|
|
Post by hgunhtr on Feb 1, 2024 14:40:46 GMT -5
well dang it, probably can't make it down till mid April. I'm sure there will be a stupid one around somewhere.
|
|
|
|
Post by hunter01 on Feb 1, 2024 16:41:09 GMT -5
well dang it, probably can't make it down till mid April. I'm sure there will be a stupid one around somewhere. Ill have one tied to a tree for you dave! |
|
|
|
Post by Cholla on Feb 1, 2024 22:47:34 GMT -5
A few years ago I walked up on a pretty good size boar on the ranch next door and punched him with a .357 from about 70 yds. out. The 173 gr. bullet was from a 358429 mold and was ~1100 MV. Judging from the blood smears in the tall grass I hit him about 1/3 of the way up and behind the right shoulder. It was dusky and I followed him a good way into the briars in the creek bottom, but I was a couple of miles from the house and afoot, so thought it best to return home (I hate listening for rattlesnakes in the dark!!). I think an expanding bullet would've worked better. I've begun casting the same bullet in HP form at about 8 Bhn. So far I've only fired it into water at pretty low velocity (~800 fps), but it expands well and holds together.  I have one of the MP .357 "Carbine" molds but so far have only used it in my, well, carbine. |
|
|
|
Post by bigbore5 on Feb 1, 2024 22:58:31 GMT -5
I always think it's neat how much the lube groove compresses in a soft alloy bullet like those pictured above. Really shows how the principal works.
|
|
|
|
Post by hunter01 on Feb 2, 2024 9:08:09 GMT -5
A few years ago I walked up on a pretty good size boar on the ranch next door and punched him with a .357 from about 70 yds. out. The 173 gr. bullet was from a 358429 mold and was ~1100 MV. Judging from the blood smears in the tall grass I hit him about 1/3 of the way up and behind the right shoulder. It was dusky and I followed him a good way into the briars in the creek bottom, but I was a couple of miles from the house and afoot, so thought it best to return home (I hate listening for rattlesnakes in the dark!!). I think an expanding bullet would've worked better. I've begun casting the same bullet in HP form at about 8 Bhn. So far I've only fired it into water at pretty low velocity (~800 fps), but it expands well and holds together. I have one of the MP .357 "Carbine" molds but so far have only used it in my, well, carbine. Wow, those are absolutely beautiful bullets. Have you shot a solid at 8bhn into the water to test expansion? |
|
|
|
Post by x101airborne on Feb 2, 2024 9:37:25 GMT -5
Cholla, that is a museum perfect picture! You sure cast some shiny bullets!
|
|
|
|
Post by Cholla on Feb 2, 2024 10:28:24 GMT -5
Wow, those are absolutely beautiful bullets. Have you shot a solid at 8bhn into the water to test expansion?[/quote] No, I have not tested expansion in water. I guess I need to cast a few with that alloy and try them. Really I think 8 Bhn is probably a bit soft for that HP at .357 velocities. The important thing to remember is not just Bhn, but the alloy. The presence of antimony in bullet alloy causes the bullet to be more brittle. Here's a photo of a 9.5 Bhn bullet that was cast from a (forgotten) mixture of WW's and lead. As one can see the presence of the antimony caused the nose of the bullet to fragment.  The expanded bullets pictured in my post were cast from a 25 or 30-1 mix of lead and tin (And actually they're probably closer to 9 Bhn) and the lack of antimony made the alloy more malleable. Cholla, that is a museum perfect picture! You sure cast some shiny bullets! Thanks! At the time I was taking photos of some bullet mould I was selling. The shine is due to the lack of antimony and presence of tin in the alloy, plus a little hand buffing.  |
|
|
|
Post by x101airborne on Feb 2, 2024 16:48:33 GMT -5
HAHA! Gotta keep em guessing sometimes, huh?
|
|
|
|
Post by sixshot on Feb 3, 2024 13:37:10 GMT -5
cholla, very nice looking bullets you cast there! Just a tick more velocity maybe & you would have some real hog medicine. I use the 180 gr Carbine bullet as well. Nicely done!
Dick
|
|
|
|
Post by revolvercranker on Feb 3, 2024 13:53:55 GMT -5
Another good alloy is 50/50 air dropped for handguns. That's 50% wheelweight and 50% lead. You can go a little softer at 50/60. Hollow points stay together doin't fragmentate with these alloys then say straight wheelweights.
Have another friend on another forum that is very knowledgeable on powder coating. Knowing me he told me the first thing you don't want to do is use a hard bullet. He knows I shoot high velocity cast from rifles and I use a hard tough alloy. He said DON'T lube pc bullets. Knowing me again he said DON'T shoot them fat. He knows is often shoot the fatest bullet that will let the cartridge chamber.
I've notices some of you are going to no gas checked bullets. You know there is a economical way to put a free check on our bullet that is good up to the 2000 fps velocity range. That is a Freecheck made from soda and beer cans. Requires you use the Lyman/RCBS type luber/sizers. It's put on the bullet when you are sizing and lubing it. Keep the bore very clean and lead free even with very soft alloys. If any of you that don't know about them would like more info please pm and me I'll be glad to explain the process to you.
|
|
ideal
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 96
|
Post by ideal on Feb 3, 2024 14:21:22 GMT -5
Keiths favorite 16:1 comes up as 11 bhn, and 10:1 show as being 12 bhn if you feel like experimenting.
|
|
|
|
Post by hunter01 on Feb 3, 2024 15:49:43 GMT -5
Keiths favorite 16:1 comes up as 11 bhn, and 10:1 show as being 12 bhn if you feel like experimenting. Ill be the first to admit that im a cheapA$$ so i will be using the coww and range scrap i have available now. I do have a little over 100# of tin and pewter to add if i need it. |
|
|
|
Post by bigbore5 on Feb 3, 2024 16:13:30 GMT -5
Range scrap 60% to coww 40%, add 1.5% tin to the mix. 11bhn air-cooled, 15bhn water-dropped after casting but air-cooled after pc.
Using the air-cooled, I get maximum mushrooms and it stays together. The water-droppped/pc/air-cooled doesn't expand as much but drives deeper, usually not loosing the expanded nose unless it hits the shoulder hard.
|
|
|
|
Post by hunter01 on Feb 3, 2024 17:45:14 GMT -5
Range scrap 60% to coww 40%, add 1.5% tin to the mix. 11bhn air-cooled, 15bhn water-dropped after casting but air-cooled after pc. Using the air-cooled, I get maximum mushrooms and it stays together. The water-droppped/pc/air-cooled doesn't expand as much but drives deeper, usually not loosing the expanded nose unless it hits the shoulder hard. Thats great info! I usually water drop at casting and air cool after PC. I didnt realize it would be harder this way and jad assumed the oven annealing would remove the hardness from water quenching. Ill definitely air cool pit of the mold and after PC now. |
|
ideal
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 96
|
Post by ideal on Feb 3, 2024 19:05:31 GMT -5
Keiths favorite 16:1 comes up as 11 bhn, and 10:1 show as being 12 bhn if you feel like experimenting. Ill be the first to admit that im a cheapA$$ so i will be using the coww and range scrap i have available now. I do have a little over 100# of tin and pewter to add if i need it. I keep a boatload of range scrap on hand, but use 20:1 or 30:1 for hollowpoints when I'm feeling serious  . I can't recall the last time I added tin to anything. I had an unfortunate incident years back with adding too much tin and I got my antimony/tin balance way out of kilter. It was ugly. |
|
. I can't recall the last time I added tin to anything. I had an unfortunate incident years back with adding too much tin and I got my antimony/tin balance way out of kilter. It was ugly.