Show me your most beautiful expanded cast boolits

[bmortell]

236122 these are my potential hunting loads for next year. From left to right. First is from yesterday, most perfect mushroom ive gotten so far. Its a 220gr 30cal PP'd 1.5/1.5/97% slowed to approx 1700 to simulate hunting distance, measures .765 nearly 2.5x caliber. Second is a 300gr wfn 44, was basically going for a wider sledge hammer and i achieved it. Last is lee 240gr 44 pure lead paper patch tucked over the front drive band from a levergun cheap simple and effective.

Testing hunting bullets i reduce speed a bit and fire into a stack comprising, 8-12 inches wet phone books followed by a water jug or 3 and a box full of fabric in back. Im sure alot of you do something simmilar, Show me what you got!

[sharps4590]

I don't have any....I've never recovered one and I don't test for expansion.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Considering that expansion with a cast bullet will always and forever be a factor of the alloy used and the velocity at impact, expansion in hunting with a cast bullet will always be an iffy thing!

While you may use an alloy that gives text book expansion in test media, the variables of range/distance and the point of impact and if bone or heavy muscle is struck or the hit is only through very soft tissue as in a lung hit where no bone is struck, the same bullet that gives that text book expansion in test media may over expand or not expand at all or minimally in the soft lung tissue.

Far better is the reliability of the large meplat such as found on bullet designs with the Wide Flat or Long Flat nose.

I'm almost in the same boat as Sharps4590 as I have only one bullet found in a critter. That being a big cow elk taken with a quartering shot that took out the big/heavy upper front leg bone, a rib, went through the lungs and big heavy paunch, the guts and stopped under the hide just ahead of the off side ham.

Velocity 1650fps, bullet a 465gr WFN cast of water quenched 50/50 - clip on Wheel Weights/lead - range about 100yds.

Found weight, 327.9gr. the nose likely lost at impact with that heavy front leg bone after which the bullet continued on for about another 30".

My other 2 - 45/70 elk were complete pass through as has every deer taken with that rifle. Every deer with only one exception dripped where it stood.

Then during the 2017 deer season I took two deer with a RUGER 77/44 rifle and a 275/280gr Wide Flat Nose bullet cast of just plain clip on WW - water quenched, velocity 1750fps, both complete pass through and both dead where they stood.

Text book expansion is ever so nice to look at, but in the real hunting world something which may or may not work out as expected, while a large meplat is always a large meplat even without expansion.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[OS OK]

Well...here comes the arguments about expansion & then comes the FBI's standards and their test media...bla, bla, bla...but, I can tell you this, I learned a lot about blending casting metal and projectile speed while playing with expansion...let them rant on & on & on....expansion has it's place.

https://i.imgur.com/IfsAERa.jpg

Snubbies are hard to work with in a non +P round.

https://i.imgur.com/SPlUjpQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9xrfM5y.jpg?1

[Tripplebeards]

80/20 ACCOWW and pure mixed with 12% Pewter water test.


236155236156236157236158236159236160

It was loaded with a max load of 23.8 grains of h110 out of a Ruger 77/44.

I shot three deer with them this past season. All pass throughs loaded with 21.1 grains of lil gun at 1750 FPS and not one expanded being I had a .430 perfect round boolit diameter exit on all three animals even after shattering ribs on the inside and making fist sized holes through them apon inspection after skinning. Going with a softer alloy of 7.5 Bh this year vs the above alloy at 15.4. It acted like a hard cast solid with very little blood to follow and two of the three went 100 and 140 yards before dropping with broadside lung shots.

I have pics of the same boolits with 50/50 alloy of 10.5 Bh and even softer 7.5 Bh but they don’t make as nice of a mushroom as the hard 80/20 in water. It’s probably a great alloy for hogs, moose, grizzlies, and dinosaurs.

I learned that water testing isn’t the same as shooting thin skinned game this past season. A perfect mushroom with water testing is IMO is way too hard for deer and don’t expand as I found out. It still did tons of damage but didn’t make a large exit hole for a descent blood trail. I’m guessing my soft alloy that over expanded in water will do great in a thin skinned deer. ....Stay tuned!

