MiHec 359-220-FN Hunting Boolit Load Data

[gtgeorge]

Got this mold last week in anticipation of Firearms season starting tomorrow and quickly cast up a little over 100 of the HP versions to test and hopefully get a load ready. They were cast from 3-3-94 alloy with a Hornady check and a homemade brew for lube. Testing last Monday found that 36gr of Benchmark with CCI LR primers turned in a sub moa 6 shot group at 100 yards.

I was very pleased and loaded up a couple boxes last night to test today and think it is ready for the woods. Following is the data and pictures.

9-17-2015 70º 69% Humidity 7mph N wind altitude 266'
218gr MP 360-220-WHP
Marlin 336 35 Remington
Hornady Brass (more capacity than WW or RP)
36gr Benchmark (1gr over published data for a SPR RN jacketed bullet
Crimped snug @ 2.475"
3-3-94 Alloy (8 days aged)
1.2" @100 yards
Shot 1: 1989fps
Shot 2: 1995fps

As usual this load should be worked up to and may or may not be safe in your firearm. It was worked up to in mine with the above mentioned components.

Shot into water jugs at 50 yards exploding the first to the point that it blew the jug into a couple pieces. 2nd jug was completely laid open and recovered the slug with gas check intact in the 3rd (juice jug thick plastic. 1st two were white milk jugs.

Recovered slug weighed 108.6gr and perfect mushroom ranging from .55"-.565"

149113
cast and sized to .360 weight 218.5gr
149112149114149115
target area and damage to jugs
149116149117
Recovered bullet 108.6gr and perfect mushroom ranging from .55"-.565" at 50 yards

[OnHoPr]

Looks like you have a doozy there, I'd maybe watch out for the hard raking shots though. Looks like it would do a real good job on the double lunger.

[gtgeorge]

Yes I do worry about the penetration as I will be hunting hogs as well. I hope to give a report for how it does in the field by Monday. The bullets will likely not expand as violently on a live critter as water seems to blow them up the easiest. It is the same penetration I was getting out of a 62gr soft point in my AR 5.56 in water but they did pretty good the last 2 seasons on game. Only time they did not exit were in a 185 # hog and a huge doe and those were recovered at 50cal and 60% of original weight. 175 hogs and under were pass throughs and of course all the lighter deer were as well.

I will test the bullets again after they age a couple more weeks and maybe in some wet paper or clay. 8 days old is a bit on the early side IMO.

[gtgeorge]

Finally blooded my new to me Marlin 35 Saturday. 3rd early firearm hunt brought home some meat although a fawn and not a good test of the new combination. All 3 3 day hunts were plagued by rain and less than courteous hunters walking in on me with one shooting the hog right out from under me so to speak on the first hunt. All 3 hunts were not for me anyhow since my wife wants to blood her 6.5 and I still have to be in full control of the 15YO on public land. He scored on the first hunt by sitting in the blind with his Momma on the 1st hunt final day by pushing Momma out of the way to shoot what showed up after 3 all day hunts in that spot. Then he started yelling from excitement about his success scaring the rest of the heard off. (Dang he has been taught better)

Fast forward to the last day of this 3rd hunt he decided to sit with Momma again and I caught an orphan sneaking through as it started to rain. Was only 20 yards and shot her low to try to save the meat and ended up doing a nice job of gutting her at the same time. After getting her to the check station and recorded I went back in after changing into some dry clothes. Saw a very nice 4 point that came in and walked all around me in the afternoon but on this property they have to have 4 on one side so the 35 didn't get a test on something larger.

Anyhow here is the one my son got with the 30-30 and the MP 308 Hunter HP and then the baby I got Saturday. And rifle season comes in official this Saturday :)

Son and his Harvest:
150986
30-30 entrance X2 as it tried to get back up and he shot it a second time in the same spot.:
150987
35 Remington Fawn:
150990

[OnHoPr]

Bravo & congrats. Looks like tasty eats to me.

[dougader]

Excellent bullet, nice hunting too.

Can you break down the alloy for me? I don't know the vernacular for your numbers.

Do you have multiple pins for this mould?

I'm trying to put together loads for my CVA Hunter in 35 Remington.

[gtgeorge]

@OnHoPr
Thanks. We were long out of Jerky this time so having some to chew on while hunting more is nice. I am not proud of the small deer I shot but we needed the meat and we have been hunting hard.

