First Hollw Point mold conversion

[45coltnut]

Hello fellow casters,

Well, seeing as I have a new accurate mold coming for the 38-55, I decided to HP my current lee 379-250 mold. I may to find some PB gas checks as this mold drops slightly small for my bore. Or, I may even try the powder coating.

Anyways, I took a 1/4" drill bushing and drilled the mold to 1/4". Then I got a 5-16"-18 bolt and cut off to the desired length and turned it down in my drill press using a couple files. Then I measures the distance on my Lee melting pot and cut a pce of dowl the length to help in holding the mold at the correct height.

I'm smelting some lead now from WW's. Once done I'll fire up the pot and give it a go.

[43PU]

Now that is a Neat idea, any pictures of the finished product?

43PU

[Beagle333]

It'll sure make a nice fat HP if you can keep that pin hot enough.

[45coltnut]

Ok, I've learned allot doing this first, don't make the pin the same dia as the meplat of the boolit. You end up with a razor sharp edge hollow point. Second, make the pin out of aluminum. It will heat up much quicker.

I've got to do some more testing with it due to the heat issue of the pin. I keep getting wrinkled noses. So I'll post pics later for everyone.

[Rangefinder]

I've found that much more than half the meplat for pin diameter doesn't give enough meat in the nose to retain the nose. Alloy is important, but no alloy is going to hold together if the nose is too thin. What you could do is put that pin back in the drill press and give it a step right where it meets the nose, then blend into your taper from there. also, you'll want to adjust your allow if you're going with straight WW (CO I assume). You want to go softer and add about 2% tin. 50-50 ww with dead soft, and 2% tin keeps my hot 40SW HP's together and with scary expansion.

[45coltnut]

Thanks rangefinder. I'll give that a try on the pin tonight!

[fredj338]

Just shorten the nose of your pin so it becomes a cup point. The thin nose/edge will help expansion & the shallow cup point will keep it from fragmenting. At vel over 1200fps, a shallow cup point works better IMO than a hollow point that extends well into the nose.