50/50 at the same max load of 23.8gr of h110

236163236164


And 16 to 1 mix of pewter and pure lead with a Bh of 7.5 with 21 grains of h110(or it was 19 grains...I don’t remember now) which will be the one I’ll use on deer this year. I’m sure it will have a lot better weight retention with a good mushroom vs what it did In water along with a lot more kinetic energy transfer from expanding.

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[bmortell]

@crusty ol coot, well in large bore im certainly a fan of WFN as its pretty failsafe expansion not needed. but in 'normal' hunting rifles like 30-06 I want to make an effort for good expansion, so I test at simulated 75yd velocity in something water based and squishy.

90% of my fun in casting comes from ballistics testing, that's most of my interest in guns overall, id be doing this weather I hunt or not so im a happy camper.

Anyway that's not why were here I wanna see pretty pictures :D

[richhodg66]

A 7mm hollow pointed bullet of mine after it went through about two and a half feet of a white tail doe. Worked out well. Starting weight was 166 grains, finished up at 77.
236167

[cas]

700gr 50-90
http://photos.imageevent.com/cas6969/shmisc/700grainspaperPatchedGoodne.jpg

500gr .512", nearly pure lead.

http://photos.imageevent.com/cas6969/shmisc/small/2E04C17B-BB66-4737-A3CF-310ED58FCBC1.jpeg

http://photos.imageevent.com/cas6969/shmisc/websize/7F977FA5-71A7-46EF-B27B-2DE82901A795.jpeg

[OS OK]

Tripplebeards...

Try plugging those HP's with silicone, that'll stop the hair-n-hide from plugging that hole and affecting expansion.

With this .38S. I tried to get them to open like a turbo prop. Imagine the internal damage they could cause.

https://i.imgur.com/WQIecfS.jpg

Elvis Ammo tested them in gel for me and they worked great...even out of the snubbie at very low velocity.

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

[Tripplebeards]

Os ok, that works slick. I wonder how it would work if I didn’t scrape up the inside of my boolit and just put in wax or caulk at my velocities of a 1000 FPS faster than yours? My guess is it would be very helpful if I did this to my hard alloy with the internal cuts like you did but my soft alloy is going to come apart no matter what at the speeds I’m pushing them.

[OS OK]

You know, I haven't worked with the rifle HP's but if I did, I think I'd go tin rich in hope that the tin would help them to hang onto their weight because of the greater malleability the tin adds.

I've noticed that with the tin rich lead only, it tends to flow...if you get my meaning. Like these large pieces that flowed off these rounds...

https://i.imgur.com/tCMB0LJ.jpg

These pieces aren't frags as if there was too much Sb in the mix making them brittle. HP's in a rifle sounds like a job of work to get them to retain all their weight.

Low velocity is a much easier game.

[WinchesterM1]

Here is a lee 309-150fn PCed and sized to .312 out of a Ruger ranch rifle in 7.62x39 over 21.5 grn of IMR-4198 seated LONG taken out of a doe shot at about 230-250 yards it penatrated about 22”236183

[WinchesterM1]

Here is the damage
236184

[no34570]

Tripplebeards...

Try plugging those HP's with silicone, that'll stop the hair-n-hide from plugging that hole and affecting expansion.

With this .38S. I tried to get them to open like a turbo prop. Imagine the internal damage they could cause.

https://i.imgur.com/WQIecfS.jpg

Elvis Ammo tested them in gel for me and they worked great...even out of the snubbie at very low velocity.

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

Very nice!

[kbstenberg]

To those that have posted pictures. Could you put some #'s (% of alloy) to your post. A picture tells a story and facts compleats the story.

[Tripplebeards]

Here’s the link to when I tested mine with alloy Bh’s

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?362842-More-testing-with-the-Lyman-devistator-and-my-ruger-77-44

And more ...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?365538-More-testing-with-my-ruger-77-44-and-the-Lyman-devastator

And results of shooting deer...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?373867-First-deer(s)-with-cast-boolits!-Used-my-devastators!!!

