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Thread: LHP expansion test recommendations?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    LHP expansion test recommendations?

    I plan to shoot on Thursday with 40-160 LHP bullets I loaded today. Two are the original cast MP bullets, one round and the other hex. Another two are the same bullets but I hammered a phillips into it and filled it with caulk. i used a knife and curt a shallow slot from the hex closest to the rim then filled the cavity with caulk. I have jugs of water and one is filled with wet folded newspaper. The lead is mostly .22lr lead with a bhn of 10. If the bullets shatter, I plan to add tin. Any further suggestions for what to look for?

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    All of my testing has been with standard pressure, not +P, in .38 Special stubbies. Great success using 1 to 30 tin-lead from Roto Metals with 158 SWC having 1/4" meplat and cup point of .15"major diameter with 60- degree draft angle so that depth of cup point does nothing not exceed cavity diameter Velocity 720+/-25 fps from 2-inch revolver having 0.005" barrel-cylinder gap using 3.5 grains of Bullseye. Expansion to 0.60" with 24 inches penetration in water jugs
    Last edited by Outpost75; 06-22-2022 at 02:25 PM.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    If it stops in 2 or 3 jugs it is a varmint bullet. You need 4 jugs penetration to equal 14-16" ballistic gel. The Miami shootout was lost by a shallow penetrating hollow point (11" gel) that went through the perps forearm, ribs, and stopped short of penetrating his heart. He went on to shoot more officers for many minutes afterwards. They preach shot placement, but penetration is just as important. You are better off carrying non-expanding ammo than under-penetrating ammo. If shot placement is good but penetration is lacking, you might as well be chucking baseballs at the bad guy. Baseballs have more energy than most pistol bullets, but bullets are deadly because they penetrate.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    I suppose it would good to see if the bullets will penetrate 4 jugs as you mention. If not, maybe I can switch the hollow point pins and make a 160gr flat round nose and push it for greater penetration?

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    And so I have what is equivalent to 1:20 tin-lead alloy. I have pure lead and can make a 1:30 tin-lead to try.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy

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    Quote Originally Posted by mnewcomb59 View Post
    If it stops in 2 or 3 jugs it is a varmint bullet. You need 4 jugs penetration to equal 14-16" ballistic gel. The Miami shootout was lost by a shallow penetrating hollow point (11" gel) that went through the perps forearm, ribs, and stopped short of penetrating his heart. He went on to shoot more officers for many minutes afterwards. They preach shot placement, but penetration is just as important. You are better off carrying non-expanding ammo than under-penetrating ammo. If shot placement is good but penetration is lacking, you might as well be chucking baseballs at the bad guy. Baseballs have more energy than most pistol bullets, but bullets are deadly because they penetrate.
    True! If I remember correctly, it was a 9 MM silvertip, that failed on penetration.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check