Hollow Point?

[joatmon]

I have about 35-40 molds but have never cast a hollow point, I think I would like one HP mold to play with but witch one?

I could go with 357, 41, 44 or 45 a deer might be on the menu? Any thoughts Maker &cav's alum, brass?


Thanks All, Aaron

[hockeynick39]

Check out this link:

http://www.hollowpointmold.com/

It's where I send all the molds I want hollow pointed. Erik is awesome to deal with and puts out excellent work!

[kungfustyle]

MP molds has some that will work for you: https://mp-molds.com/

[osteodoc08]

MP or NOE. I’ve found the larger boolits easier to cast HP but that’s just me.

[OS OK]

Something to consider if you use a bottom pour pot...

Is the bottom of the HP mould compatible with your mould rest?

[white eagle]

Something to consider if you use a bottom pour pot...

Is the bottom of the HP mould compatible with your mould rest?

most hp molds I have used are smooth on the bottom unless you turn the pins to cast non hp boolits
never used a bottom pour so won't comment on that
I agree larger boolits easier to cast hp's
and Erik does excellent conversions

[white eagle]

I go back and forth on using hp's for hunting
so again I'll keep my pie hole shut

[Smoke4320]

Let me start out that I shoot mostly rifles and HP anywhere I can
The HP bullets just seem a little more accurate
I have approx. 15 HP molds from both MP and NOE
the brass molds I find slightly easier to keep the heat in during casing but Al or Brass work fine as along as you keep the pins and mechanisms lubed and hot
the bigger/heavier the bullet the easier it is to cast great HP bullets (again retained heat being the factor)

[megasupermagnum]

Getting one converted by Erik at hollow point molds is the top of the line. If you are not made of money, NOE molds is the best way to get a reasonably priced hollow point mold. Their hollow point linkage does not slide on the lee mold self for their bottom pour. The easy fix it to ladle pour. If you have to use the bottom pour, NOE makes a mold shelf that works with their RG (hollow point) molds.

NOE makes some fantastic designs in 38 and 44 calibers. Depending if your 45 is an ACP or 45-70, or somewhere inbetween, NOE makes some decent ones. I do not like any of the NOE 41 caliber designs.

If you want to try before you buy, GT bullets sells many bullets from NOE molds. The only problem is their alloy is a little too hard and brittle for hollow points.

Here I believe is the NOE H&G #503 clone http://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?m...products_id=49

GT says this comes from a converted 358429 mold. NOE makes a couple close copies. http://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?m...products_id=60

[OS OK]

There's old school HP moulds...



and they make good HP's...



And there's new school...



this MP comes with the penta, cup & a FP set of pins so it'll cast 3 different profiles...



It's obvious when your looking at a penta's HP expansion...



I think the real enjoyment comes when you learn to blend your bullet metal for your weapon and the HP's speed at the distance you expect them to perform...if you want full expansion and full weight retention you'll be going deeper in the Rabbit Hole and up against a new learning curve.
Can't just use any ole Pb blend that's in the pot.
It's fun and rewarding casting/testing HP's.

[firebyprolong]

The Thompson designs 358156 and 429244 are the two HP molds I have the most experience with and have had very good luck with them and would recommend both. I personally like a GC on a hp point bullet for simplicity, it give me a lot more wiggle room alloy wise before leading becomes an issue. The originals pins are fairly small and pretty straight and I've found that lead/tin alloys work the best for me. If I was to HP one in the shop I'd go with a larger and shallower tapered pin for WW alloy closer to the devisator pin profile. Im sure lots of other folks will chip in with recommendations, I've killed a couple does with that 429244 HP cast 20-1 and pushed at 1200 in a 44mag and been impressed with its preformance but that's just me.
HP bullets are fun to play with, even if you never actually shoot a deer with one, the casting, load work up and expansion testing are fairly entertaining all by themselves. Good luck and hope you find one you like.

[OS OK]

The Thompson designs 358156 and 429244 are the two HP molds I have the most experience with and have had very good luck with them and would recommend both. I personally like a GC on a hp point bullet for simplicity, it give me a lot more wiggle room alloy wise before leading becomes an issue. The originals pins are fairly small and pretty straight and I've found that lead/tin alloys work the best for me. If I was to HP one in the shop I'd go with a larger and shallower tapered pin for WW alloy closer to the devisator pin profile. Im sure lots of other folks will chip in with recommendations, I've killed a couple does with that 429244 HP cast 20-1 and pushed at 1200 in a 44mag and been impressed with its preformance but that's just me.
HP bullets are fun to play with, even if you never actually shoot a deer with one, the casting, load work up and expansion testing are fairly entertaining all by themselves. Good luck and hope you find one you like.