That’s about as complete as it gets.

[rking22]

:bigsmyl2:http://i64.tinypic.com/a3gky0.jpg
NOE 41 237 grain lfn hollow pointed on 13.6 2400 and shot into rotten red oak at 25 yards. Gun was a 6 inch Clements gp100 in 41 special. I wasn't expansion testing, but they were there. Alloy was roughly 1.5sn:1.5sb:97pb made from reclaim shot, pewter and plain lead. Water dropped, just cause. Worked just fine on a 5 point this season at c25 yards. I like the way they open but still leave plenty of solid base to continue the penetration. My experience has been that blowing off the bulk of the bullet gets lots of damage but little in the way of an exit hole for a trail,just in case. Can't give velocity, crony has been AWOL a while, maybe I will remember where I put it for safe keeping, or who I loaned it to, hopefully. Guessing 1100ish, but plenty enough for TN deers

[bmortell]

Seems like allot of hollow point fans, can someone give me a sales pitch on why id want to chose a hollow point mold over just expanding a flatpoint assuming i have enough velocity to do either. In my thinking atleast it seems an expanded flatpoint would have a better chance at high retained weight since its not flipping a cup inside out and stretching it without center material bonding. Also a nonworking flatpoint should be more effective than a clogged hollowpoint since the clog makes it more round in profile.

I can see in lower speeds like non magnum handguns, but otherwise im not sure, plus casting time is slower right?

[dragon813gt]

I won’t get into why or why not to use a hollow point. But they aren’t slower to cast w/ depending on the style. A Cramer style mold is just as fast a non hollow point mold. NOE’s RG style molds run pretty much the same speed. I’m not a fan of them but once you get a rhythm they work well. Other styles can be slower. But it’s also about the person running the mold and not just the style of the mold.

[rking22]

Can’t give a sales pitch for hollow points, personally got mixed feelings. I want a lot of bullet left to penetrate even if the entire nose blows off. I also use balanced alloy to prevent brittleness. That said , most all my deer haven fallen to flat points in 30cal and up, and round balls from side locks. The NOE molds cast great and by getting an rug mold I can have options. I can cast the hp, a cup point, or solid flat point. All from the same mold just by changing the pins. I can also shorten a pin if I feel it makes too deep a hollow point for weight retention. Honestly, I think a hollow point like I have in the 41 picture above is just as good as a flat point. With my mold I can use either one, depending on my mood. I will be taking that load with a solid one on a hog hunt in March. Same load and alloy in the same gun.

[megasupermagnum]

Here is a photo from earlier this year. From left to right, very shallow cup point, hollow point, and far right is a flat point. All three were cast of 20-1 alloy. All three were shot into water. The far left obviously didn't work, no different than a flat point. While the far right flat point looks impressive, it also impacted north of 1500 fps. Any slower and you would have to go to nearly pure lead to see good expansion. The middle is a true hollow point, nothing huge though. It was a 1/8" hole drilled .150" deep with a Forester hollow pointing kit.

236250

I have better pictures, but the sight wont let me upload at the moment. I'll try later. I don't understand why people have the opinion that casting hollow points is voodoo. I'm just an average guy, and I've found it surprisingly easy to make hollow points work. They react about how you would expect, no black magic or sacrifices to the gods. They are also reliable. Fired into water, wood, dirt, paper, it doesn't seem to matter. Not every bullet is a mirror image, but I've yet to see one expand really well, and the next not at all. Stick to soft lead, 20-1 is the bees knees, although softer or harder can work. I've never seen good results with straight clip on wheel weights, but COWW mixed 50/50 with stick on seems to do well enough. It seems below 800 fps is iffy for expansion. The middle bullet in that picture left the gun at 1200 fps and hit about 20 yards. I also have one I shot into a log at 75 yards, with impressive expansion as well. I will upload pictures when possible.

