Cast bullet results

[triggermortis]

Hello boys,

   I think I've accidently stumbled onto some first hand knowledge of how my cast bullets performed in at least one application.  I cast a 44 bullet from straight wheel weights using a LEE tumble lube SWC mould, and water quench.  No sizing, just lube with Alox.  I load with 5 grains of green dot for the bullets, which weigh out about 235 grains, and I get great accuracy in all my handguns and lever rifles, and no leading.

   I have been thinning the turtles in my pond with this load, and the turtle shell carcasses (after the crawdads clean them up) have been washing up on the bank.  I was mowing and kicked one out of the way, and one of my bullets rolled out of the shell, and I recovered it.  Other than showing the signs of having gone thru the rifling, the bullet was not deformed at all, and was complete.  This bullet looks like I could load it up now and shoot it again.  

   This round is a cowboy type load, and is not very hot, but i still would have expected it to exit thru a turtle.  The hole in the shell is behind the head, and if it hit the water before impacting the turtle, it wouldn't have hit much water.  This bullet has a plenty high enough BHN, but I can still easily scratch the base with a thumbnail.        
   
   This has really convinced me that I'm casting and loading the  perfect
bullet for my applications.  Any comments are welcome.

T. Mortis

[Louis Farrugia]

Hello boys,

   I think I've accidently stumbled onto some first hand knowledge of how my cast bullets performed in at least one application.  I cast a 44 bullet from straight wheel weights using a LEE tumble lube SWC mould, and water quench.  No sizing, just lube with Alox.  I load with 5 grains of green dot for the bullets, which weigh out about 235 grains, and I get great accuracy in all my handguns and lever rifles, and no leading.

   I have been thinning the turtles in my pond with this load, and the turtle shell carcasses (after the crawdads clean them up) have been washing up on the bank.  I was mowing and kicked one out of the way, and one of my bullets rolled out of the shell, and I recovered it.  Other than showing the signs of having gone thru the rifling, the bullet was not deformed at all, and was complete.  This bullet looks like I could load it up now and shoot it again.  

   This round is a cowboy type load, and is not very hot, but i still would have expected it to exit thru a turtle.  The hole in the shell is behind the head, and if it hit the water before impacting the turtle, it wouldn't have hit much water.  This bullet has a plenty high enough BHN, but I can still easily scratch the base with a thumbnail.        
   
   This has really convinced me that I'm casting and loading the  perfect
bullet for my applications.  Any comments are welcome.

T. Mortis

HI BOYS

LATEY I HAVE CASTED SOME 9mm 125 g WHIT LEE MOULD AND I NOTEIST KEY HOLEING ON THE TARGET . IT NEVER HAPPEND  TO ME BEFORE
CAN ANYONE HELP ME SOLVE THIS PROBLEM
THANKS AND BEST REGARDS
LOUIS

[John Traveler]

Hello, Louis!

Please describe your 9mm load and gun.

What gun is the 9mm?  What is condition of barrel and rifling?

What gunpowder, how much, and which Lee 9mm bullet?

The old Lyman 356121 cut-off conical 9mm (about 120 grains) was notorious for keyholing because it had a short bearing surface, and bullet sizing was often off-centred.

The Lee 9mm 125 grain round-nose bullet should have no keyhole problems.

The usual reasons for keyholing are:  worn rifling, bullet does not fit groove diameter, and to slow (low velocity load).

HTH
John

[Louis Farrugia]

Hello, Louis!

Please describe your 9mm load and gun.

What gun is the 9mm?  What is condition of barrel and rifling?

What gunpowder, how much, and which Lee 9mm bullet?

The old Lyman 356121 cut-off conical 9mm (about 120 grains) was notorious for keyholing because it had a short bearing surface, and bullet sizing was often off-centred.

The Lee 9mm 125 grain round-nose bullet should have no keyhole problems.

The usual reasons for keyholing are:  worn rifling, bullet does not fit groove diameter, and to slow (low velocity load).

