[Walking Point]

Anyone have any experience with HP cast bullets out of Lee moulds, expecially with a .45?

I'm thinking of getting a mould for my .357 and .45 with my next bullet lube order just for the hell of it.

I have no idea why I'd care if they expand or not, but the moulds are so cheap that I feel the need to add new bullet styles to my inventory.

Myabe they'd be handy against bowling pins.

 

[KLN]

Haven't used them myself, but have read quite a bit of Elmer Keith's work on the subject. He got good expansion performance with both .357 and .429 bullets, but the performance was highly dependent on the alloy. Sixguns By Keith is a good reference.

 

[Walking Point]

I figure bullets cast with 20:1 alloy and no hardening would be my starting point.

I still have to see how my .357 likes my cast bullets, since all my testing to date with .358 bullets has been for my .38 Super. I also have to retest several bullets in my .38 Super since I changed to a "cast bullet" barrel.

 

[Patrick Sweeney]

I'd forego the hollowpoints. The hassle of getting the bullet to drop off the stud, and still fill properly, seems like too much work for me.

On pins, a flat point seems to work as well as a hollowpoint, unless the hollowpoint is both sharp and hard. (And you're hitting on the edge of the pin, always a chancy way to do it.)

I've had good luck casting straight wheelweights, and a flatpoint 225 or 240 in .45 ACP. I've also had spectacular results on pins using the Lyman 452424 (I think) a 255 grain SWC intended for .45 Colt. In wheelweights it drops at 265, and at a modest 750 fps takes pins off like a Louisville Slugger.

 

[Walking Point]

Thanks for the warning about getting the bullet to drop off the stud. With no actual need for HPs, there's no need to generate trouble for myself. I've got enough of that trying to get this .303 Brit to shoot straight.

 

[Dave Sample]

I have used LEE 45hp BULLETS effectively for my LW Commander. They look really nasty and don't tear up the feed ramp like some jacketed hollow points will do. I'm sure they don't expand but most HP don't at 45ACP velocities. You have to run Lee molds very hot and the bullets will fall out of the mold just fine. The bummer is doing them one at a time.An old mafia trick is to rub them in garlic so if they are just wounded, they will die of blood poisoning. I use 5 grains of 452AA in any old case which does a nice job with a 228 grain bullet. I like to use those crap wolf russian cases so I don't have to pick them up.

 

[Edward429451]

Yea, Yea, then you could take an old thermostat, recover the mercury, put it in the hollowpoint and seal it with liqued aluminum and use an ignition file to make it a nice looking round nose...hehehe...

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"Always place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark"
Lazarus Long

 

[rob_helms24]

I bought a 230 Lee H.P. mould (for the hell of it) last year. I cleaned and smoked the moulds with wooden matches per instructions.
The third bullet fell out looking perfect and I havent looked back. I smoke the pin like I smoke the blocks and the bullets fall out as soon as I open the moulds. I use 4.4gn Clays (just plain Clays) and WLP and seat 1.240 for Avg 851 FPS and Sd 12 in my
Customized Norinco.

If God hadn't meant for us to have guns, He wouldn't have have sent us John Browning !

Rob

 

[AKM]

Originally posted by Dave Sample:
An old mafia trick is to rub them in garlic so if they are just wounded, they will die of blood poisoning.

I thought that only worked against vampires.

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No Second Place Winner

 

[Walking Point]

I haven't bought a HP mould yet.

I did get one of their 150 grain .38 Super moulds that has threatened to replace the 150 grain SWCs I've been using in competition. These bullets are shooting 2" groups at 50 yards in those rare instances where I do my part.