As was stated, they are not that hard to cast. Pure lead is no fun, but a lead/tin alloy is the best casting bullet metal there is. The NOE mold pins take some getting used to. All I do is jingle them into place before closing the mold. The inset bar from Erik is a dream to cast with, no different than a plain mold.

If you are looking for a reason to cast hollow points, they make bigger holes. There is a lot of merit to the large meplat and heavy bullet approach, but some calibers lack the diameter, and all else equal, a good hollow point still makes a bigger hole. A whitetail deer is not thick, and penetration is grossly overrated. I always want two holes in a deer if possible, and hollow points are no handicap there. Some of it goes to personal preference. There was the question on here a little while ago about a full power hollow point 357 magnum verses a slow swc 44 special. Surprisingly about 90% of people answered 44. I'll take the 357 every time. My experience tells me a 180 grain hollow point 357 magnum can make a larger hole than a 240 grain 44 swc, and you get the benefit of less recoil in the process. I'm not sure if people honestly think the .280" meplat will make a larger hole than a bullet that expands over 1/2", or if they think a hollow point is incapable of passing through an animal? Maybe they think the hollow point is too destructive to meat? Either way is a hunting capable bullet, and people don't like to change their ways once they find what works.

[tsubaki]

Powder coated Lee 457-405-f (416gr actual) for 45-70gvt, muzzle velocity 1665fps and Lee c309-160-r (166gr actual) for 300aac, muzzle velocity 1492fps.
Unknown alloy BHN11 retrieved from dirt pile at 100 yards.
236263
236264

[Tripplebeards]

Here are some straight accoww Lyman devastators loaded with 6 grains of trail boss shot out of my 329 NG with a 2 3/4” barrel into 2 wood pallets at 25 yards. Found the boolits laying next to the pallets. Lost my GCs going through the wood and Pedals didn’t blow off at slow speeds. Kicks like a 357 or a little less with these light loads in my titanium NG. They’re not pretty but they expanded. The one actually swallowed a piece of pallet and folded in instead of out. I would assume filling the hp with caulk would help open it instead of reverse expansion.

236274

236275

[Goshawk]

236343236342

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I do not keep "fired cast" as all mine that I can recover from my shooting place gets remelted to keep the supply flowing.
As hunting down here is very limited where I live. Revolvers in .357 or 38 Special is what we have. Wild dogs and maybe a marmot here and there all that is available.
But our own range scrap at 800 - 950 fps will expand at least 30% or more. At 700 fps (our plinkers) they maybe expand 10%.
We also only shoot a 160 wadcutter for all needs. They drop at 163-164 grains so already are full caliber holes.

In our 44WCF carbine 1892 SRC made in 1907 at 1100 fps they near turn inside out. Last one I measured was .680 or so in diameter.
Mike in Peru

[strebort]

Not much science to my casting. I use whatever I can find. Most are less than 16 Brinnell hardness . Only recovered one in a game animal, RCBS 35-200 in the offside leg of an elk. Distance was 198 yards through chest heart area. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/0e066f3052fb795b1f34dce51806114a.jpg

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

[megasupermagnum]

For some reason Castboolits is giving me an error when I try and upload more photo's. I am not anywhere near the limit. Hopefully these show up from an image hosting site.

This bullet was shot into a log at 75 yards. It was cast of 20-1 alloy, forester hollow point, and left the gun at 1220 fps.

https://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/donkeycondon/0217192230b.jpg (https://s617.photobucket.com/user/donkeycondon/media/0217192230b.jpg.html)

http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/donkeycondon/0217192230.jpg (http://s617.photobucket.com/user/donkeycondon/media/0217192230.jpg.html)

[megasupermagnum]

Here is the same load, but recovered from the dirt berm at 50 yards. They perform almost indistinguishable from 0-75 yards at least, in seemingly any media. Unfortunately the most important bullet, was the one I shot into a deer, I could not find. I looked and looked, and while I never found an exit hole, I never found the bullet either. That's a good thing, plus the deer dropped on the spot.

