HP Alloy

[45spades]

Hey guys,
I've been reading up on casting HP. I'm trying to decide if I should buy pure lead and tin separately and mix with WW or but some tin/lead alloy to use alone? I've got the Miha 270 SAA HP mold. I want to push this bullet about 1050-1100 fps in a Ruger Flattop. Any suggestions on the alloy materials?

[boatswainsmate]

Have you read this?
www.lasc.us/FryxellCastHollowPoints.htm

[hoover]

This is from sixshot. His HPs expand beautifully!

sixshot:
Cast hollow points can work wonderfully but you have to match the hardness to the intended velocity for best results. What works best for me is to decide what velocity I'm going to run them & then cast my slugs to match it.
My normal hunting velocities with 41's, 44's, 45's & my 5 shot 480 is about 1100-1200 fps & I only use cast bullets, either solid or HP's. Here's what works for me.

800 fps I use 50% WW & 50% pure lead
900 fps I use 60% WW & 40% pure lead
1000 fps I use 70/30
1100 fps I use 80/20
1200 fps I use 90/10
& over 1200 fps I use straight WW alloy
The 70/30 mix is my most used alloy, and I also use softnose cast a great deal, actually like them better.

[Deleted]

My hollowpoint alloy is based on range scrap that I juggle a bit to get to my desired hardness. It usually runs around 8-9 bhn for low pressure rounds like 38 Spl & 45 ACP, and 11-12 bhn for magnum handgun calibers.

[Markbo]

Tank do you have any idea on bhn for those different mixes? Is that rule of thumb for all calibers?

[hoover]

Caliber should make no difference. Air cooled WW have a bhn of 10-12, and pure lead is 5. For each 10% of lead added, I would guess bhn goes down approximately 1 bhn. It's not rocket science, you need to experiment on your own to see what works for you. I really don't sweat exact alloy ratio but do add more lead to my mix for HP slugs. Bottom line is nothing beats a well placed shot in the vitals no matter what type of bullet used.

[bradshaw]

This little tripod of beast chest mastodons, Dick Thompson, Feremin Garza, and Jeff Hoover, respectfully aka sixshot, 2 dogs, and tank, open two avenues which adjust cast bullets to perform specific work beyond limitations of shape and hardness alone. The track is laid with coating and by taking advantage of the plastic nature of lead.

By no means suggesting these gentlemen invented these concepts, or that they are lone worthies on the trail. Rather, innovation streams from combining ingredients. Those who strive to cleanly take soft skin game tend to appreciate the quick punch of soft bullets. Often, penetration is the intolerant single issue. This is glaringly true of whitetails, especially deer aware of and adrenalized by the hunter. The black bear is another example. No animal deserves to be tortured and, if there be a list, I put bears at the top. My days of hunting black bear are over. Black bears are sentient instructors of moral living. I am not telling others to not hunt them. Just, for those who do, make clean work of your marksmanship or get the hell out of the woods. Don't trust the job to marksmanship alone. Select a cartridge and bullet that goes to work early and works late.
David Bradshaw