I think this is the profile you mentioned...

[sixshot]

If you're shooting much handgun ammo just get a Miha 4 cavity brass mold & be done with it, you'll never regret it. I have 17 of them & if deer size game is your target you will love it. Powder coat your bullets, run them 1000-1200 fps in a 41, 44 or 45 & you'll eat back straps all winter.

I shot 6 animals last year with 6 different revolvers, deer, antelope & elk, all but one of the deer with HP's from Miha molds. I just shot a deer a few days ago with a 41 magnum & a 213 gr HP, as usual, one shot down & out.

Dick

[joatmon]

Thanks fore the replies. Is old school or new school easier to master?
Aaron

[megasupermagnum]

Thanks fore the replies. Is old school or new school easier to master?
Aaron

If you are referring to a pull pin, verses an inside the mold cramer style, then the cramer style is easier. I fumble too much to deal with separate components. With the cramer style, the mold and pins are all kept hot, where the pull pin sits out in the air to cool. All you do is cast, open the mold, and dump.

[OS OK]

Thanks fore the replies. Is old school or new school easier to master?
Aaron

When it finally 'dawned' on me that I was going to have to keep that pin hot when it's out of the mould, I punched a hole in the mould oven to set it in when I was dumping a cast...that took care of that...that hole is where I put the pin when I pre-warm the mould as the pot is getting ready to be used.



Old school is slow casting but just the same it's rewarding.

[NorthMoccasin]

HP's work well for me. I test alloys by shooting down into a 55 gal. barrel of water. (over with a trash bag or weighted card board to prevent getting wet. ask me how I know....) alloys that expand well in h2O expand well in deer. The Lyman 457322 Gould HP cast of 2.5,2.5,95 will expand nicely in deer and has penetrated from the point of the right shoulder to under the skin of the left ham in a 8 pt whitetail. So much for hollow points not penetrating well. Adjust your alloy and velocity so the Hp does not fragment if you are worried about penetration. On whitetails and other thin skinned game, shedding the front half of the bullet is not a REAL problem, although it will make a less tidy wound channel. Deer drop as if struck by lighting most times.

[Tripplebeards]

I started out with a Lyman devastator mold in .430. I have two others I bought two brass ones in group buy I haven’t casted with yet in .452 and .358...One from MP and one from Noe which ran a good $40 plus each than the devastator...well worth it in quality. My devastators shoot sub MOA out of my 77/44 at 100 yards with two different alloys and loads. I had alot of 1.5” to 1.8” groups with ladder testing. Great one to start with imo. I did have some finning around the HP area. Went through three or four molds in a row and gave up as they all finned exactly the same no matter what temp or alloy I used. If I cast with a soft enough alloy the finning flattens flush anyways. Otherwise I scrape it off with a knife before PCing which gets monotonous because it’s on everyone. Good $75 starter mold that you don’t have to special order(most places have it in Stock) and wait months to over a year for like I did with the .358.

[fcvan]

I have about 35-40 molds but have never cast a hollow point, I think I would like one HP mold to play with but witch one?

I could go with 357, 41, 44 or 45 a deer might be on the menu? Any thoughts Maker &cav's alum, brass?


Thanks All, Aaron

I have 2 HP molds, both Lee Precision. 1 is a C158-SWC-HP-GC and the other a Lee 452-RN HP designed for a Cap and Ball Revolver, therefore tapered base. Both work very well. However, the 452TP really likes plain based gas checks made from dies I purchased from a member here (Thank you PatMarlins) which work great from mt\y 45Govt weapons. I know, they are called 45 Colt, but the cartridge was actually 45 Govt, prior to civilian introduction. Anyway, the 200gr tapered base HP mold was/is a dandy, but was discontinued in the 70s, a mold I gladly bought for under 13 bucks from a black powder supply place in the mid 1980s.

Loaded in modern 45 Govt weapons (and 45ACP) the 200gr HP is quite a performer.

[Moonie]

I have both Miha's and NOE's HP molds, I like them both. The penta pin makes a really wicked looking HP but either will do well for you when cast from appropriate alloy.