My pictures aren't artsy, perfect mushrooms. I didn't wan't my bullets to turn inside out, as I did not want to give up pass through penetration. Mine do show reliable expansion under any conditions. That's beautiful to me.

If I didn't already mention, while the bullets look different depending on what they hit, all of them were about .45" across at their widest point, including the one shot into water. Not bad for a 32 caliber handgun.

https://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt253/donkeycondon/0219191237.jpg (https://s617.photobucket.com/user/donkeycondon/media/0219191237.jpg.html)

[Drm50]

I don't have any pictures but I modified a Lyman Ideal 322 Gould Express HP buy increasing the HP pin dia. The object was to get a bullet for my Colt NS 455 that was close to 265gr that could be sized to .457". I poured a
couple dozen out of pure lead just to see how they dropped. I ended up shaving the top of mold to get near 265g. Anyway later fooling around I took the original test boolits and filled the cavity with #10 shot, covered with cardboard and sealed with epoxie. I shot these out of a RB 45/70 with mild load at 1200fps. They didn't expand they almost exploded when they hit 2x4s. I had pin set to allow about 1/4" base thickness. Pieces of the
base are about all you could find, the rest was scrapnel. It would blow the 2x4 clear in half if you center hit it.
The finished product for the 455 at 600fps cast from WW:Lead didn't expand that well and were not accurate so
I filled HP with wax and they shot a little better.

[bmortell]

236381 ill elaborate on my testing for finding my 30 cal hunting load. first off all expanded bullets here are tested in my above mentioned method except the one from a deer. last year i only had the lee 170 i was using 2.3 antimony 1.8 tin launched at 1800mv. the middle one was my test one that i mistakeingly only slowed down to 1700 for testing, then the last one was most the way through a deer almost lengthwise at a full 100yds meaning it was more around 1500 rather than 1700. Ignore that big flare on the back thats from thigh bone near the end but as you can see the initial expansion is not alot it isnt much shorter than a fresh one.

236380 see below post

after last deer season i bought a 220gr mold cause recoil wont be bad at 2k or less, so why not go heavy. Middle photo is same 2.3 1.8 alloy, i dont know exact velocity probably 1800 test planning for 2k launch speed. Finally i fully recognised that the lead slows down fast, expands less in deer than water, and i should go softer and more malleable so i switched to 1.5/1.5/97 and tested at 1700 when my mv is 2k. Now in testing atleast, i get 95% weight retention with wide expansion while properly accounting for distance, so i should be better off next year, atleast more weight and expansion.

[bmortell]

Heres the 220gr i couldnt get both photos open on that post.236382

[Gamsek]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/e40cc353f470a2e1006c35e034f28be1.jpg
Ness safety bullet, HG#38 MIHec
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/a5167f45dd6012a4300f3075357bbfec.jpg
314-140 Sledgehammer MIHec
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/921b25c8b9c0216c8fff9e9452d2f5c1.jpg
311410, HG#38, 312-159 Hunting and 9mm 359-125 pentas, all MIHec
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/b4b83689c96ed674f8e2cec54e663d98.jpg
311410 MIHec
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/06e8829ee5bbfb85f10e2432c9fc3331.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/4852f759fbea307403fe1d2f93899a9c.jpg
432-640 MIHec sub and max speed
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/b148acad13991277032d6ab449aa14a0.jpg
432-423 MIHec

All pure with 2-5% tin.

[Gamsek]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/d046d69e01b27b3eb10f26228cd8b53c.jpg
432-423 MIHec penta
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/2f18a41fea20dfd26239003bc881d064.jpg
432-423 and 359-125 MIHec penta
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/a00101d6e060407fb6b186e1fa3d8a22.jpg
358-165 Larsen MIHec pentas
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/da76cb517c11818f9289129867cf07ae.jpg
358-165 Larsen MIHec 2/3 ww/1/3 pure

[Gamsek]

44-395 holowbase WC shoot as holow point. Pure with 2%tin, 750fps. MiHec https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/25382a5dc6f290a45b396f4eb3de3721.jpg

[White Oak]

236390

Mihec 432640 large pin 50/50 plus 2% tin at 1,200fps. 25 yards into wet newspaper.

