answered some questions, and has been an enjoyable and educational read.

Josh <><

[EMC45]

Neat thread!

[Frank46]

Broomhandle, I think that there was an article in Precision Shooting some years back related to accuracy versus rimfire bullet diamaters. Supposedly the smaller diameter bullets did not shoot as well as the larger ones and leading was more pronounced with the smaller ones and less so with the larger ones. Sounds familiar doesn't it?. Then of course with the 22rf you have all sorts of lubes that the mfgr's use. Waxy, dry, copper plated. Frank

[Charlie Sometimes]

What's up with all the "Bandwidth exceeded" notifications on the photos posted?
Can't even get a link to come up.

[Bad Water Bill]

Thanks I thought it was some problem on my end. Glad I am not the only one with a COMPUTER width problem. I know my pants belt is always shrinking but computers also???

[Bret4207]

I imagine Josh needs to shrink the pics.

And here I was already to be overwhelmed by gross pics......

[82nd airborne]

as if killing him wasnt bad enough, you had to put nudey pics of him on the enternet. oh well, more publicity means more money, right?

[zuke]

I alway's wondered about these hollow pointer thing's, and now I have a bettere idea.
Has anyone tried them on the Aguila SSS?
I'm eventually going to a dedicated Savage for this ammo. and has alway's wondered about the possibility of increasing the knockdown possibilities.

[jsizemore]

Joshua, Could you show us an unmodified bullet that has been shot into your water jugs next time you run a test? Also, could you do a before and after check on rim thickness when using the die? I'm not worried about a round going off, just intrested if there is a change.

[crabo]

Have you shot these on paper at 100 yards to see how accuracy is affected?

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

Here's the rifle I used:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Savage%20Mag%20Fix/SavageMkII.jpg

Savage Mk II .22LR equipped with a very light trigger, an internal trigger stop, a pillar bedded action, floated barrel, and Mueller 4.5-14x set on 10x.

Here are the results:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/WabashShootist/Guns/hollowpointer/7046ef0a.jpg

While I have gotten sub-2" groups in the past with this combo, the wind was shifty and variable today, so this is the best I could do.

Still, given that the ammo was CCI Blazer separated weighed to 50.8gn +/- .1gn, I think I made a fairly good showing. I do wonder what a different shape nose would do. I can do both HP and flat point. Still, I really wish I had a readily available supply of subsonic ammo.

I did not measure the rims yet, because my digital calipers have a dying battery. I'll do that after I pick a new one up.

Hope this helps!

Josh

[Herb in Pa]

Josh....you're heading down the slippery slope of the pursuit rimfire accuracy. Enjoy the ride!!!!! To make a simple gage for rim thickness get an empty 221 fireball, 222 Remington or 223 Remington case and trim the case mouth evenly, then all you need to do is set zero on your calipers for the empty case length and then drop the 22LR into the case mouth and remeasure, a simple and cheap rimfire thickness gage. Unfortunately this is the last cheap thing you will find in your journey. Each decrease in group size will require a bit more tweaking of both ammo and equipment........wind flags are a necessity. Shot this one last evening ..........9 rounds in .518", with the flyer running it up to .644" for ten shots at 100 yards........Lapua Center X and a tweaked Annie.