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Thread: MP Mold 173gr Hammer

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    MP Mold 173gr Hammer

    Just ordered one today for my 357Mag GP100 4.2". Gas Check version. Anybody using that and what's been your results? I plan to use my normal alloy resulting in 11 - 12Bhn. Molds has the large/small HP pins as well as solid and a cup HP.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Wheelguns 1961's Avatar
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    I have that mold. I use the large hp at 155 grains in my 357 revolvers with 6.5 grains of unique. It has been an accurate bullet for my use. I imagine a gas checked cup point of this bullet would be pretty good in a 357 mag lever gun.
    Due to the price of primers, warning shots will no longer be given!

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks. Casts up a bunch Tuesday but had bad weather and today was brutally cold with a few snow flurries. Hope to get to the range next week. Use mainly 2400 and H110 but will load some of your 6.5gr Unique to see how they do.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I haven’t used any MP boolits, but I did use a NOE 173 gr SWC for awhile.

    It was borderline too long for the twists in my Smith 38’s/357’s and Ruger GP100’s. They all have the slow twist 1:18.75”. It did better in my Blackhawks which have 1:16” twist. It also was dependent on velocity. The faster it was pushed the tighter the groups. I’ll bet you see the same thing with your 173gr Hammer. But, your GP100 will stand up to all the max velocity rounds you care to shoot. So I’ll also guess you’ll be happy with it.

    I find I don’t need gas checks on my boolits until I get into 1500 fps plus in revolvers. Of course that’s based on most of my revolvers have chamber exits and forcing cones touched up.

    For cast hollow points, I find a trace of copper really improves the mushroom effect and keeps them from shattering or shedding. It doesn’t take much. Definitely less than a percent. I get mine into solution by arc welding it in using a heavy copper wire as the electrode and making a few passes across the top of the melted alloy before casting.
    "Time and money don't do you a bit of good until you spend them." - My Dad

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    shoestring,
    Thanks for sharing your expertise. My 173 Hammer mold drops solids at 165gr and cup points at 159-160gr. If I have problems with accuracy, I'll try running them a little harder.
    I spent 2 yrs in Austin while assigned to Bergstrom AFB back in the 60s. Loved the area, thought of staying there but the tug for home won out. Beautiful place Texas. Had kin in San Marcos and Brady.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I have a 4 cavity brass mold for the plain base version of that bullet. I use it strictly in my Rossi 92 carbine, and I'm extremely happy with it.

    If I have any gripes at all about it, it would be the tiny crimp groove. I like generous crimp grooves.

    Beautifully accurate, even out past 100 yards.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlaskaMike View Post
    I have a 4 cavity brass mold for the plain base version of that bullet. I use it strictly in my Rossi 92 carbine, and I'm extremely happy with it.

    If I have any gripes at all about it, it would be the tiny crimp groove. I like generous crimp grooves.

    Beautifully accurate, even out past 100 yards.
    Mike,
    How do you like your Rossi 357? Use to have a PUMA 357 based of the Win Mod 92. Like a dork sold it to raise funds to buy a T/C Contender: bad mistake. I have what is almost an incurable disease or fault or whatever; buy, shoot, enjoy get bored and sell or trade.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master oldhenry's Avatar
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    MP Hammer: my experience

    I have this mold in the 8 cav. solid, 2cav. HP PB & 2 cav. HP GC

    My alloy is 50/50 COWW/PB + 1% SN. The SN percentage is a guess. I alloy 2 full size muffins of COWW with 2 full size muffins of PB & to this I add 2 nuggets of SN from Rotometal. I call this my #1 alloy.

    The recovered boolits result from point blank firing into a row of 5 water filled 1 gal milk cartons.

    The .357 with the penta point penetrated just barely into the 3rd. jug. Powder charge was 6.8 of Longshot. The penta point boolits are gas checked & weigh 166 gr.

    The .38 Spec. with the wide HP was recovered from the far side of the 2nd. jug (looks like it just bumped into the far side of #2). The wide HP are PB & weigh 158 gr. Powder charge is 4.5 of Unique.

    We use the solid version (and the arsenal 162 gr. version) for 50 yd. IHMSA chickens. They shoot better than I do.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails MVC-033F.JPG  
    Last edited by oldhenry; 01-20-2023 at 11:36 AM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by smokeater View Post
    Mike,
    How do you like your Rossi 357? Use to have a PUMA 357 based of the Win Mod 92. Like a dork sold it to raise funds to buy a T/C Contender: bad mistake. I have what is almost an incurable disease or fault or whatever; buy, shoot, enjoy get bored and sell or trade.
    I actually have 3 of the Rossi 92s and really like them. My .357 I had the receiver drilled and tapped for a Williams FP sight, and I refinished the stock and forearm with a nice stain and boiled linseed oil. It's a thing of beauty now, and extremely accurate.

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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