@dougader
tin-antimony-lead is the order. 3(tin)-3(antimony)-94(lead) This is the same order they are listed when I buy or discuss with the foundries I buy from.
I have a set of pins for a solid as well but have not tested or even cast with them. As long as I don't loose anything with the HP version I may never cast the solid. It was the group buy mold at
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?177947-MiHec-359-220-FN-Hunting-Boolit-2-or-4-Cavity-Brass-Cramer

[Yodogsandman]

Certainly NOT a "catch and release" bullet/load combo! Well done!

[dougader]

Thanks for all the info, gtgeorge! That mould looks like a keeper to me!

[gtgeorge]

Glad to be able to contribute Doug!

Looks like Bambi wanted a ride home this morning. I decided to go grab a couple hours in the woods for another early firearm hunt with free tags. Sure am glad they are bonus tags cause the doe I saw walking through the thick grew horns on the ground before I went and retrieved her! Turned out to be a 100 # 4 pointer and would have used my oops tag if they weren't extras. Anyhow spotted him easing through the woods right before 8AM hoping I could manage to squeeze one through a hole somewhere along the way. At 87 yards I was presented with a quartering away shot where all I had was a little further back than what I like in between the branches.

Anyhow the shot broke and I saw him bolt and lost sight immediately. Not sure if it was a good shot (I felt it was) or how the bullet would perform I assumed I would be tracking. Gave it an hour or so and walked over to where he was standing and saw him laying about 7 yards in as he didn't make it far. It turned out to be a little low and far back and caught the stomach going in. Due to the energy the bullet shed in the buck before it exited the far side right behind the shoulder (very low) he died quickly.

I am very pleased with the performance of this bullet so far and look forward to an even heavier deer and then some hogs as well. The amount of bruising/bloodshot on the entrance rib cage tells the story and makes it clear I need to stay away from the shoulders and backstraps to make sure meat is not ruined. Very devastating combo.

This is how I found him with exit side up as usual.
151198

And here he is flipped over showing the entrance hole.
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Here is the entrance after skinning showing massive trama from the impact.
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And on the way out after skinned.
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And the exit before skinning:
151202

[RJM52]

GREAT stories...

I bought one of these molds for use in a Ruger Frontier .358 Winchester...looks like it will be a winner...

Bob

[gtgeorge]

Added another to the tally today with similar results except this one ran 50 yards after being hit perfect right behind the shoulder. Got both lungs and beautiful exit but he ran. Good blood trail so all in all I am happy. WHen if I shoot a bigger deer or a decent hog I will report back but obvious this works great for average and small deer. Hope others find this useful and a big thanks to Miha for another fine mold/profile. Also Kudo's go out to (45 2.1 ) to who I believed was the designer. Sorely miss his creations he worked with Miha with.

[gtgeorge]

Looks like you have a doozy there, I'd maybe watch out for the hard raking shots though. Looks like it would do a real good job on the double lunger.
Shot a Doe this past weekend catching high on the shoulder blade and bullet exited on the far side on next to last rib and low since I was way up on the side of a pine tree and she was only 25 yards out. measured to right over 11.5" of penetration and hit cartilage and heavier muscle going in. Still no recovered bullet but I am sure I will run into one that does at some point. It has performed well now 4 times but so far nothing big.
Here is the entrance:
151497151498

[farmbif]

I just got mine from mihec, another piece of art. Which pins did you use the pointed or the flat top ones. Did you happen to try any leverloution powder or is benchmark it. Sounds like a nice with the family. it must be nice to have family. Its too bad all the dead deer along I-75 all through Georgia can't be somehow diverted back to the woods b4 they are roadkill.

[kobeinu]

Thanks for the continuing follow ups. Will you cast a solid? The 24in of bloodshot meat leaves me wondering what the solid would do.

[NYBushBro]

Hope others find this useful and a big thanks to Miha for another fine mold/profile. Also Kudo's go out to (45 2.1 ) to who I believed was the designer. Sorely miss his creations he worked with Miha with.

IIRC, I believe that this was a copy of a BRP mold... I think it was posted in the 1st post of the Group Buy.

[gtgeorge]

Thanks for the continuing follow ups. Will you cast a solid? The 24in of bloodshot meat leaves me wondering what the solid would do.
I won't be casting a solid as I hate using the FP pins in the other MP molds I tried them in. I get them for the HP version and buy the solid for those I want the solid in. I have the RCBS 200 clone I shoot for flat points.

I have no problem with the meat damage since it is very little as long as you stay off the shoulders. I had a great season with it this year other than 2 "Biguns" missed at 240 yards with a scope mis-adjustment for the range :( I did not have enough time in with setting the elevation which didn't match the settings as labeled. Should have had the 300yd setting lined up for it but when I looked after the miss's I found it set to 175. And no hogs yet either.

Thanks NYBushBro for the clarification on the origins of the design.