Lead at high speeds

[corbanzo]

Hey veral, got a question I figure you might just have some experience with.

I'm a big fan of shooting cast in my .458 Lott. My current load is a cast performance 405 grain wlngc pushed up around 2600fps+ depending on how many brews I had while I was reloading.  I've never had any problems with leading or accuracy, been a great bullet.

When I start to question myself is on game.  A hardcast bullet as such exploding at that speed I know isn't out of the question, what do you think with that bullet?

I'm thinking of stepping up to a 460 grain wfngc and slowing down a few hundred fps.

I would prefer not to dip down to traditional "cast bullet speeds" that's not why I own a Lott.

[AtlLaw]

I would prefer not to dip down to traditional "cast bullet speeds" that's not why I own a Lott.

And that's why you are my hero!   

[Veral]

   Explode isn't quite the right word, but the effect is explosive and penetration drops to only a few inches.

   I don't know what alloy Cast Performance uses, but am sure antimony content is far to high for a cast bullet to  hold together with 2600 fps impact velocity. 

  To get good results at that speed, it is mandatory to reduce antimony content to about a half percent, which would be wheel weight metal with 1% tin added, and diluted with 2 parts pure lead.  This will heat treat to 14 to 16 bhn real easy and at that hardness and low antimony content, the bullets will expand quite well and not break down into tiny particals. (This is what is called blowup.)
  The strongest bullet one can make for high velocity impact will be at 16 bhn with the lowest antimony content possible to get that hardness..

  If antimony content exceeds 1% which is about what wheel weights contain, and hardness is 20 bhn or harder. by quenching or heat treatment, smaller caliber bullets, like 32 cal and under will withstand impact speeds up to 2800 fps and penetrate deeply, IF AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS NOT BELOW ABOUT 10 DEG  F.  At 0 deg F, they will shatter to powder on impact, and the larger the caliber the lower velocity must be to prevent shattering.

  Softnoses do cushion the impact dramatically, and slowing the hard shank down to well below the shatter point, if the softnose is large enough and made fairly hard, like 20-1 lead tin,  NO antimony in the softnose.
 

[corbanzo]

Good information.  I will have to do some testing for myself at temperature.... I like in Alaska so this gun smackin a moose early winter isn't out of the question. 


They claim that their bullets are in the 18-21bh range, and won't break up and can handle speeds over 3000fps.... yadda yadda....  But I thought I would ask an experienced opinion instead of taking marketing for more than marketing.


Thanks a lot for the reply.


Corbin

[Veral]

  They will turn to powder at your speeds, especially if they hit bone early on during penetration, of it shot in real cold weather, meaning below 0 F.    Try them on water filled plastic jugs.  At least two one gallon ones so you get a foot or more of penetration.   Get up close, like 20 feet, and if you can shoot in your back yard, place the loaded gun in your food freezer.  When you take it out, shoot soon as you can get outside to the target as the gun will warm rapidly in your blazing summer heat, especially if there is a stiff 110 deg wind coming in off an iceberg! (Second childhood kicking in with that last sentence!)

[corbanzo]

Hahaha. Good idea, will do!!  On a side note, just got a message from a buddy who borrowed said Lott with said load for a se ak brownie hunt and he dropped one with a double lung today!

[corbanzo]

Was talking to him last night, they are on their way home today.  He told me this about our other buddy he was hunting with at the time, I said I didn't have a doubt about it!


"

oh cool story, nick was saying that when I shot my bear he saw a shock wave ripple through its body when the bullet hit."