NOE 452-230-RF-HP expansion results

[jmsj]

Hey Guys,
I just got done doing some experimenting with my new NOE 452-230 RF HP RG-2 mold.
I used 10# of SOWW, 5# COWW and 1-2 oz of tin (I kept adding until I got good fill-out). The powder I used was 5.5 grains of Unique. This gave an average velocity of 841 fps out of a 4 1/4" barrel over my chronograph. I was shooting my 1911 style 45 ACP pistol that I put together many years ago. It is a Detonics lower mated to a Commander length slide. I carry this as my CCW pistol. When I signed up for the Group Buy, I thought this would be a good mold for this pistol. Fired 40 rounds today and they all ran the gun flawlessly but accuracy was not all that great. Groups ran in the 3"-5" range at 25 yds. but today was one of those days that my eyes were not wanting to cooperate. Picking up those compact iron sights sometimes gives me fits. I know that this pistol is much more capable than this from past experience.
I first shot into a 5 gallon square jug and the bullet exited the jug and my son and I couldn't find the slug. For this slug I fired into 2-1 gallon jugs lined up and another 5 gallon jug behind them. The slug penetrated both 1 gallon jugs entered the 5 gallon jug, left a dent on the far side but did not exit. The recovered boolit had expanded to .885". What impressed me as much was the weight retention. The as cast weights ran between 231 grains and 233 grains, this was without lube. The recovered slug with the lube still completely on weighed 232.2 grains. This is or is very near 100% weight retention. I was really surprised by this.

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae97/jmsj515/NOE452-640expansionresults002.jpg



http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae97/jmsj515/NOE452-640expansionresults003.jpg

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae97/jmsj515/NOE452-640expansionresults006.jpg
jmsj

[Bigslug]

I've just got to say congratulations. That's impressive any way you care to look at it. You have penetration, weight retention, and impressive expansion with a FLAT frontal area. I would change NOTHING about that load. Now go hunting with it! :drinks:

[RobS]

It is fun, isn't it. I have a BRP 454640 mold that throws this exact design and it's fun in the 45 Auto and doubles up for the 45 Colt. Cast with soft alloy, pushed out of a lever action and cruising along at 1200+ fps this one becomes a heck of a varmit boolit. :shock:

[RobS]

jmsj:

Whats your COAL on those?

[tomme boy]

The tin is helping hold it all together. Looks good!

[jmsj]

Thanks guys for the kind words.
Rob,
The COAL on these rounds is 1.210". First I used some dummy rounds toset the OAL to the chamber using the hood for a gauge. When I tried them in the magazine they were way to long to function. I just kept backing them down until they fit and functioned in the magazine.

tomme boy,
I know that the tin sure helps. I was just surprised of the small amount of tin that was needed to get these results. I only put 1-2 ozs into 250 ozs of lead alloy. I know that there is a little in the WW's but probably not much. I usually add a lot more than this to some of my other HP's
Thanks, jmsj

[tomme boy]

Well you are shooting threw water. If there was bone and muscle you would loose some. The slow speed of the 45 really helps also. Also you did not say how old the boolits were. Some of the ones I was testing would behave way different after they sat for a few months compared to the same ones I shot the day after I made them.

[cbrick]

tomme boy nailed it on two counts. The Sn and the velocity. A few years back I did a bunch of similair testing using the Lyman Devastator, stick-on weights +Sn. I had very similair results as jmsj shooting into water as long as the velocity was held to 800-850 fps. Much past 850 fps and most of the petals of the mushroom broke off but keep in mind that water is a very hard medium but even so, very impressive mushrooms.

Also by using the stick-on weights +Sn with no Sb aging had little effect on the mushroom.

I also tested the 068 boolit with no HP by firing straight down into 3 feet of water, a 55 gallon plastic drum with steel plates on the bottom at 850 fps or less. This boolit went through 3 feet of water and hit the steel plates with enough momentum to flatten them out. Myth Busters did a test several years ago shooting rifles & handguns into a swimming pool and velocity was the key, the faster the velocity the less penetration before the bullet lost all momentum and sank.

Very interesting testing and great fun to experiment with.

Rick

[dg31872]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but what lube did you use? Is that CR?

[RobS]

Thanks guys for the kind words.
Rob,
The COAL on these rounds is 1.210". First I used some dummy rounds toset the OAL to the chamber using the hood for a gauge. When I tried them in the magazine they were way to long to function. I just kept backing them down until they fit and functioned in the magazine.

Thanks, jmsj

That's about where I seat mine as well.

[jmsj]

I guess you guys are right about the slower velocity of the 45 ACP. Before this I have only loaded HP's at much higher velocities and have had to add much more tin to get them to hold together.
dg31872,
The lube is actually some messed up FWFL that I was trying to save. I had made a large batch of FWFL and had remelted it every time I needed to refill my lubesizer. By doing this I had cooked off some of the ingredients. Felix recommended that I try to use some ATF to bring it back. I have added a little ATF but I haven't shot this lube enough to see if it works well.
jmsj

[Blammer]

nice, when we have another HP expansion thread you'll have a nice one to display. :)

I still have a few RG4 mould's left of this boolit, I can sell.

[Michael J. Spangler]

Awesome!

[Boosted98gsx]

nice, when we have another hp expansion thread you'll have a nice one to display. :)

i still have a few rg4 mould's left of this boolit, i can sell.

want!

could you make a 250gr version as well? My colt saddlegun is DYING for some cast HP's.