Hollow point or not

[toolz568]

I am in the process of getting a NOE 311 175Gr. FN (Saeco #315)
mold, for my mosin, and would like to know if there is any benifit to the hollowpoint option. I only have one hollow base mold (450229) and love the boolits but hate casting them. What are your thoughts?

OG

[runfiverun]

i doubt your moisin will show the difference on paper.

[W.R.Buchanan]

+1 on that.

Randy

[rintinglen]

Hollow point molds--even the best of them as made by MP Molds--are more difficult to cast than regular boolits. They are sometimes more accurate than the same boolit minus the hollowpoint, but for your purpose, I doubt very much it would be worth the bother. The Moisin round is powerful enough to need no help in expanding a boolit, should you be choosing to hunt with it.. And the type 91's aren't going to win many accuracy championships anyway.

[Larry Gibson]

I wouldn't get the HP bullet for general shooting because they are more difficult to cast, take longer and in milsurps probably not any more accurate. However, for hunting they do make the cast bullet, especially if cast of a soft malleable alloy, much more effective and a much quicker killer. A 1/8 Forster HP tool is what I use most often to HP my regualr cast bullets for hunting. I do have 3 Lyman factory HP moulds and have shortened the HP stem to give a much shallower HP for better performance and weight retention.

Note the 314299 HP'd in the 7.62x54R.

Larry Gibson

[toolz568]

Thanks for the info, I'll stick with the round nose. As for the the rifle, it is a Finnish 28/30 and it seems to hate cast boolits. My best shooting is with 7N1's, but they are expensive. After that, I use pulled bullets and lastly, cast. I know a bunch of you have produced great groups with cast, but sadly, I can't find anything my rifle likes. I have heard good things about the Saeco #315, so I figure I will give it a try.

Larry, thanks for the pictures and information, this is something worth trying.

OG

[Piedmont]

Ogotz, I just had to comment because you have a Finn 28/30. My Finns LOVE cast. If something sized .312" will chamber, shoot that. The other thing you might be doing wrong is trying to shoot at jacketed velocities and pressures.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Larry: Is that Forester HP tool just a guide bushing with a drill bit? I have never seen one in person.

Randy

[toolz568]

Piedmont,

I'm interested in what boolit and load data you are using. My bore is .310 and I keep my GC velosities at 1900-2000. I have tried numerous cast boolit and powder combinations with typical groups of 4-6 inches. I would say it was the rifle, except I can shoot 7N1 groups under 2" all day long and 3"-4" surplus, most are smaller. I know others have done this with cast, just not me.

[1Shirt]

Agree with Larry on time involved!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Capn Jack]

Just for grins I hollow pointed some RCBS GC FN 300gr. .458 cal. Boolits on my lathe.

They were devistating!:shock:

At 1500fps, 8, 1 gal. water jugs, the first 5 disintergrated and I found
the boolit in the 8th jug.

The remaining "Boolit" was a blunt nosed slug that weighed 200gr. The
entire hollow pointed nose was gone.

:holysheep It would have been a real stopper, with major tissue damage.

Jack...

[Piedmont]

Piedmont,

I'm interested in what boolit and load data you are using. My bore is .310 and I keep my GC velosities at 1900-2000. I have tried numerous cast boolit and powder combinations with typical groups of 4-6 inches. I would say it was the rifle, except I can shoot 7N1 groups under 2" all day long and 3"-4" surplus, most are smaller. I know others have done this with cast, just not me.

I'm sorry but I only just now saw this. The fastest I ever loaded mine was 2,000 fps with a 220 grain bullet and a case full of WC 860 powder (very slow burning surplus powder) and it was hit or miss depending on the the rifle at that velocity.

I think you are loading too fast. I have many good groups in multiple rifles with surplus 4895. All of the following have worked for me: Red Dot, Unique, 4198, 4759, and a surplus powder faster than 4759 but slower than Unique. Match the velocity to the powder (meaning Red Dot for light loads only). I wouldn't use smaller than a .312" if they will chamber in your .310" groove rifle.

[white eagle]

as far as a cast hollow point being harder to cast
I have never found it at all harder to cast a hp
more steps maybe ......... harder to do hardly

[leftiye]

Hollow point, yes. Much easier to cast with mold heater in the process.