MidSouth Shooters SupplyRepackboxWidenersInline Fabrication
Load DataTitan ReloadingLee PrecisionReloading Everything
RotoMetals2
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Boolits too hard?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115

    Boolits too hard?

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20180530_164505-1494x2656.jpg 
Views:	73 
Size:	24.7 KB 
ID:	221343
    I had a chance to recover these boolits fired from my 357 Blackhawk. 148 grain wadcutter and a 125grain Lee. I dug them from a wooden back stop. They averaged around 850 fps for the WC boolits. If I remember correctly the alloy was supposed to be around 14 bhn. My question, shouldn't they be mushrooming more? I'm not getting great accuracy either. I'm pretty new at this so what do you think? Maybe softer and slower?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    jcren's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    South, Central Ok
    Posts
    2,173
    You shouldn't need that hard of lead for what you are doing, and a properly fit softer boolit may shoot better, but wood is a poor test medium for mushrooming. The hole made by the boolit supports it and prevents expansion.
    "In God we trust, in all others, check the manual!"

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    That does make a lot of sense now that I think about it. I guess that's why wet newspaper or gallon water jugs are usually used. I was just thinking that the wood should be harder thus better expansion. Next time I will use a different medium to stop the boolit. It did make it easier to recover and check how the powder coating held up. The next time I cast the WC I'm going to make them softer and slower. Thanks for the reply.

  4. #4
    Moderator Emeritus


    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Land of 10,000 Lakes
    Posts
    15,832
    I use a scrap alloy that is close to 9 bhn for 38 spl WC.
    14 is much too hard for my tastes.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So. Orygun
    Posts
    7,239
    Your BHN is pretty hard for wadcutters, IMO. I would suggest an alloy that doesn't run much more than 9-10 BHN and size them to the same diameter as the cylinder throats, and I don't think you need to slow them down. Some will advise "drop through", "push through" and "snug push through" as measurements but I prefer facts; I slugged and measured my cylinder throats (slugged, ball gauges, and pin/plug gauges). Also slug the barrel to make sure cylinder throat diameter is larger than groove diameter...

    I have a bullet/load for my 38 Special "house gun" that consists of a "hard cast" DEWC, around 13-14 BHN, over a near max. load of W231. I don't expect any expansion just a quite deep 35 cal hole with a lot of tissue damage ...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


    Bookworm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Central Oklahoma, on a dirt road.
    Posts
    1,186
    I love that 125g Lee. I use it in light .38 Spl loads mostly, around 750-800 fps. I ended up getting a 6-cav mold, so production really moves along.

    I wouldn't expect it to mushroom. The idea behind the RNFP is the big flat point - it's supposed to transfer the energy, all in a big smack. The ones I shoot have never mushroomed, and I'm shooting considerably softer alloy than what you are using.

    Also, at the 14 Bhn you claim, I don't think there is anything that will mushroom at 850 fps. At least, nothing without a huge hollowpoint, and even then I'm dubious.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    I'm pretty sure my fitment is good. I've slugged the barrel and after sizing the boolits are one and a half thousandth over sized and are a snug push through the cylinder. The WC is the only one that doesn't want to shoot accurately for me. That Lee 125 is fantastic and the 150 rcbs KT is really good for me. That cheap Lee mould just works really well.
    I'm shooting the WC in 357 brass because I don't like cleaning the carbon ring from the cylinder when I use the 38 special brass. From all I've read I thought the wadcutter would be my most accurate boolit but it's not. I have more work to do on it before I give up on it. Thanks for the input.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master


    fecmech's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Buffalo NY area
    Posts
    4,030
    Wadcutters are not necessarily the MOST accurate bullets but with classic bullseye loads they are generally quite accurate. Their main claim to fame is cutting clean holes in targets for scoring purposes, that's why they are used a lot in the Bullseye game. I would suggest using approx 3 grs. of Bullseye,or 3.4/231 lubing only 1 lube groove or just tumble lubing your WC's. I'm pretty sure you'll find accuracy there.
    That said my Lee 125RF will out shoot wadcutters as will my H&G 158 RN and Lee 120TC. There is no accuracy magic in wadcutters.
    "Masculine republics give way to feminine democracies, and feminine democracies give way to tyrannies.” Aristotle

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check