360-640 Expansion

[nannyhammer]

Has anyone used the 360-640 Miha HP on whitetail deer? I've always used the cone shaped HP with version since it's never killed anything that bleeds but was thinking today about swapping to the penta shaped HP less expansion on deer and coyotes. Anyone with actual experience on deer type game up about 150lbs. Gun in question is a 6" GP100 and shots would be 50-60 yards and I normally use 50/50 alloy. Thanks!

[wgg]

I used a NOE 183 grain BRP with a cup hollow point and Alliant 2400 last year. I hit a doe high in the spine at 40 yards or so, did not recover the bullet. As long as you have some weight for penetration I believe you will be fine.

[nannyhammer]

Boolits weigh about 160 grains with the deep HP and get roughly 1200fps with current load of 2400.

[KVO]

MP 360-640 cast from Roto Metals 20:1. Black PC are pentas, the two green PC on the bottom left are the large HP. All loaded w/ 14.0gr Alliant 2400, Winchester small pistol primers and Starline brass. Left to right as per photos, 2.5" S&W model 19, 5.5" Blackhawk, 20" Winchester 1892. All fired into Clear Ballistics gel, covered w/ 2 layers of cloth. Penetration and velocity data as per pics. I was short on time when shooting the '92 and did not chronograph. I unfortunately also do not have data in my logbook for the penetration of the bullet shank as fired from the rifle, although I dimly recall them making it through the 1st 16" block. With this alloy the big round HP is a grenade out of anything other than ~2" barrel. That includes the 5.5" Blackhawk and a 6" Dan Wesson. Both the 360-640 and the 359-640 (double crimp groove version) are my two favorite all around 357 magnum bullets. The NOE BRP mold mentioned by wgg is based on the same design as the 359-640, though I am not sure how close they are. I like the conical cup point of the NOE HP molds more than the domed cup point on the MPs, they tend not to shed as much of the nose and open up well. The 359-640 penta (which is a much larger cavity than the 360-640 penta) loaded over 13.5gr of Alliant 2400 is my current social purposes load on the occasion I travel with a 2.5" model 19.

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*Edit* I the larger of the two pentas fired through the 2.5" barrel on the far left struck another bullet in the gel, normally they do not open up as well at this velocity. But it gives you some idea how they might do striking bone or otherwise as found in an actual creature. I've not yet been assaulted by blocks of ballistic gelatin but I've got my eye on them...

[cwlongshot]

I like it allot! Haven’t taken a deer with it! But shot into a 55 gal barrel and wet news print shows a good expansion in 12-1300 FPS range. Exp to base of hp when cast @ about 12bhn. If pushed faster, nose will tear off.

I use blue dot for mine. I also powder coat & size 360. But they won’t fit the load tester! But slide right in my Colt Whitetailer’s cylinder. Accuracy is also V good but drops if I size smaller.

CW

[Hamish]

KVO,

Excellent post sir, that's how it's done. BTW, I'm a huge fan of 14-15gr-2400 with any weight cast bullet I care to put through the Mag.

[nannyhammer]

Looks like the penta HPs held up pretty well. I use the 14.0 grains of 2400 as well but have never shot any animals with them. When used in the .38 the deep HP makes beautiful mushrooms but I think I'll save them for use on coyotes in the .357. Thanks for the info guys.