Tried to delay the expansion?

[Sverre A.]

Have you ever tried to delay the expansion of HP-bullets with epoxy-glue?
Did it work?

(Yes-yes and yes - I know there are SP`s )

[Mikey]

No, but I have used hot wax to hold a small diameter piece of steel shot just inside a hollow point and have watched the darn things penetrate wheel rims.  I have seen lead shot used the same way to 'enhance' penetration, but not against 'hardened' targets. 

Is that the same as 'delaying' expansion? 

[BBF]

Mickey:
I would not consider it an delay. More then likely the steel shot increased the speed and amount of expansion by being pushed back into the lead. However the steel itself would also help punching thru the rims.
Filling HP's with epoxy is similar to having a ballistic tip on a hollow point which improves the BC but also initiates/facilitates the expansion. Your Rem Bronze Points were an early example.
The only way I could see an HP being modified to retard expansion would be to reduce the size of the cavity, increase the jacket thickness, use a harder lead alloy or put some sort of cap    o v e r   the opening.

[Mikey]

BBF:  well, as Sverre said - there are soft points (lololol). 

However - I believe the velocity of just the steel shot was increased when the hp bullet impacted the rims, allowing the shot to act like a sabot busting through the rim first and enabling the rest of the bullet to follow through.

I understand the use of a epoxy.  Thanks.

[timothy]

You can also slow expansion by lowering the velocity.

[Autorim]

Why would you want to do that? There are lots of good bullets. More than you can ever shoot. IME, experimenting can lead to unsuccessful results or disaster. What if the little steel ball is displaced and lodges between the bullet jacket and the barrel - other than a ruined barrel.

If you want controlled expansion, look at the Nosler partition or other premium bullets. Just my 2c worth, but I do speak from some experience - not all good.

[Sverre A.]

I have tried different bullets - and with Winchester`s 158 HP - I get an accuracy which overcome most of the other bullets I have tried.

That`s why!

[jhalcott]

 This SOUNDS like you are using handgun bullets! IF SO, a very hard cast bullet or a full jacketed one might be what you are after. AS a gimmick some years ago I used some STEEL tape, the kind with the nylon strings embedded thruout its length, to cover the holes in some .44 mag HP's. I would NOT reccommend you try this. It did yield some interesting results. WHY are you trying to delay expansion? If you are looking for deeper penetration, the hard cast will give that to you in spades. If accuracy is a must then epoxy can/will cause problems unless you can get it "balanced" in the cavity.

[Autorim]

Sverre A,

Are you shooting factory ammo or reloading?

[Sverre A.]

I`m reloading - and has a lot of good hardcast-loads to choose between  .

I should like to find something between hardcast and HP/SP without slowing down the velocity.

 

[DanChamberlain]

Are you by any chance using "light for caliber" bullets, say 180 grain hollow points where most people start in the 240 grain range?  If you're looking for light bullet velocity and trajectories, but with greater expansion I can see what you're trying to do.  Instead of glue, try a dab of silicone sealant flush with the lip of the hollow point.  I think you'll find it interesting. 

Dan

[wild willy]

I use a lot of the Win 158 bulk bullets they are a very accurate bullet in all my .357s but as you know they are very fragile I use them for woodchuck hunting where they work great I don't know how much filling the hollow point will help with the thin notched jacket they are made to expand rapidly

[Sverre A.]

Well - I just had to try epoxy 

I filled up some cans with sand and shot at 25 yds.

Even that this not may be the answer - I think that the epoxy can have a mission.

I only shot 2 shots with/without, and those without epoxy - got wings.
The two others held together.

Sand is a hard stuff - so maybe the Winchester`s bulk bullets - also can work on deers?
 

[odoh]

I used superglue to fill HP cavity on some 10mm slugs some yrs back. Test fired in wood, they acted like a solid. No expansion. The mat'l was clearish like a 'lens' as one could see a magnified view of the cavity thru it. Superglue liquid from the $ Store was plentiful at the time.

There are times when one wants a solid and hp is all thats available. I wasn't casting in those days.

[bilmac]

Usually when you add something hard to the front of the bullet it causes it to expand faster. The Remington Bronzepoints were little bombs in my 270, and ballistic tips aren't much better. Could be that things happen differently at handgun velocities though. There is evidence that heavy clothing on people who have been shot have plugged hollow points and they didn't open up. I would go with the silicone idea myself.