[Tripplebeards]

Those Pentas make cool looking mushrooms.

[EMC45]

Great pics guys!

[OS OK]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190219/b148acad13991277032d6ab449aa14a0.jpg
432-423 MIHec

All pure with 2-5% tin.


EU Violets?

[Gamsek]

EU Violets?Yes, for EU snowflakes:)

[megasupermagnum]

Whats the deal with penta points? Do they expand at lower velocities, or just look man pretty?

[dragon813gt]

Whats the deal with penta points? Do they expand at lower velocities, or just look man pretty?

The expansion tends to mimic that of a JHP like a Gold Dot or XTP. But you’re going to have to tailor the alloy to your gun and velocity.

[McFred]

215gr ACCOWW .35 Rem at 1950fps into milkjugs of water at close range. Mostly just for testing velocities with paper jackets.

http://s12.postimg.cc/5bhux4m99/pp_w_wad.jpg

[megasupermagnum]

The expansion tends to mimic that of a JHP like a Gold Dot or XTP. But you’re going to have to tailor the alloy to your gun and velocity.

So they just look like a flower rather than a mushroom? No other advantage over a round pin hollow point?

[Djones]

35 rem. Factory Hornady versus the silver stream in the form of a RCBS 35-200.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190221/2d24a1be1431804c7a93c2cd26766a4a.jpg

It is not hard to tell which one I prefer to kill deer with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gamsek]

So they just look like a flower rather than a mushroom? No other advantage over a round pin hollow point?From what I have seen and test, they tend to open just a tad easier. But again, not all pentas have same Hp cavity size and same amount of material sorounding cavity. Made from ww, in 9mm, they also tend to shread petals faster. Take them as a pre-programmed and faster way of expansion.


Poslano z mojega LM-X210 z uporabo Tapatalk

[EMC45]

35 rem. Factory Hornady versus the silver stream in the form of a RCBS 35-200.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190221/2d24a1be1431804c7a93c2cd26766a4a.jpg

It is not hard to tell which one I prefer to kill deer with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Cast is the winner it looks like.

[no34570]

Some good looking mushrooms :)
Well done !

[elk hunter]

Here is the only cast bullet I have recovered from a game animal, a Cape Buffalo. A 20 yard frontal chest shot from my 577 BPE struck the heart doing major damage and was recovered in the paunch. Cast from linotype, weight 325 grains sized to .585 and powered by 64 grains of H-4198 estimated velocity 1600 fps. The bull ran 30 yards and was down but required two finishing shots through the front shoulders, unfortunately the skinners didn't recover either of those bullets. Next time I'm going to offer $5.00 per recovered bullet. The bullet on the left is as cast, the center bullet is a 30 caliber, the recovered bullet had lost only 7 grains in weight and the meplat was expanded as can be seen.236548236549

[Friends call me Pac]

This is the only recovered cast bullet I have recovered from game. NOE 311165 rf out of my 30.06 Front quartering shot. 50:50 ww and pure lead.

Stick shows path of travel but bullet stuck in the skin

236912

236915

236913

[5Shot]

What was your MV?


This is the only recovered cast bullet I have recovered from game. NOE 311165 rf out of my 30.06 Front quartering shot. 50:50 ww and pure lead.

Stick shows path of travel but bullet stuck in the skin

236912

236913

[stubshaft]

I've never recovered a boolit from any animal I have shot.

[Friends call me Pac]

5shot I don't honestly know what the velocity is. 165gr bullet with 4895 @ 29gr is the load.

[5Shot]

5shot I don't honestly know what the velocity is. 165gr bullet with 4895 @ 29gr is the load.

Thanks

[kiwi]

237126237127
These are cast from MP molds 311 159 they are 151 grain HP shot at 1085fps into 2 litre plastic milk jugs at 50 metres
recovered from the 5th jug, the lead mix is pure lead scrap pipe and 2% tin,
Boolits recovered from animals look the same.

