Alloys for Hollow Points

[kywindage]

I enjoyed Mr. Taffin's article on Hollow Point moulds in the Jan/Feb American
Handgunner and will likely get a couple of the Cramer type moulds made up by Mr. Ohlen.

I currently have a Lyman 358156 HP mould and use the Forester Hollow Point drill on several .44 and .45 bullets, but have not found an acceptable allow to provide expansion for my cast bullets in the 1200-1400 fps range. The Wheel weights I have are too hard. I have the wheel weight alloy, linotype, pure lead, pure tin and some 50-50 soldier. Can anyone recommend an alloy for good expanding hollow points?

[jforwel]

You may have to experiment some, I would start at 50/50 - WW/pure lead. Make a small batch say about ten pounds and see how that works, then adjust more or less pure as needed. Sorry I don't have an exact formula.

[dale53]

Elmer Keith's hollow point alloy was 20/1 lead/tin. I find that to expand in both .44 and .45 caliber revolvers at 800-1300 fps.

I have MiHec two cavity brass Cramer style hollow point moulds in .44 Special/Magnum (H&G #503 250 gr Keith), .45 ACP 452374 hollow pointed to 200 grs, and the RCBS 45-270-SAA bullet. All three of these moulds are by MiHec.

I can run 20 lbs of finished match grade bullets in about 1½ hours with these moulds. Here are loaded rounds with the .44 Special with a pentagonal hollow point (these came with three different pairs of hollow point pins) and weigh 242 grs with the largest hollow point;



Here are some of the 45-270-SAA hollow point bullets;


Here is MiHec's web site - he still has a few of the 45-270-SAA moulds in stock (they were a group buy);

www.mp-molds.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=11

These are the finest molds I have ever used.

Dale53

[COR]

I use the 358156 and my mix is 3 lbs of WW's to 7 lbs of lead. I don't know what the BHN is but they expand at 850fps. I also crank the heat up and add a little extra tin for flow. HP's were hard to cast at first but with a little trial and error I got it down, I only have that one mold. Those MIHECS look real good BTW.

Your velocity goals will work with a properly fitted bullet and good bore but your may get some leading with that "soft" mix I listed but since I switched to the LBT blue soft I can get 1300fps out of my .357 with a clean bore. I usually load it at about 1100 and don't look back. Let us hear about your results.

[kywindage]

Since cold weather and snow has entered Kentucky, I see lots of casting in my future. Since I have the metal, Ill try the 50-50 and 30-70 alloys you guys suggested. I'll also check out those .45 caliber moulds!

By the way, I thought Keith always recommended 1-16 alloy.

[dale53]

Kieth recommended 20/1 for hollow points and 16/1 lead/tin for solid point magnum bullets.

I consider Glen Fryxzell to be the leading authority on the expansion properties of cast hollow point bullets. It would pay anyone who has an interest in these fine bullets to check his data out:

www.lasc.us/ArticlesFryxell.htm

Dale53

[Tx Gun Runner]

I found 25 lbs pure lead to 1 lbs tin works great for my hollow points and target rifle and pistol .... I use wheel weight for everything else .

[wickerbill]

The mix I use for HP's is 20:1 and It works out pretty good.
Bill