Test of Forster Hollow-pointer

[26Charlie]

Didn't know where to put this, but since I used a levergun for the test here it is.
I came into possession of a Forster case trimmer with hollow-pointing tool. A loaded round is clamped into the casetrimmer collet, and the nose is centered up with a cone-shaped thimble on a drill clamped into the center hole where the case-mouth spud normally is. I drilled the 358009 280 gr. bullets about 1/4" deep with the 1/8" drill (there is also a 1/16" drill). Caliber is .358 Win, rifle is a M99 Savage. Don't have a velocity, but the charge is 34.0 gr. of Accurate Arms AA2460.

Here's the rifle & ammo; 4 rounds on the clip are hollow-pointed.



The targets are gallon paint cans filled with water, at 100 yards. The hollow-point on the left, the solid on the right. The results show the hollow-point dumping visibly more energy into the water upon entry, and a small fragment or two on exit. Don't know it it means much with this big bullet, but it is interesting. Later on I'll try it with a .308.

Here's the cans, front & back. Hollow-point left, solid right.

[ktw]

I have the Forester trimmer (standard length base) and hollow point attachment. It works well with my handgun rounds but I seem to recall that loaded rifle rounds (30-30 and longer) are too long to fit the trimmer with hollow point attachment.

Are you are using the long forester base for this or is there some trick to it that I am missing?

-ktw

[26Charlie]

ktw,
I don't know long from short, because I got this tool when a friend passed on. I already have a Lyman case trimmer. There does seem to be enough room in it to do at least up to .30-06. I can take a picture of it if you want.

[ktw]

Don't need a picture, but would like to know how long your base is so that I know what to keep an eye out for someday.

My base is labeled "Original" and measures out at 5 and 7/16th's inches long. Long enough to trim rifle brass of 30-06+ length but not long enough to use the hollow pointer on a loaded rifle round.

-ktw

[beemer]

I have a Herter's case trimmer that is the same as the Forester, the base is about 5 1/8 in. long. I bored another hole in the base and set the collet holder back enough to bore a 303 Brit round, it might still be to short to hollow point a 30-06.

26Charlie
I used the 1/6 bit on the 303 with a Lee 185 boolit at about 1700-1800 fps. Shooting water jugs I got about the same results you did. I never got a chance to try it on a deer so I can't say what would happen.

beemer

[26Charlie]

ktw, The base of the forster trimmer measures 4 7/8", and you are right it does not have enough clearance to hollow-point a loaded .30-06 with 311284 - I just tried it. A .358 Win will go, as the pictures indicate, so a .308 or .30-30 will go also.

Beemer, that's a good idea - there does seem to be enough room to set the collet-holder back if I need to.

[Curtis44]

KTW, Forrester makes an extra long base. I hp 45/70 and 7.62x54 with it.