[sukivel]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190303/803297fb695a64b2b690b582dc5a4256.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190303/e2db70c7e830b8d2bb6902f7426c2341.jpg

This is a Lee 230 gr trunc out of my .45 at 10 meters on a steel plate. It weighs 101 gr... I thought it was kinda cool being completely flat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[John McCorkle]

Tested these just before the beginning of season last year

Lee 312-155 wqcoww in 300 blk over a healthy load of h110 into water jugs shot over chronohttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190424/ceeb2354bf4de8e3977787b87c389c7b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190424/10befa7a9570564f00495ded7b3fb72f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190424/25c464add976fe20f691871feeb812a6.jpg

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

[gmfowler2]

NOE 45 Keith cast pure pb powered with 100 gr Pyrodex RS. Frontal shot Ohio doe at 45 yds, recovered at hips.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190427/302bd41c960ea0385c684ea1418e0644.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190427/53da6255958fb6b5fbd70d1cc4987930.jpg

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Gray Fox]

What did you shoot that NOE out of with 100 grains of Pyro? GF

[theMickster]

240763
Thought this was cool....
Click photo to see it in action :)

[Huntsman]

I haven't recovered any CBs from the game I shot but did do a wet newspaper test a few yrs back and was pleasantly surprised with the results.
This is my thread;

So today I set out to the range to carry out some long awaited ballistic tests with my 30-30 & 308. Powder used was IMR 3031 and BLC-2 (only for 30-30 w/Lee cast).
I used Ackland Granger catalogs and soaked for two nights. The bullets never made it passed catalog #2 but the 200gr 308 was pushing it ;)
Moulds were Lee 170gr GC and NOE 165 GC for 30-30 and Lee 200gr RN GC for 308 Win (boolit weights came exact +/- .2grs with gas check). Alloy was a modified Lyman #2 which came to 13 BHN, Lube was L.L.A. thinned with mineral spirits.
Distance was 100yds.

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_102219_zpsxc3uqpkq.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_102219_zpsxc3uqpkq.jpg.html)


I started the shoosting off with the 308 (Win 88). The first boolit I shot looked a little messy and I actually figured it would'nt have expanded at all but when I saw that it did I was happy but much much happier with the 2nd shot. This one formed a beautiful mushroom :rockOn:
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_101815_zpshjzcaa7y.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_101815_zpshjzcaa7y.jpg.html)
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_101838_zpsemxrmbxx.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_101838_zpsemxrmbxx.jpg.html)
And then this beauty;
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_102419_zps7xd6sxhn.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_102419_zps7xd6sxhn.jpg.html)
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_102428_zpsunfy00ke.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_102428_zpsunfy00ke.jpg.html)
This was the exact same alloy/boolit I used for last years cow moose ;)

Now for the 30-30. This was my first step into the cast boolit rifle ctg world. I went with the Lee 170gr mould but will more than likely retire this mould since I just recently purchased the NOE mould off the EE here.
So here is the first shot with the 30-30 Lee mould-velocity is approx 2000fps;
Expansion was as expected;
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_103646_zpsb9kq88lf.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_103646_zpsb9kq88lf.jpg.html)

And now the NOE 165gr
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_104420_zpsyucfklci.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_104420_zpsyucfklci.jpg.html)
Much better I think.
And all 3 that I shot. The NOE closest to loaded cartridge was max load of 28.5grs IMR 3031 and the other was 25grs same powder
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i375/Jamie_MG/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_111419_zpswcizlhxl.jpg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MG/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20151008_111419_zpswcizlhxl.jpg.html)

[White Oak]

280gr At 1370fps from my Redhawk. 16/1 alloy, 25yrds into wet newspaper.
240912

[gmfowler2]

Grey Fox, a Knight American Knight 50 cal with black MMP sabot

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Huntsman]

280gr At 1370fps from my Redhawk. 16/1 alloy, 25yrds into wet newspaper.
240912

Ain’t the wet newspaper technique a wonderful thing :)

