Pure lead , sabots and fins

[Double 30]

I'd like to get a mold made to cast a .452 hollow point identical to the T/C Cheap Shot. I've tried using pure lead .44 and .45's in sabots in my Black Diamond XR , but recovered bullets show fins corresponding to the slots in the sabot petals.I found a 300 gr Lee .452 soup can with fins that measure .478! Accuracy was poor, about 4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards.  Factory Cheap shots do not do this so I suspect they are not  " pure " lead but some alloy. Recovered specimens , from both dirt and game show that expansion is violent and the nose of the bullet is gone with a small portion of the shank left. I limit my velocities to 1600 fps and was wondering what the best alloy would be and if expansion and weight retention would be adequate if the hp was eliminated. Also , who makes good durable custom molds? I'd like a single cavity to cast smooth sided . 452's in 250 and 300 grain. Thanks for the help!

[Badnews Bob]

Try casting some from wheel weights and see what you get, or maybe 50/50 ww to lead.

[mechanic]

Hollow points out of pure lead have little hope of holding up and penetrating very far.  With pure lead you probably need a solid.  It will expand very well.  If you use hollow points, probably better to get jacketed projectiles.

I shoot solid conicals of pure lead in my 50 cal. and have had one kill so far with a recovered slug.  It expanded to about 1 1/2 it's original size.

Just my opinion.....

Ben

[Lloyd Smale]

depends on what your shooting. Ive shot deer with pure lead lyman devestators in sabots in an inline before with good results. deer dont take much penetrations. Keep in mind that the buffalo population in this country was wiped out using pure lead bullets at those kind of speeds. even if half your bullet is lost in penetration you still have as much weight left as most deer rifles have from the start. Weight some jacked rifle bullets that are recovered from animals and youll find most loose about 1/4-1/3 of there weight. Way to much is made out of hardness for deer hunting. Now if you are going after something bigger boned then a deer like a bear or pig id probably stay away for hps and go with a flat point cast out of at least ww. that been said the fastest kill i made or have seen made on a bufflalo was one i shot with a 44 mag blackhawk using the devestator cast out of ww shot at 1300 fps. the bullet lost its nose but the base gave complete penetration. It isnt a gun or load id normaly take buffalo hunting but the oppertunity presented itself and its what i had with me and it did fine.

[mechanic]

Lloyd, it wasn't the pure lead I was advising against, it was pure lead hollow points.  With hollow points at least WW lead is needed.