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Thread: .357 HP Bullets

  1. #1
    Boolit Master youngda9's Avatar
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    .357 HP Bullets

    I recently got my hands on some 358156-HP bullets for my .357 magnum by making a private purchase from a home-caster. I was wondering if there was a place that I could buy a similar bullet for .357 or .44 magnum. The hardness needs to be around 11 so they will open up.

    They seem like a great bullet for a do-it-all load...cut nice holes in paper and open up on game.

    Also, is there a jig or tool that you can purchase to drill holes into .357 or .44 bullets to make your own hollow pionts...as you can with .22LR ammunition?

    Results from 1250fps impact...bullet weighs just under 150gr.




    I am not a caster, yet...no spare time now with job and small kids.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    I think the Speer swaged LSWCHP works great from 800-1000fps. I doubt they are harder than 9-10BHN. The Hornady swaged LSWCHP are a bit harder & available in 44.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    Welcome to the forum. Go to the Vendor Sponsor section and do a search for hollow point jig. Jim in Phoenix makes them. FB

  4. #4
    Boolit Master youngda9's Avatar
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    To clarify...I am not a bullet caster (yet). I am looking for a place to purchase similar bullets. Can someone suggest places I could purchase some?

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    A standard 358156 mold and a Forster HP tool do just as well. Better yet you can taylor the depth of the HP to the desired expansion with the alloy used. I use the 1/8" tool BTW.

    Larry Gibson

  6. #6
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    HATCH's Avatar
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    how many boolits are you looking to purchase in 357?

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

    GP100man's Avatar
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    youngda


    WELCOME toCASTBOOLITS forum !!!

    I have shot a few of the Hornady swaged HPs & while they give excellent expansion ya really can`t push em hard , as they are soft & will skid on the rifling .
    GP100man

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    Youngda9,
    Welcome to Castboolits!.

    The 358156 is a gas checked bullet.
    Speer & Hornady make a 158 gr HPSWC plain based bullet that may be what you are looking for. Swaged lead, not cast, so they are pretty soft.
    I don't think many commercial bullet casters turn out hollow points.
    ..

  9. #9
    Boolit Master youngda9's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hatch View Post
    how many boolits are you looking to purchase in 357?
    1000-2000 Is there a place where I can purchase cast HPs for .357 mag and/or .44 mag?

    Thanks for the welcome guys !!
    Last edited by youngda9; 04-12-2011 at 08:54 AM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

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    Check in Vendor Sponsor section for BullShop they should be able to fix you up. FB

  11. #11
    Boolit Master youngda9's Avatar
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    They don't list anything for .357.

    They do have one listing for .44 HP...but it is $21.75/100 rounds + S/H...that is over 2x the cost of standard LSWC.

  12. #12
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    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    Casting HP's takes more time, care , and effort than casting a SWC,
    that's why they cost more.

    I'm not in the biz, but if I were to crank up my 4 cav. NOE Mold
    161 gr. HP which is very similar to the ones in your photo.
    I can't imagine sellin' them for less than $20 per hundred.

    FYI: For just SWC's, it's really difficult for a home caster to compete
    against someone officially in the BIZ using commercial casting
    equipment...unless a home caster just wants to give their time away.
    ummm...If there is a juicy enough trade, I might bite.

    Now if you can find a commercial caster to cast a softer alloy and HP
    to your specifications, they are going to charge more.
    Jon

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “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

  13. #13
    Boolit Master youngda9's Avatar
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    I think if someone would make the initial investment (magma modified molds from http://www.hollowpointmold.com/) they could offer a couple flavors of these bullets. They should be able to be cranked out just as fast as standard LSWC bullets IMO.

    I believe they would sell like hotcakes if they were priced right, reasonable price over standard bullets....nowhere near $20+/100.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

    Doby45's Avatar
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    The reason the HP boolit has not been mass produced is because there are really too many variables. Not all boolits release off the pins as you would think they would, then you have a jam on your nicely running machine that will do nothing but get worse. Cast them yourself or pay the price that the commercial casters ask, those are pretty much your two options for now.
    Good, Cheap, Fast: Pick two.

    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

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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