[Huntsman]

Lyman 264gr GC
38-55

http://i67.tinypic.com/wtio7l.jpg

[Huntsman]

Cast TC Maxi-Ball .54 cal fired from TC Hawken, boolit was recovered in sand backstop.

http://i66.tinypic.com/2v0oa5i.jpg

[Huntsman]

Lee .535 rb shot from Lyman GPR recovered in spine. Found it when sawing whitetail in half.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2hd5wzo.jpg
http://i68.tinypic.com/214nsia.jpg

Before and after laying on possibles bag;
http://i63.tinypic.com/x5xjev.jpg

[Prodigal Son]

Huntsman that looks great!

[Huntsman]

Why thank you :grin:

I got more somewhere I’m sure :)

[Huntsman]

Here’s some better pics of my Lee 200gr RNGC sized to 309 and shot from Win 88/308.
Boolits were shot into wet Acklands Granger catalogs.
http://i68.tinypic.com/2mh7yac.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/1zoukwi.jpg

[bmortell]

always amazed how long lead rifle bullets can expand so much that there about 4 times shorter and still in a one nice piece. 10 years ago I probably wouldn't of believed that could work

[weeple2000]

Hunt, what alloy did you use for that Lee 200 grain? How fast was it going when it hit the target?

[Huntsman]

Hunt, what alloy did you use for that Lee 200 grain? How fast was it going when it hit the target?

That is plain old COWW Weeple2K. IMR 3031, military brass (IVI).
Going 2100 fps @muzzle.
So far 4 deer and one moose with that load.

[Huntsman]

That is plain old COWW Weeple2K.

IMR 3031 going approx 2100 @ the muzzle. 147 yards was farthest shot, DRT, on Whitetail doe.

[res45]

NOE 360-165-SWC-RG2

The bullet on the L is set up to be shot in my 357 Mag. loads while the bullet on the R was shot for a 38 snubby at +P velocity, the only difference between the two is the expanded bullet at the time was just coated with Alox/JPW lube now powder coated and the gas check was left off since the MV / pressure didn't require one.

https://i.imgur.com/D4KSNXD.jpg

NOE TL452-234-RF

Bullet was cast from 50/50 powder coated an allowed to air cool, shot from my HI Point 45 ACP carbine at just a little over 1K fps.

https://i.imgur.com/Z88JPUT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/eFe8KbD.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/XJ59D5H.jpg

[Huntsman]

Wow!!
That’s quite the cavity on those 45 ACP boolits. Reminds me of ...Barnes MZ Expander sabot.
Impressive!!

[Petander]

Here is my 45 ACP H&G #130 (185 SWC) from today.

I'm playing with soft alloy, BHN 8, about 60/40 WW/Pure mix. I was shooting clays 1000 fps @ 25 yds, soft wet dirt berm. Bullets were cast two days ago and coated yesterday,they really are soft now.

241355. Hi-Tek gold coating.

[fatmanunited]

450 bushmasterhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190509/20d77c51d1c88c3e4a16bebc53c741a3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190509/d57b5e79bd7343f4257722ed8075b078.jpg

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Blammer]

https://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits%20fun/DSCN7697.jpg (https://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Cast%20boolits%20fun/DSCN7697.jpg.html)

out of my 360 DW levergun.

[Good Cheer]

Not beautiful but part of the Lyman #358395 snubby tests.
image account deleted

[Good Cheer]

Forty caliber muzzleloader.
image account deleted

[weeple2000]

Cheer, what bhn was that?

[Good Cheer]

.36 caliber 1858 Remington
image account deleted

[Good Cheer]

.45 Colt carbine.
image account deleted

[Good Cheer]

Cheer, what bhn was that?

Which one sir?
The HBWC turned around or the .40 GPR?

[Abert Rim]

Very informative thread. Particularly interested in those .30 and .35 results, as I will be casting hunting bullets for a Krag and for a waffletop 336 in .35 Remington.