A little about the Hornady FPB 350 grain ***NEW Range Report Added***

[Busta]

I picked up a pack of Hornady's new FPB 350 grain conicals yesterday. They are very similar to a PowerBelt, but with one big diference, no plastic skirt. After closer examination, they basically have the same type of copper "candy coating" as the PowerBelt. I could see lead through cracks in the very thin electroplating on some bullets, and am not impressed at all in their apperance. The proof will be in the shooting, however. The flex-tip is a rubbery polymer substance that is neither hard nor soft, but is pliable to a degree.

The hollow point/hollow base is not my favorite design and have yet to find a hollow point/hollow base bullet to pass my torture test. The verdict is still out on these. Was going to shoot today, but had a rain/hail storm roll through a little while ago. If the wind calms down later I may get out and put them to the test.

The bullet is flared at the base, this allows it to fit all .50 caliber bore diameters. The base swadges down as it is pushed into the rifling, but only where the rifling engages the base. The area of the base that lines up with the grooves maintains its original dimentions. I pushed a couple through my NEF and Knight. The crown on the NEF allowed pretty easy starting and it maintained equal loading pressure through the length of the .502" barrel. The crown on the Knight is a very sharp transition, the bullet started a little harder, but once started it maintained equal loading pressure through the length of the .5015" barrel.



Hornady FPB 350 grain dimensions:

Length as supplied with Flex Tip = 1.135"
Length with Flex Tip removed = 1.000" (barely Colorado legal)
Diameter of the bullet above flare = .498"
Diameter of bullet at the flared base = .507"
Length of flared base = .125"
Depth of hollow point, tip removed = .250"
Diameter of hollow point, tip removed = .190"
Depth of hollow base = .280"
Diameter of hollow base = .430"

The depth of the hollow point and hollow base only leaves .470" of integrity between the two, and is where my doubts with this design come into play. This type of design lends itself to self destruction when coming into contact with heavy bone on big game. I am skeptical, but will provide information  and pictures once they go through my test. If I were to hunt elk in Colorado with this bullet, I would either cut the tip off flush with the top of the bullet or fill the hollow point in with lead. The built in skirt on this bullet just may prove to be it's saving grace in maintaining integrity. Time will tell.

My 2 cents. :wink:

[ms]

I can't wait to hear your report.

[Semisane]

An electroplated Minie ball?

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Dont leave out the cute little tip that is supposed to provide deadly expansion.  Hornady also says it will perform the same way without the tip.

Is that considered an oxy moron 

[Busta]

Sorry guys, didn't happen today. The temps went above 80 after the storm went through, and I don't like the heat. I will try to shoot them this week or next weekend if it cools down a bit where I can enjoy it.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

I know how you feel. its been in the mid 90s and low 100's here lately. Shooting is either EARLY or LATE LATE evening for me.

[30-06man]

Thanks I can't wait to here the range report. I have been busy here lately after getting back from my fishing trip trying to get work caught up and haven't been on the site much. I haven't done any shooting since early May myself. I was going to go site in my Encore with the new 45cal barrel today but decided against it because it was 102 outside.

Busta did you try the Blackhorn 209 with your TK2000 yet and are you going to try it with this FPB?

[Busta]

Shot the FPB's today with my NEF Huntsman, NEW Hubbard's 209 breech plug and Blackhorn 209 powder. Everything worked great, and the FPB's really shocked me in how they performed. What do you think?



I even ran some through my torture test. Starting at 351 grains as supplied, retained weights from left to right are as follows: 343 grains, 292 grains, 342 grains. The built in skirt did prove to be the saving grace of this design, with the copper cladding giving strength maintaining integrity. I would rate this bullet very high on my scale of 1-10, overall considering accuracy and weight retention I would give it at least a 9. This bullet could very well find itself in my speed loaders come this fall.

Torture test pictures, notice the condition of the bases. This bullet is for REAL!

[ms]

At what distant were your targets?

[30-06man]

I would bet they are at 100.

[Busta]

At what distant were your targets?

Sorry, all groups are shot at 100. The bullet integrity test is done at 50 yards in my bullet trap.

[burntmuch]

Some impressive groups.

[ms]

I live in michigan where did you purchase them at Busta?

[kyelkhunter3006]

With the impact tests being at 50 yds (probably the average ML shot honestly) and with those retention figures, it should only get better out to 100 yds and more, as expansion will lessen and penetration will increase.  I'm going to have to get some and try them out, definitely.

[Busta]

I live in michigan where did you purchase them at Busta?