HTH
John

HI JOHN

THE GUN IS A LUGER 1939 RECONDTIONED BY MAUSER  LIKE NEW
LOAD IS 3.6 gr CSB-6  AND VELOCITY IS 920 FPS LEE 9mm 125 grain
round-nose  COULD IT BE WHEN I CASTED I HAD SOME WINGS AT THE BACK OF THE BULLET SO IT WAS NOT FLAT  DO YOU THING IT IS A DRAG PROBLEM

BULLET DIAMETER OK AND RIFLING OK .


THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

BEST REGARDS

LOUIS

[John Traveler]

Louis,

Your 9mm Parabellum load sounds very light.

I am surprised that it reliably functions your Parabellum pistol.

Either CAREFULLY increase your powder load for more velocity, OR change to another powder to get more velocity.

"wings" on the bullet base or sides CAN cause bullet instability, but not normally enough to make keyholes.

Try a harder alloy for your bullet melt.  Add so tin (wire solder) and antimony (automobile wheelweights).

Let us know how it works.

John

[Louis Farrugia]

Louis,

Your 9mm Parabellum load sounds very light.

I am surprised that it reliably functions your Parabellum pistol.

Either CAREFULLY increase your powder load for more velocity, OR change to another powder to get more velocity.

"wings" on the bullet base or sides CAN cause bullet instability, but not normally enough to make keyholes.

Try a harder alloy for your bullet melt.  Add so tin (wire solder) and antimony (automobile wheelweights).

Let us know how it works.

John

HI JOHN

I LIKE TO KEEP MY LOADS LITE  NOT TO STRES MY PO 8
 
IT FUNCTIONS VERY WELL WHAT I HAVE NOTEISD IS THAT THE PRIMER

GETS FLATEND A BIT IF I ADD MORE POWDER IT FLATENS IT

 COMPLEATLY. WHAT IS CAUSING IT TO FLATEN IUSE A PRO 2000 RCBS

FOR LOADING

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

REGARDS

LOUIS

[John Traveler]

Louis,

Primers flattening is not, by itself, a reliable sign of too high chamber pressures.  

Green Dot is a relatively fast pistol powder, but slower than Bullesye and Red Dot.  May I suggest you change to Alliant (formerly Hercules) Unique powder and try it.  Use loading manual starting loads and work up.

The 9mm case capacity is small, and a relatively small increase in powder (compared to same caliber in a larger case), will greatly increase pressures.

In my experience, that 9mm 125 grain RN Lee bullet does not stabilze well at 900-1000 fps.  I loaded many .38 Special cartridges with it for several tight-groove (.356") Colt revolvers, and accuracy was not good until I pushed it to near-Parabellum velocities of 1100 fps.

HTH
John

[Louis Farrugia]

Louis,

Primers flattening is not, by itself, a reliable sign of too high chamber pressures.  

Green Dot is a relatively fast pistol powder, but slower than Bullesye and Red Dot.  May I suggest you change to Alliant (formerly Hercules) Unique powder and try it.  Use loading manual starting loads and work up.

The 9mm case capacity is small, and a relatively small increase in powder (compared to same caliber in a larger case), will greatly increase pressures.

In my experience, that 9mm 125 grain RN Lee bullet does not stabilze well at 900-1000 fps.  I loaded many .38 Special cartridges with it for several tight-groove (.356") Colt revolvers, and accuracy was not good until I pushed it to near-Parabellum velocities of 1100 fps.

HTH
John

HI JOHN

AT THE MOMENT THE LAW IS BEING PASSED IN PARLAMENT AND WE ARE GOING TO BE GRANTED CENTER FIRE SOON .
SO AT THE MOMENT WE CANNOT GET ALLIANT POWDERS SO WE USE WHAT WE CAN FIND LIKE gm3 / csb 6 / ao /ALL SHOOTGUN POWDERS
PRIMER FLATTENING 3.7gr IS THE LOWEST I CAN GET IT JUST EJECTS NICELY IF I PUT MORE POWDER IT WILL FLATTEN TOO MUCH, BUT I NEVER SAW KEYHOLES BEFORE.

THANKS ONCE MORE JOHN

LOUIS