I have been buying bullet molds for last couple of years here and there. The last one came in last week from a group buy that was started over 6 months ago. (You guessed it, I payed for it 6 months ago as well... LOL) Been doing a little playing around and goofing off and here are a few results.


HiMec 475 Cal 385gr HP.


Left To Right:
1) Same 475 as above.
2) 44 Cal 265gr Ranch Dog Mold design-NOE copy with HP's. The only Gas Check in the bunch.
3)"A" Keith 44 Cal 245gr. Another NOE mold RG4 Hollow Point Mold.
4) 45cal 235gr for my 45 ACP

The best thing about the HP molds I bought is that I can also change the pins out and cast standard bullets. Truly they are multipurpose molds.

Very cool.

Thanks Dan! They open up a whole new can of worms in casting, but they are fun to play with.

Duane

Duane,
I very interested in how they shoot? Have you done much range work with them yet?

Good looking boolits. What alloy are you using for them? Do they expand well or break apart?

Haven't shot them... ... ... Yet!!


I am shooting straight WW's. The 475's & 44's are water dropped and from what I have read on the Lyman 44 Devastators, they have a loooot of potential. The 45's are air cooled.

1. All four HP molds have two sets of pings to change the HP design.

2. Water Quenched are "should" be good to 1300-1400 fps

3. The air cooled are only good only good up to 900-950 fps.

So with that being said, bullet alloy AND temperament is crucial for hollow points. It is simple-you have to match game to bullet construction. Weather it is jacketed, cast, or depleted uranium. Nothing different here…

Here is an article over cast HP’s. I call it one article because they are all written by the same person and to me they are each like a chapter in a book.

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellExperiments44Special.htm

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellCastHPTNG.htm

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellLymanDevastator.htm

Yep, read them all, some twice. I have been pushing the ww alloy air cooled, out of the 454 with full doses of H110 and haven't had any problems yet. Boolit fit is also a very crucial part also. You'll have to give us some range reports with some water filled milk jugs when you get around to shooting them it should be pretty interesting.

Nice looking bullets Tex.

Thanks Gents!

RLB, I don't have to tell you there is nothing new about cast HP's. LOL

We will always have the Cast vs. Jacketed barrier. The HP's just throw another monkey wrench in the cogs.

Duane

Isn't that an oxymoron, or something like that ;-)


Those are some cool lookin boolits Duane!

lol


You are spot on as usual Rod!


Duane

In case anyone wants to try some and does not cast, you can get some pretty nice ones from Rim Rock bullets. I have a bunch that I will be fiddling with this spring. Their bullets are used by Buffalo Bore ammo, and the hollowpoints in particular are the Deer Grenade line. If you read up on Buffalo Bore's site the description is that at certain velocity thresholds, the hp will break off and send fragments into the mix, while the core continues to penetrate. And interesting concept.

Craig

Bearbait, found this on Buffalo Bore's websight. I thought it was AWESOME. THANK YOU!!!!!

Take it for what it worth...

Good read,

Buffalo Bore



Deer Grenade 44 Mag. +P

Buffalo Bore's Deer Grenade 44 Mag. +P is a 240gr. Massive, Hollow Nosed, 12 BHN cast bullet with a gas check traveling at the below velocities out of stock, real world, over-the-counter firearms:

1. 1935 fps -- Marlin 1894 20 inch
2. 1897 fps -- Marlin 1894 18 inch
3. 1871 fps -- Marlin 1894 16.5 inch
4. 1578 fps -- Ruger Super Blackhawk 5.5 inch
5. 1535 fps -- Ruger Redhawk 5.5 inch
6. 1466 fps -- S&W MT Gun 4 inch

This load is designed as the world's premier deer load for 44 mag. The cast bullet is not considered soft, but it is not really a HARD cast bullet either as it only has a BHN (Brinell Hardness Numnber) of 12 so, it could be termed a medium/hard cast bullet. It performs as follows:

At an impact velocity of 1,100 fps it will mushroom to about 75 Cal. and should push right through any deer with a broadside shot.

At an impact velocity of 1,500 fps it will mushroom and some of the mushroom will fragment off and send bullet particles flying through the deer, but much of the mushroom and shank will remain intact and should push through any deer hit broadside.

At an impact velocity of 1,900 fps the entire mushroom will turn into shrapnel and send bullet particles all throughout the deer. The shank will remain intact, but will re-mushroom and do horrific damage inside the deer and will probably push through any deer hit broadside.

Of course all these results will vary depending on how much bone, if any, you hit, etc. This load was designed specifically to do horrific damage to deer sized game and as such does not penetrate like a hard cast flat nosed bullet. This bullet only penetrates about 30% as deep as a typical flat nosed hard cast bullet, which is perfect penetration for shallow game like deer, and medium sized pigs or black bear. This load is your best bet for immediately anchoring any deer with the 44 mag. cartridge that is not CNS (central nervous system) hit.

I am wanting for the bullet testing to begin

Ya know, there are some milk jugs out there just begging to receive some of those hollow points Tex.

JWP and RLB, ya'll are spot on. These requires immediate attention... LOL


So, with that being said...


Seeing how I just got my reloading bench up for the first time in 3 months last weekend, I don’t have anything set up to test bullets with, and I still have a plethora of chores to do on my “honey-do” list , I have a proposal to throw out.

If any is interested in testing a design above, and posting the results here, I will send them a lot of their choosing. Here is what I can do:
44’s) Lube, size, GC the 265 RD’s, and mail them postage on me.
I can only size to 432
45’s)Lube, size, and pay the postage.
I can only size to 452
475’s) All I can do is send you bullets in the white. I don’t have a sizer at all…

Right now my job has me living in a hotel Mon-Fri and I just can’t catch up on everything. PM or post here if you are interested. I have a few hundred 44’s and 45’s. I just got the 475 mold last weekend, but I could easily get it up and running if someone showed interest.


Duane

PM sent.

Back at you my friend!

I hope you guys get something worked out. Cast hollowpoints have alwaays kinda intrigued me. Just got my first batch this winter to play with. I know on the cast forums and in other places guys have reported different techniques to make the base and noses of different hardness and such.

I don't have a hardness tester to check the ones I have (other than my thumbnail) but it is interesting BB (Rimrock) says BHN of 12. That's not pure soft, but not at the other end either. I would imagine the nose would be very unpredictable if too hard, but then again having the nose fragment and spin off does not quailfy as traditional JHP as to function.

Craig

Yes sir. Your observations are spot on.

Fryxell has notes on Mr. Keith's notes on his Lyman 429421 HP mold shooting his Lead &Tin mix of 93-7 at BHN of 12. I am water quenching WW's which should be very close. The Lyman 44 Devastator was actually designed to use water quenched WW's.

Casting is a science and I am just getting my feet wet. I am lucky and blessed to have the resorses I do and the friend who are putting up with me asking so many questions. LOL

Duane

Duane,

Sounds like you are matching the bnh of the BB bullets. I know I have read of folks standing the hp bullets in pans of water and heating the noses to get varing hardness. Sounds like you are hardening the entire bullet uniformly. I would tend to think that BB (Rim Rock) would be doing the same thing. The prices are right in line with other bullets they sell, so I am just guessing that they are not using some type of additional steps.

Craig

Here is where I am going to use a JWP quote and say refer to V Smiths book. LOL


I custom temper my 180gr RCBS SIL bullets for my 357 Max bullets like you stated above. However, I haven't heard of anyone doing that with HP's until now.


I think you are spot on with BTB's process. I even think they have listed on their sight..


Duane