Want an alloy for a bullet for maximum expansion

[bayjoe]

I have a 228 gr hollow point mold in 45 caliber. I want an alloy that I can push 800 fps and when it hits expands like an ash tray.
straight wheel weights and even range scrap seem to be to hard.
What can I use that will expand and not lead?
And could I powder coat over dead soft lead and get expansion?

[btroj]

Try 20/1 lead/tin.

[Springfield]

50/50 WW/pure work well in my 45 auto.

[Spawn-Inc]

you could try casting soft points as ammosmith explains,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrPKivrETZs

[RPRNY]

20:1 or 30:1 put you in the BHN 9 - 10 zone. You should get deformation dropping it on the floor. With any decent lube 800 -900 fps is fine. The question is how are you measuring or judging expansion?

Swaged lead round ball doesn't generally do much expanding in ballistic gelatin, but interviews with cavalrymen from both sides of the War Between the States in Keith, McBride, and contemporary accounts suggest a .45" round ball was a very effective man stopper and very destructive. Of course it is not velocity per se that is indicative of expansion but psi. Your BHN 10 bullet will deform when dropped on cement but may not expand in gel or a meat strike. Shot through clothing or hide and bone at 800 fps, it will pancake and break up, doing nasty damage. The same bullet shot at a steel plate and arriving at 500 fps will explosively expand.

If "ashtray" like expansion is desired, a nose punch and a hollow point are more likely to give you what you want than even soft lead.

[Larry Gibson]

40/1 alloy.

Larry Gibson

[ShooterAZ]

I have been using 1/25 alloy with the NOE 452 230 HP with very good results. Expansion is dramatic, but still holds together. I used Rotometals pure with 95/5 solder to get there. 1/30 alloy the petals came off. I haven't tried 1/40.

[Bullshop]

For maximum expansion don't alloy.

[Larry Gibson]

For maximum expansion don't alloy.

That works best if the pure lead casts well. Lead by itself is a metal not an alloy. Many times, seems mould dependent, pure lead doesn't cast well and requires a bit of tin such as with the 40/1 mix which is then an "alloy".

Larry Gibson

[Bullshop]

I have had no negative issues casting pure lead. Just requires high lead temp and high mold temp. I sell lots of pure lead boolits cast in molds made from varying materials. If these were not good clean castings that also shoot good folks wouldn't keep buying.
There is one negative issue but it has nothing to do with boolit quality. It is that at the high temp the lead needs to be for good casting there is a bit more oxidation at the surface of the melt so there is a little more lead lost to dross than at lower temps.
No doubt the addition of tin makes it easier but it also makes an alloy that is harder than lead. The title in the OP said "" for maximum expansion "" and there is no alloy that will beat pure lead for maximum expansion.

[Larry Gibson]

Yes, but the OP also asked "Want an alloy"

That makes us technically both right :drinks:

Larry Gibson

[cbrick]

For 800-850 fps in my 45 ACP HP's I use straight "stick-on" WW with 2% Sn added at about 7-8 BHN. Shoots well, no leading at that velocity and expands like putty yet holds together.

Rick

[aspangler]

I second the 50/50. Works really well in my 45 and 357. Makes a NASTY hole on a deer at 25 yards.