Jay's in Clare had them last weekend, I'm sure they have them at the Gaylord store too. Call first, gas aint cheap, and neither are the bullets.

[nomosendero]

Thanks for the report. I had concerns about the penetrating ability of the bullets, thinking they should be a little longer for cal, more like 400 gr, it appears my concerns were unfounded, esp. for Deer.

[Busta]

Went to one of my favorite gun shops (Bob's Gun and Tackle) this past weekend and picked up some more FPB's @ $16.99. Jays Sporting Goods was where I bought the first ones, their price was $17.95. Then I went to Wally World later in the day and their price was $18.99. Guess who isn't getting my business? I heard Wally World's initial order was 500,000 and I am sure they haggled a better price than the family owned shops I mentioned. I wonder what their mark-up is on just one pack?

Here is another report I ran into.

http://www.hpmuzzleloading.com/NewProducts3.html

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

They seem to shed the pedals with a 100 grain charge, even at 100 yards.

[kyelkhunter3006]

Did you weigh them to see what they retained?  The first one looks like it lost some weight, but the second one looks like it expanded well enough and retained enough weight and shank to penetrate well.

[pshootr]

anyone shoot these with trple 7 pellets,if so how many are you using 100 or 150.also is there ballistics for these anywhere?thank you in advance for any info pshootr

[7-30 Waters]

I have a can of Blackhorn 209, Winchester 209 primers & 2 packs of FPB's on their way.  I plan on shooting them into wet phone books at 50, 100, & 200 yards.  Charges will be 100, 125, & 150 grains of Blackhorn 209 & Tripple Seven loose.  I don't think much of pellets.

I also plan on shooting 340 grain Powerbelts in a side by side study for expansion and weight retention.

 

[Busta]

I have a can of Blackhorn 209, Winchester 209 primers & 2 packs of FPB's on their way.  I plan on shooting them into wet phone books at 50, 100, & 200 yards.  Charges will be 100, 125, & 150 grains of Blackhorn 209 & Tripple Seven loose.  I don't think much of pellets.

I also plan on shooting 340 grain Powerbelts in a side by side study for expansion and weight retention.

 

I wouldn't go over 120 grains BH209 (same with 777), that load is the equivelant of three 50 grain pellets or 150 grains Black Powder.

For the Hornady FPB's you are not going to want to shoot over 100 grains BH209 (less with PowerBelts) IMO. If your just punching paper, then have at it, but if you want the bullet to stay together, 80-90 grains will kill an elk dead.

I would love to see pictures of your phone book test.

[7-30 Waters]

Went to the Blackhorn 209 website and foung their published data for muzzle loaders.  They show 120 grains as maximum load for any bullet under 350 grains.

Just to keep things equal I will shoot 120 grains of Tripple Seven loose as a side by side comparison.

Unfortunately, my supply of Blackhorn 209  wont be here for a couple of weeks.  Should have data by end of October at the latest.

[bphunter]

I had to go with 110 grains of BH209 with the 350 grain FPB's in my Omega for good accuracy. They chronographed right at 1800 fps. I saw no reason to try 120 grains since 110 was already as fast as I wanted to go.

[kyelkhunter3006]

How did they load in your Omega?  I had to literally hammer them down the bore on mine, and I gave up after two times.  Ramrod threads pulled the tip out both times as well.

[Semisane]

Ramrod threads pulled the tip out both times as well.

You need a bullet aligner on the end of your ramrod.  There are lots of styles out there.

   http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?t=82579&pageNum=0&tabId=5&categoryId=19759&categoryString=10635***

[7-30 Waters]

Ramrod threads pulled the tip out both times as well.

You need a bullet aligner on the end of your ramrod.  There are lots of styles out there.

   http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?t=82579&pageNum=0&tabId=5&categoryId=19759&categoryString=10635***

I second the bullet aligner.  Once I started using a bullet aligner no more problems damaging tips.

[kyelkhunter3006]

There wouldn't be a problem with the tips if the darn thing didn't have to be hammered down the bore.  No problem with any other tipped bullets, but they all load without issues.  If you're using a Power Rod, you can't have a bullet aligner on it. 

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

For me, they loaded like the 360gr wheel weight minies i had bought some years ago. Reloading on a dirty bore left you worn out,sore and a little hot tempered.  Sabots believe it or not are easier to load and you all know i am not into sabots very much.

[Semisane]

I wonder if you got two sheets of smooth steel (or plate glass) about 6" x 6" square and rolled the bullets between them while bearing down a little, would you be able to reduce the diameter just a little?