pps
01-23-2015, 09:49 PM
Well, I got to test the results last week from the first bullets from this fantastic mold. The bullets tested were with an alloy of wheel weights +2% tin air cooled and sized to .359 (as the same alloy sized to .358 tended to lead my revolvers' barrel). The bullets are 151 grains after they are sized, lubed and gas checked. The lubricant is bees wax, lard, Johnson’s paste wax and enough Vaseline to make it sticky and flow nicely through the lube sizer.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/mold_zps3osmaazb.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/79b370c0-3e06-4299-a426-415b6ca97685_zps694ef08d.jpg
There was no leading in my revolver, or my Marlin 1894. Everything below 1200 ft/sec only expanded to .40” with about 12-14” penetration, while the rounds between 1200-1300 ft/sec went between 14-16” and expanded to .50” diameter. The slower rounds could have benefited from a softer alloy or deeper hollow point, but would most certainly sacrifice on penetration. The bullet on the bottom of the picture below was traveling 1600 ft/sec from the 18” Marlin and penetrated 17”, with a recovered diameter of .50” though it shed a lot of lead for a recovered weight of 114 grains.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/Castboolitsonly_zps1fe97327.jpg
Below are the results of this round with some jacketed bullets recovered from shredded rubber mulch. I KNOW… it’s not ballistics gel; but it’s cheap, reusable, and I find it to be a useful tool to compare bullet performance. Expansion in this media is not as consistent as it is with ballistics gel, as some bullets, such as the Barnes (top of picture at 1550 ft/sec), and the Federal HST (bullets in the middle of the picture) tend to get clogged with material… though I RARELY see the Barnes get clogged like the round pictured here. These 147 grain HST’s were only hitting 930 ft/sec out of my M&P Shield, and perform much better than this when run through my full size CZ75B… which I did not have today. The 90 grain .380 FMJ on the middle far right and far left, fired out of my little Sig penetrated 16" lol
All in all, the cast boolits did pretty well compared to the jacketed.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/GrouppicturefromJan17testshots_zps5a01dacc.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/mold_zps3osmaazb.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/79b370c0-3e06-4299-a426-415b6ca97685_zps694ef08d.jpg
There was no leading in my revolver, or my Marlin 1894. Everything below 1200 ft/sec only expanded to .40” with about 12-14” penetration, while the rounds between 1200-1300 ft/sec went between 14-16” and expanded to .50” diameter. The slower rounds could have benefited from a softer alloy or deeper hollow point, but would most certainly sacrifice on penetration. The bullet on the bottom of the picture below was traveling 1600 ft/sec from the 18” Marlin and penetrated 17”, with a recovered diameter of .50” though it shed a lot of lead for a recovered weight of 114 grains.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/Castboolitsonly_zps1fe97327.jpg
Below are the results of this round with some jacketed bullets recovered from shredded rubber mulch. I KNOW… it’s not ballistics gel; but it’s cheap, reusable, and I find it to be a useful tool to compare bullet performance. Expansion in this media is not as consistent as it is with ballistics gel, as some bullets, such as the Barnes (top of picture at 1550 ft/sec), and the Federal HST (bullets in the middle of the picture) tend to get clogged with material… though I RARELY see the Barnes get clogged like the round pictured here. These 147 grain HST’s were only hitting 930 ft/sec out of my M&P Shield, and perform much better than this when run through my full size CZ75B… which I did not have today. The 90 grain .380 FMJ on the middle far right and far left, fired out of my little Sig penetrated 16" lol
All in all, the cast boolits did pretty well compared to the jacketed.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l96/pps_2006/Cast%20Bullet%20Test%20versus%20HST%20FMJ%20and%20 Barnes/GrouppicturefromJan17testshots_zps5a01dacc.jpg